Mississippi River Basin Water Resource News for the Week

Upper Mississippi and Ohio River Basin State Nutrient Reduction Strategies Workshop

US EPA's Region 5 is sponsoring a "State Nutrient Reduction Strategies Workshop -Agricultural Component" on June 13-15, 2011 at the Hyatt Regency Columbus, in Columbus, Ohio.  The workshop is intended to help states in the Upper Mississippi and Ohio River Basin develop the agricultural component for their State Nutrient Reduction Strategies, which are key components of the Mississippi River/Gulf of Mexico Hypoxia Task Force Action Plan.  Registration details and a workshop agenda are available here: http://agnutrientworkshop2011.rti.org/.  Questions about the conference can be directed to Cynthia Curtis, at US EPA Region 5 by phone (312-353-6959) or email (curtis.cynthia@epa.gov).

Flood Insurance Reform Act Moves Out of House Committee

The "Flood Insurance Reform Act of 2011" – H.R. 1309 was passed out of the House Financial Services Committee to the full House by a unanimous (54-0) vote on May 13, in an effort the bill's supporters say would save the National Flood Insurance Program from all-but-certain insolvency.

The bill would reauthorize the National Flood Insurance Program (a program intended to reduce flood risk, encourage smart floodplain management and provide affordable flood insurance) through September 30, 2016.   It proposes to reduce the program's current deficit with phased-in annual policyholder rate increases over the five-year term of the legislation.  Among other changes, the bill would also create a "Technical Mapping Advisory Council" to propose new mapping standards for 100-year flood insurance rate maps used under the national flood insurance program, which would, among other things, "ensure that the flood insurance rate maps reflect true risk" to each property.

Notable @UpperMiss Twitter Postings for the Week: 

Current Flooding-

• Why Mississippi floods were expected http://goo.gl/fb/POYxx
• Article with maps & perspective on historic Mississippi flood: http://on.msnbc.com/kB57Iz
• Residents in La.’s Cajun country evacuating after Mississippi River floodgate opens for first time in 4 decades http://wapo.st/mG5hG0
• CNN flood update notes that across South & lower Midwest, floodwaters cover ~3M farmland acres (end of article) http://bit.ly/ijjsUK
• Mississippi River crest breaks 1927 record flood level in Vicksburg, Mississippi http://nyti.ms/lRSko3
• Flooding Mississippi River threatens catfish industry http://bit.ly/mbenib
• LA Environmental Action Network & Lower Mississippi Riverkeeper Flood Update: Atchafalaya Basin & Backwater Areas  http://bit.ly/jxPB5H
• Mississippi River cities brace for flood peaks as Louisiana bayou floods http://reut.rs/jOTQnO
• Mississippi River flooding takes massive economic toll http://nyti.ms/jjGyqr

Floodplains, Dams and Navigation -

• Mississippi River flood spending empties Army Corps' River dredging budget, delays hurricane levees http://bit.ly/j5Tqcs
• Washington U research: 99.9% chance official Mississippi River flood predictions are incorrect-flooding more severe http://nyti.ms/kRAaFH
• NOAA, Army Corps & USGS sign memorandum of understanding to support water resources management goals http://bit.ly/kveBmg (pdf file)
• Editorial on Mississippi River & spending on flood control: "The river is winning. The river always wins." http://bit.ly/kJd1ef
• Op-ed: "Old Man River Shouldn't Be Shackled" http://cour.at/j3o6H3
• Senators' letter to CEQ urges new guidelines development that mirrors congressional water resource planning mandates http://bit.ly/kHS9UJ
• NWF releases report on ways federal policy/action exacerbate flooding & recommendations to change http://bit.ly/ipioV8
• MN DNR criticizes state House committee for killing new Coon Rapids "carp-stopping" Mississippi River dam http://bit.ly/mRUdvU

Water Quality-

• Mississippi River flooding could spur largest ever Gulf of Mexico dead zone http://bit.ly/keSR7Q
• McHenry County, IL considers coal-tar sealant ban to reduce PAH water & air contamination http://bit.ly/iPnnDn
• EPA: Cost to clean up Chicago River sewage ~ $7/residence/month http://bit.ly/jvVYq6
• Senate Judiciary approves bill increasing Clean Water Act penalties http://1.usa.gov/m8sumO

Agriculture -

Agricultural federal funding

• 2012 farm bill will be no easy task amid earmark ban, budget cuts http://bit.ly/lcBI6S
• USDA is expected to have more program funding cuts in the 2012 federal budget http://bit.ly/msCS9U
• Liberals & conservatives may soon reach consensus on common agriculture subsidy target for spending cuts http://bit.ly/mbRAuT
• Chief of USDA Natural Resource Conservation Service: budget cuts helps NRCS refocus on highest priorities http://bit.ly/jNGCWW
• Ten Senate Dems "strongly oppose the extreme level of budget cuts to agriculture" in letter to Obama http://bit.ly/iAGDH8 (pdf)
• House Ag Committee Chair Lucas (R-OK): money will be a major uphill battle in writing of 2012 farm bill http://bit.ly/ltizLH

Other Agriculture news

• USDA Expects Record Corn Crop In 2011: USDA's projects record 13.5 billion bushel corn crop http://bit.ly/ma6DRq
• Grain prices surge on news of US weather http://on.wsj.com/kiOHUu & European http://reut.rs/kIDba6 & Chinese http://nyti.ms/iIqblo droughts
• Agricultural economic boom misses rural towns http://bit.ly/mLxq1S
• EPA Issues Compliance Orders to 7 Concentrated Animal Feeding Operations in IA, KS & NE http://1.usa.gov/jHN33B
• USDA plans aerial conservation compliance reviews on 635 sites in IA http://bit.ly/iUtiAs
• Biofuels groups' letter to House & Senate committees asks to leave Federal renewable fuels standards intact http://bit.ly/lXlXH0
• MI State U study: US biofuel production "probably has not induced any indirect land use change" http://bit.ly/ioO0NJ
• Texas producer to pay $1.9M in EPA Clean Water Act penalties in largest US CAFO settlement http://1.usa.gov/j9X18Q

In the States -

• MN House OKs invasive species plan over objections it would weaken environmental protections http://bit.ly/kTNDUf
• IA DNR eliminates more than 100 positions http://bit.ly/iN1Rde
• Gov. Walker considers turning WI DNR into self-contained agency, operating outside many WI rules & regulations http://bit.ly/iMQcXR
• EDITORIAL: Improving the Wisconsin DNR-good idea if protections  not weakened http://bit.ly/iPFSRT
• Morris City Council approves plan to stop sanitary sewer system overflow into Illinois River http://bit.ly/iq9AT8
• Minnesota River Board challenges criticism of Minnesota River cleanup http://bit.ly/k8xYMs

Biodiversity, Wildlife and Invasives -

• Invasive News: Weed Science Field Underrepresented at U.S. Land-Grant Universities  http://bit.ly/j1Yd21
• USDA APHIS - Noxious Weeds Program the little program that could http://1.usa.gov/k83lR0
• MN Bass Federation & State Senator Clash Over newly introduced Invasive Species legislation http://bit.ly/l2TWKw
• Floodwaters could Bring Invasive Fish and Other Woes to Southern Indiana http://bit.ly/lOwdH5
• Judge stays Endangered Species settlement over 251 species until June 20 to allow addition of extra party http://bit.ly/kCkaXe
• Compliance with newly enacted MN Invasive Species rules low so far http://bit.ly/lJzfRW
• Princeton University study: One-third of amphibian species as yet undiscovered http://on.msnbc.com/iPGvqN

Federal Budget -

• Treasury Secretary Geithner: it's official - government has reached its $14.3 trillion debt limit; default on loans Aug. 2 http://nyti.ms/kbsckr
• Sen. Tom Coburn (R-OK) pulls out of "Gang of 6" negotiation group as budget talks break down http://bit.ly/kBHgUJ
• After "Gang of Six" dissolution, people look to Biden-led deficit /budget negotiations http://bit.ly/mFmTi0
• VP-led bipartisan group of 6 Senators & House members makes budget deal progress; includes farm subsidy cuts http://bit.ly/kWwLEh

Events -

• National Great Rivers Research & Education Center May 23 speaker series: Midwestern Rivers & Environmental Dynamics http://bit.ly/mK9Muu
• Upper Mississippi & OH River Basin State Nutrient Reduction Strategies Workshop-Agricultural June 13-15, Columbus, OH http://bit.ly/jm9xXb
• Panel Discussion on Global Concern over Water, Food & Energy Security, May 20, 7:45 PM, Washington, DC http://bit.ly/jtP1Oe
• Free webinar: Green Infrastructure in Your Backyard: Central US Area; June 9, 2 PM (EDT) http://bit.ly/jfGMQg
• Free webinar: Green Infrastructure in Your Backyard: Northeast & Great Lakes Area; Thursday, May 26, 2011; 2:00 PM http://bit.ly/lRD5Dl
• River Action's 4th Annual Upper Mississippi River Conf; Sept 21-23; Isle of Capri Convention Center Bettendorf, IA http://bit.ly/lp0jXH
• 12th National Conference on Science, Policy, and the Environment; January, 2012; Washington, DC http://bit.ly/mFPshp

E-Newsletters-

• Tennessee Clean Water Network issues its most recent e-newsletter: http://bit.ly/liHySb

Political Scene -

• Former state Rep. Dan Severson said Monday he will challenge first-term Sen. Amy Klobuchar (D-MN) in 2012 http://bit.ly/jkx5M7
• Former WI Gov Tommy Thompson (R) plans to run for Wisconsin US Senate seat to be vacant when Sen. Kohl (D) retires http://bit.ly/jnl78W
• David Williams wins KY Republican primary for governor, setting up general election campaign vs. Gov. Steve Beshear http://bit.ly/mIHclG
• Six-term Rep. Todd Akin (R-MO-2) officially announces Missouri US Senate bid http://bit.ly/iGON46
• Sen McCaskill (D-MO) to E&E: environmentalists should not target her for 2012 defeat; she is probably most environmentally friendly option

Gulf Coastal Area-

• PBS Newshour covers Gulf Dead Zone link to Mississippi River Basin runoff & flooding http://to.pbs.org/lcpj0T
• MS Dept. of Marine Resources: expect huge oyster losses from flooding http://bit.ly/kK1bG9
• Mississippi River floods could help replenish Louisiana's coastal wetlands http://bit.ly/k4tOpn
• Mississippi River flooding renews Gulf Coast anxieties http://bit.ly/kZI4JD

Other news-

• 3 Mississippi Basin rivers on "Most Endangered" list; in unprecedented move, Mississippi River gets "Special Mention" http://bit.ly/kEDcAi
• EPA: Most coal ash impoundments in 'satisfactory' or 'fair' shape http://1.usa.gov/dkwC20
• Proposed central Wisconsin woody biomass power plant moves forward http://bit.ly/ipeCqK

Last word - "I’m not going to bang my head against a wall anymore." -  U.S. Sen. Tom Coburn (R-OK), quoted by the Wall Street Journal explaining why he was withdrawing from negotiations among the "Gang of Six" senators seeking to craft a bipartisan, comprehensive deficit-reduction deal.