Friday, April 1, 2011

Mississippi River Basin Water Resource News for the Week

Notable @UpperMiss Twitter Postings for the Week: 

Agriculture -
  • Farm, Ranch & Rural Communities Committee DC meeting makes progress on water recommendations to EPA http://bit.ly/gD0mMn
  • NestlĂ© chairman: Food for fuels is starving millions; US policy of hoarding corn to make biofuels "immoral" http://ind.pn/ia2ryZ
  • House Ag Comm Chair Lucas (R-OK): writers of next Farm Bill will have ‘billions of dollars less to spend on. . .bill’ http://bit.ly/hymSAJ
  • Senate Agriculture Committee Chair Stabenow lays out her Farm Bill agenda (part way into article) http://bit.ly/eYxh18
  • New USGS data-series report & maps document county-level tillage practices by 8-digit hydrologic unit watersheds http://1.usa.gov/f94GXF
Water Quality-
  • Environment MD Research & Policy Center: lawns offer "opportunity for major (Bay) pollution reduction" http://bit.ly/i6tGg4 (pdf file)
  • Gallup poll: top 4 US environmental concerns relate to water quality http://bit.ly/d5YlUM
In the States -
  • MN Senate Senate Committee on Environment & Natural Resources adopts omnibus budget bill for 2012-2013 http://bit.ly/dK3KaB
  • MN Senate & House cut environmental program funding but #s differ; bill moves to conference committee http://bit.ly/efDUJ5
  • OH EPA budget cuts proposed by Gov would affect H2O pollution, air permit & hazardous cleanup programs the most http://bit.ly/faCmxu
  • Bruce Baker-veteran water regulator with WI DNR-resigns from agency http://bit.ly/eRGJEC
Flooding, Floodplains, Dams and Navigation -
  • Runoff from Minnesota & St. Croix rivers leading to rising Upper Midwest waters downstream along Mississippi http://bit.ly/eJHhih
  • New RFF analysis & report on National Flood Insurance Program economics: article - http://bit.ly/gqfG0h; report - http://bit.ly/eMkrza (pdf)
  • New NRC Report: Conflicting demands, shrinking budgets create unsustainable mission for Army Corps http://bit.ly/exEQ8K
  • MN's flood risk lingers into May (NOAA: multiple flood crests possible in coming weeks) http://bit.ly/hyfarD (many flood info resources)
Federal Budget -
Events -
  • National forum in DC to examine direction of farm natural resources conservation programs & policies; April 7-8 http://bit.ly/hN4ncu
  • Nat Research Council's Army Corps Water Resources Science, Engineering & Planning public mtg April 5 in DC: http://bit.ly/ib5lpe
Biodiversity, Wildlife and Invasives -
Other news-
  • Environmental Council of the States asks EPA not to set new requirements using interim guidance http://bit.ly/hSLqqv (pdf file)
  • Here is March Update (pdf file) from Northeast-Midwest Institute on Mississippi River Basin issues: http://bit.ly/hd4kXI
  • USDA's North Appalachian Experimental Watershed (Coshocton Co, OH) could close under President's 2012 proposed budget http://bit.ly/ecuj6N
  • Corps Reform Network changes name to Water Protection Network; updates principles & procedures http://bit.ly/hlTZ31
Political Scene -
Last word -
"I think there will be one on the ballot." - Sen. Rand Paul (R-KY), quoted by the AP, on the prospect of either him or his father launching a presidential campaign.

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