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HIGHLIGHTS
On October 7, E&E News reported that EPA ended its decade-long cooperative agreement with the National Association of Wetland Managers (NAWM), valued at $1.2 million annually. In response, Executive Director Marla Selk announced her resignation and the elimination of three staff positions to stabilize the organization’s finances.
On October 7, the Senate confirmed over 100 nominees in a 51-47 vote under a new en bloc confirmation process. The final bloc included Neil Jacobs (NOAA), Lanny Erdos (Office of Surface Mining Reclamation and Enforcement), and Ned Mamula (U.S. Geological Survey).**
On September 17, the bipartisan Problem Solvers Caucus unveiled a comprehensive permitting reform framework to modernize and accelerate federal project approvals. The plan proposes cutting red tape for linear infrastructure, improving energy transmission and geothermal development, updating NEPA, and establishing firm permitting deadlines and digital systems for greater efficiency and transparency.
On September 9, the Colorado Water Conservation Board (CWCB) and Sonoran Institute launched the Water Secure Communities Program to help regions collaboratively plan for long-term water security through workshops, training, and technical support. CWCB also approved 56 new Water Plan projects totaling nearly $25 million to advance water storage, conservation, agriculture, and watershed resilience statewide.
On September 8, the Washington County Water Conservancy District in Utah approved a Joint Agency Regional Water Conservation Plan uniting eight cities under a single strategy to manage shared water supplies. The plan aims to reduce water demand by 7.7% by 2030 through efficient landscaping, new construction codes, and incentives for ultra-efficient homes using less than 0.39 acre-feet per year.
On October 1, the Washington Department of Ecology ordered a halt to surface water use in the Yakima Basin from October 6 through month’s end due to record-low reservoirs and ongoing drought. The curtailment affects over 1,500 water rights holders and underscores the need for continued investment in regional water security.
**A previous article reported that this second tranche of nominees had been confirmed on October 3, rather than approved for en bloc consideration. Because the nominees were advanced under a new process there was some media confusion about the status of the nominees. The article was corrected on 10/08/2025. See WSW #2681.
ANNOUNCEMENTS
On October 20 at 11:00 AM (MDT), WestFAST and WSWC will host a webinar with the Idaho Department of Water Resources. Phil Blankenau will discuss how Idaho uses Landsat data to manage water resources, including evapotranspiration mapping since 2000. Idaho was an early Landsat user and successfully advocated to retain the Thermal Infrared Sensor on Landsat 8 and 9 to support ongoing water management needs. Please register at the link below.