Washington Report – June 23 2025

Due to the House and Senate scheduled district/state work week, and the upcoming Independence Day holiday, the APWA Washington Report will next be published on July 7. APWA Government Affairs wishes all readers a safe and enjoyable holiday. Follow APWA Government Affairs on X and LinkedIn for timely updates.

Latest News

FEMA Releases Maui Wildfires Report

FEMA has released its Maui Wildfires Mitigation Assessment Team Report, which was designed to provide guidance for communities working to reduce wildfire risk;
The report was compiled using FEMA’s assessment of the August 2023 wildfires that devastated Lahaina and Kula, Hawaii;
In total 2,173 structures were lost;
Highlights of the report include
- Details on how residential buildings performed while they were under extreme wildfire conditions
- Evaluations of building codes, standards and permitting systems that shaped the constructed structures before the fires
- Recommendations for rebuilding emphasizing wildfire resistance, ensuring nearby vegetation has been treated or cleared, and creating a space defensible from fires and incorporating the use of fire-resistant building materials.

APWA Cohosts Congressional Briefing on PFAS

APWA cohosted a briefing with industry partners, including solid waste, water, and local government associations, on how uncertainty around PFOA/PFAS regulation and passive receiver liability impacts their work to remove these harmful chemicals from the environment;
APWA member Jeff Wilkerson, Public Works Director for Martinsburg, WV and President of the APWA Mid-Atlantic chapter, represented the local government perspective on the panel along with other industry representatives;

Panelists speaking at the briefing (left to right):
- Sally Brown, Research Professor at the University of Washington
- Chris Ball, Vice President of Environmental, Health, and Safety at WM
- Jeff Wilkerson, Public Works Director for Martinsburg, WV
- Amanda Waters, General Counsel and Deputy Manager at AlexRenew representing the drinking water industry
- Jason Dadakis, P.G., C.HG, Executive Director of Water Quality and Technical Resources at Orange County Water District, CA (not pictured) representing the wastewater industry
- Nick Rodricks, Chief of the Bureau of Solid Waste Management at Baltimore County, MD (not pictured) representing the solid waste industry.

WIPPES Act Advances Out of Committee in Both Chambers

The House version of the Wastewater Infrastructure Pollution Prevention and Environmental Safety Act (WIPPES) Act H.R. 2269 was placed on the consent calendar for the House chamber and is expected to be passed by the full House this week;
Being on the consent calendar means that the bill will be voted on as part of a package, rather than individually, and typically happens for noncontroversial bills;
Recently, the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation passed the WIPPES Act out of committee (See APWA’s coalition thank you letter here);
A vote by the full Senate has not yet been scheduled.

Reminder: Ask Your U.S. Representative to Join the House Public Works & Infrastructure Caucus

If you have not already done so, contact your U.S. Representative about the re-established U.S. House Public Works & Infrastructure Caucus using APWA’s legislative action alert tool;
Using your zip code, a pre-generated email thanking them for joining will be sent if your Representative is already a member; if your Representative has not yet joined, pre-generated language urging them to join will appear for you;
Participating in these action alerts is critical to helping amplify APWA’s voice in Congress;
The caucus, originally established in 2016, plays an invaluable role in helping to educate Congress about the importance of public works and infrastructure;
Click here to email your lawmaker, then share the link;
Text PWX to 52886 to receive alerts via text message.

On The Horizon

(All times ET)

June 23 at 2 p.m., the House will consider the Wastewater Infrastructure Pollution Prevention and Environmental Safety (WIPPES) Act H.R. 2269 under suspension of the Rules;
June 24 at 10 a.m., the House Committee on Appropriations will hold a hearing to review the House of Representative’s FY 2026 budget proposal for the Department of Homeland Security (DHS);
June 26 at 10 a.m., the House Natural Resources Committee Federal Lands Subcommittee will hold a hearing titled “Fix Our Forests-Advancing Innovative Technologies to Improve Forest Management and Prevent Wildfires.”