The dedication of the new National Great Rivers Research and Education Center (NGRREC) Confluence Field Station in Alton, Illinois will be celebrated at the facility on October 26 at 1 PM (followed by hosted tours of the facility beginning at 2 PM). NGRREC was formed in 2002 to explore important questions about river systems, the environment and their impact on the communities, and to keep the public informed. The new Confluence Field Station will serve to enhance NGRREC's reputation as a premier river research institution, and will be the first institution of its kind to offer a comprehensive river system research and education program. Many local, regional and national dignitaries have been invited and are expected to attend the ceremony. For more information about the new, LEED-certified facility and the dedication ceremony, see this web site. More information about NGRREC can be found at www.ngrrec.org (Mark Gorman, Northeast-Midwest Institute Policy Analyst for Mississippi River watershed issues, will be presenting brief remarks during the dedication ceremony, and will post updates on the event and the new facility later in the week in Northeast-Midwest Institute's Mississippi River Basin Blog (http://nemwuppermiss.blogspot.com/)).
NOAA Open Rivers Initiative Grant Solicitation Period Open
The closing date for applications for the next NOAA Open Rivers Initiative (ORI) grant cycle is November 17, 2010. ORI provides funding and technical assistance to catalyze the implementation of locally-driven projects to remove dams and other river barriers, in order to benefit living marine and coastal resources, particularly diadromous fish. Projects funded through the Open Rivers Initiative must feature strong on-the-ground habitat restoration components that foster economic, educational, and social benefits for citizens and their communities in addition to long-term ecological habitat improvements for NOAA trust resources. Proposals selected for funding through this solicitation will be implemented through a cooperative agreement. Funding of up to $6,000,000 is expected to be available for ORI Project Grants in Fiscal Year 2011. The NOAA Restoration Center within the Office of Habitat Conservation will administer this grant initiative, and anticipates that typical awards will range from $200,000 to $750,000. For more information, see the grants.gov specific ORI grant site here.
Notable @UpperMiss Twitter Postings for the Week:
In the States -
- Minnesota cities take steps to go green & join state sustainable practices initiative http://bit.ly/detGwl
- State of KY & KY coal mining industry sue EPA over its interpretation of clean water act permit rules http://bit.ly/d22RH3
- EPA defends blocking of KY coal mining permits; says state is resistant to talking http://bit.ly/bIhALU
- Tennessee Riverkeeper plans to sue coal operators over mine discharges into trib of TN River http://bit.ly/cOcoNA
- WERF accepting proposals thru Oct 29; >$1 M available for innovative storm & wastewater research http://bit.ly/dnozUN & http://www.werf.org
- NOAA Open Rivers Initiative provides $ & tech assistance to remove dams & other river barriers http://bit.ly/cU2Rg0 grant deadline 11/17
- Corps levee standard changes could increase risks but no evaluation of likely flood insurance impacts planned http://bit.ly/d3AS5V
- Save the date: March 30-31: Assessment of Floodplain Natural Functions & Resources Workshop; Washington, DC (details to come)
- RT @MinnesotaNews: MnDOT to launch flood mitigation program http://bit.ly/aiN2Ji
- Rep. Boswell (D-IA): farmers may see cuts in Farm Bill programs as Congress tries to rein in federal debt http://bit.ly/auVs6j
- Farmland real estate attracting intense interest & commanding record prices http://bit.ly/bg23PJ
- Kansas City Star: Disagreement on Antibiotic Use in Animals http://bit.ly/bqgtUK
- Farming practices could ease impact of climate change on wetlands http://bit.ly/bCZ4dW
- Guest opinion: Fertilizer regs wrong way to clean up water http://bit.ly/bdWu7m
- Last week Senate Budget Committee held ND field hearing titled, “Writing the Next Farm Bill" http://bit.ly/bwiqIl (testimony posted)
- Chicago Tribune editorial: current farm programs pay almost as much in good times as in bad http://bit.ly/dazD08
- Global Financial Leadership Conference consensus of panel of experts: more use of biofuels affects food supply http://bit.ly/dwQRbM
- USDA plans $500M to help farmers grow next generation of biomass crops-switchgrass & woody plants http://bit.ly/czmYSB
- Report: indirect land use change from expanded corn ethanol production in past decade has likely been ‘minimal to zero’ http://bit.ly/df1Ajy
- NY Times editorial: tiling & farmers not to blame for dead zone; need for more USDA research http://nyti.ms/bFR3dp
- Government offering >$1.5 B in assistance to bring next-generation biofuels to market http://reut.rs/aUPiU5
- Reaction to Fed biofuel plan varies http://bit.ly/9dAs79 http://bit.ly/aU45sx http://bit.ly/bURraW http://bit.ly/auLVjz http://bit.ly/9aHolT
- Prairie Rivers Network Nov 16 stakeholder workshop about third-party TMDLs Bolingbrook, IL http://bit.ly/cR7DIv
- 2010 Partners in Community Forestry National Conference; Nov 9-11, Philadelphia http://bit.ly/9kzieW
- Save the date: March 30-31: Assessment of Floodplain Natural Functions & Resources Workshop; Washington, DC (details to come)
- U of MN official apologizes for pulling plug on "Troubled Waters" film http://bit.ly/bmTL4O
- 10th Annual N America Pollinators International Conference was terrific yesterday; they do great work http://bit.ly/bcA0Km
- AZ State U study: high & low river flows act to shorten food chains & eliminate top predators like large-bodied fish http://bit.ly/aogpa6
- U of Vermont Study: sunfish commonly consume invasive zebra mussels as prey http://bit.ly/cYjQMw
- American chestnut may reign Eastern forests again (Washington Post) http://wapo.st/8XJdvd
- RT @nytimesscience: Dot Earth: New Weapon Against Invading Fish: The Pan http://nyti.ms/bQf7k5 (Asian carp)
- MO Conservation Dept. Urges Caution When Catching Bait; Seeks to Keep Asian Carp Out of MO Lakes http://bit.ly/9pqGaz
- HUD Sustainable Communities Regional Planning Grant recipients announced; includes Mississippi River cities (pdf http://bit.ly/bphGgd)
- Study: Vegetation & climate change slowing winds in northern hemisphere http://bit.ly/aXqEjv
- Climatologists: dry south, Midwest weather likely to continue at least thru spring; possible summer drought http://bit.ly/bXRh1r
- National Center for Atmospheric Research Study: Droughts to be more common by 2030 & extreme by 2100 http://bit.ly/aimSoQ
- Gulf Coast land loss could add up to $350 billion by 2030 http://bit.ly/d6owp3
- U of WI Daily Cardinal newspaper: "Saving the Mighty Mississippi" http://bit.ly/cRZAm8
- Environment America: Park Service budget cuts will hurt essential services http://bit.ly/crY4Mh (pdf file)
- Inspector General: "significant impediments" to (DOI) efforts to promote economy, efficiency & effectiveness http://bit.ly/cf9jQA (pdf)Environmental Literacy Grants for Formal K-12 Education (deadline 01/12/2011) http://bit.ly/90HcJY
- What might the midterm elections mean for agriculture? http://bit.ly/9ZPeVv
- Philip Brasher: future of IA Farm Bureau’s proposal to scrap farm payments could hinge on election outcome http://bit.ly/a5xYGq
- Mississippi River basin politics: Democratic backing of farm friendly 2008 Farm Bill not translating to 2010 ag support http://bit.ly/bh81RX
- Congressional Republicans planning assault on Obama administration’s environmental record http://politi.co/cxgUlQ
- Updated look at US Senate & House as well as gubernatorial midterm election races http://bit.ly/boqOqT
No comments:
Post a Comment