Summer, which has now come and gone, is a time for rest and relaxation – for most people. But in this industry, it is busy. No rest for the weary, as they say. Summer storms, hurricane season, fire season. It is a lot. A perfect storm, of well, storms. And summer 2022 came with plenty of events to keep the industry as busy as ever. From extreme rainfall this summer in St. Louis, Dallas, Death Valley and eastern Kentucky to funding allocations trickling down from the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act and regulation updates on the horizon, such as PFAS health regulations, there is a lot going on.
On page 6 of this issue, we break down some of the IIJA (Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act) funding and what can be expected. I was also able to discuss the IIJA with Karen Dettmer, managing director for Infrastructure Implementation for the U.S. EPA (Environmental Protection Agency) Office of Water, in a two-part video interview in our Dropping By video series. If you have not already, you can find the interviews at estormwater.com/videos. Dettmer helped breakdown the IIJA even more and explains how you can apply for funding.
Aside from funding, this issue covers wetlands, MS4 management, compliance and more. Wetlands are an entity that has seen funding come in this summer. In June, the EPA awarded $3,745,495 to aid programs that restore habitat, protect tribal water quality and preserve wetlands across the Pacific Southwest, an EPA press release said. The wetlands story on page 16 explores using constructed wetlands to clean water using less energy.
This is our second to last issue of 2022, which is hard to believe. But our next issue is a favorite of mine. We will feature our 2022 Top Projects. It is an exciting issue, and one I always enjoy putting together. Highlighting the hard work and unique projects those in the industry have tackled over the past 18 months, is an incredible learning opportunity for me, and hopefully, you too.
Katie Johns
Katie Johns, editor-in-chief of Stormwater Solutions, graduated from the University of Missouri in 2016 with a Bachelor of Journalism and a Bachelor of Arts in Spanish. Johns joined the Stormwater Solutions team in September 2019. Johns also helps plan the annual StormCon conference and co-hosts the Talking Under Water podcast. Prior to entering the B2B industry, she worked as a newspaper reporter and editor in Sarasota, Florida, and a magazine assistant editor in the Chicago suburbs. She can be reached at [email protected].
