Mississippi River Water Resource News for the Week

Water and Wastewater Infrastructure Hearings Held

Two House hearings last week looked at the decaying US water and wastewater infrastructure of pipelines, treatment plants, dams and reservoirs. On July 15, the Water and Power Subcommittee of the House Natural Resources Committee held a hearing entitled "The Bureau of Reclamation and the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act: A Progress Report and Planning for the Future." And the Water Resources and Environment Subcommittee of the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee hosted a July 15 hearing entitled "Putting America Back to Work Through Clean Water Infrastructure Investment."

Stormwater Treatment Bill Introduced

On July 16, Sen. Ben Cardin (D-MD) introduced the Safe Treatment of Polluted Stormwater Runoff Act, S. 3602, to “direct the (Transportation) Secretary to establish a comprehensive program to control and treat polluted stormwater runoff from federally funded highways and roads.” The text of the bill is not available as this blog is posted, but will be available at this link shortly. The measure has been referred to the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee for further consideration.

Notable @UpperMiss Twitter Postings for the Week:

• Army Corps of Engineers Launches Responses to Climate Change Website http://bit.ly/aSRlIW
• Groups challenge plan to strengthen Mississippi River levees using injected coal ash http://bit.ly/9OTCQO
• Army Corps to release report Thursday at Senate hearing on May's deadly Tennessee floods; 9:30 AM Room 192 Dirksen http://bit.ly/aKf1tK
• See EDF's latest issue of Delta Dispatches about the latest efforts to protect & restore the Louisiana coast http://bit.ly/cYusE3
• The Flood Insurance Reform Priorities Act of 2010 was passed by the full House yesterday by a vote of 329 - 90 http://bit.ly/btqL7z
• Sen Reid (D-Nev.) intends to bring an energy bill to the Senate floor the week of July 26 http://bit.ly/d9LNHn
• Ethanol industry advocate Growth Energy calls for gradual phasing out ethanol tax credit http://bit.ly/9RGA9j
• Rival pro-ethanol groups arguing that the subsidy should be instead extended the way it is http://bit.ly/bvfOd9
• USGS produces first comprehensive, interactive land cover map of the United States http://bit.ly/cRSYXa
• EPA July issue of Watershed News is now on-line at http://bit.ly/cKNcV2
• Illegal use of bait a problem in Wisconsin waters http://bit.ly/d3GEFX
• Minnesota's Aquatic Invasive Species Laws Require Boaters to "Pick it or Ticket" http://bit.ly/blI7vk
• House Ag Chair Peterson: "We’re not going to spend any more money" on the next Farm Bill http://bit.ly/cef5WW (free registration needed)