Mississippi River Basin July Update

Here is the link to the July Update (PDF file) from the Northeast-Midwest Institute on Mississippi River Basin issues.  The July Update contains coverage of these River Basin news items:

RIVER BASIN NEWS AND NOTES

• Corps of Engineers’ New Upper Mississippi Forest Plan NRCS’s Upcoming Mississippi River Basin Initiative Briefing
• Widespread Flood Threats Throughout Summer in Upper Midwest and Northern Plains
• Obama Administration Extends Deadline for Comments on Power Plant Cooling Water Intake Regulations
• Upcoming Conferences, Events and Workshops

LEGISLATION

• Clean Water Cooperative Federalism Act
• Senate Committee Passes Three Water and Wildlife Bills
• Algal Bloom and Dead Zone Research Bill
• National Flood Insurance Program Reauthorization and Reform
• Farm Bill

BUDGET AND APPROPRIATIONS

• Fiscal Year 2012 Appropriations
• Debt Ceiling 101 – The Basics

Mississippi River Basin Water Resource News for the Week

Calendars and Schedules
This weekly update (and its author) will take a one-week hiatus and not be published next Friday (July 29), reappearing in its regular weekly time slot on August 5.  Coincidentally, at the close of Congressional business on that date (August 5), both chambers of Congress are scheduled to being a four-week congressional summer recess that has been on the respective House and Senate calendars since early this year.  It is likely that the scheduled break will occur no matter the status of debt negotiations or any associated legislation (or, as David Hawkings, editor of CQ Roll Call Daily Briefing puts it, "summer vacations and campaign commitments remain almost as important to many lawmakers as saving the nation from drowning in red ink.").

Correction and Update on Interior and  Environment Spending Bill
EPA's proposed "Mississippi River Basin Initiative" would NOT be funded at all under the terms of Fiscal Year 2012 Interior and  Environment spending bill passed by the full House Appropriations Committee on July 12.  In last week's Update, we mistakenly reported that the Initiative  would be funded under terms of the bill. The Administration's 2012 budget proposal included $6 million for the initiative.   With respect to that  Mississippi River Basin Initiative, the House bill's report language notes "the Committee has not provided funding to initiate a new grant program  in the Mississippi River Basin" (Hat Tip to Irene Lin from Rep. Betty McCollum's Washington, DC office for pointing this out). 

On July 21, the White House issued a strongly-worded "statement of administration policy" regarding that controversial House spending bill, threatening to veto the measure in part because it would undermine conservation, public health and environmental protections.  The veto threat notwithstanding, it’s very uncertain whether or when the full House will even take up the Interior and Environment bill, since there could be a significant voting block forming to defeat the legislation (consisting of a coalition of conservative Republicans who seek to deny EPA any money at all, and Democrats who believe that the bill would deplete EPA's funds too much).

Notable @UpperMiss Twitter Postings for the Week: 

Agriculture -

• USDA finds it almost impossible to model & estimate the effects of climate on food production http://reut.rs/nXED2l
• HuffPost Green Online: “Congress’s Short-Sighted Farm Policy” http://huff.to/r2rFRt
• Soil & Water Conservation Soc mtg topics: conservation compliance & crop insurance; farm conservation & productivity http://bit.ly/oLmoCt
• Conservationists worried about what annual direct payment cuts could mean for highly erodible cropland http://bit.ly/pL8Jyb
• Purdue research: Ethanol (corn) & China (soybean) demand shocks help drive 2011 commodity & food price increases http://bit.ly/oVrkzS
• Wednesday-House Agriculture Committee's Conservation Subcommittee held hearing on USDA Energy & Forestry Programs http://1.usa.gov/pyNkeL
• House Agriculture subcommittee criticizes USFS chief for conservation efforts during Farm Bill audit; 7/20 video link: http://bit.ly/pKe69R
• Negotiators - $30B in agriculture spending cuts in deficit-reduction deal http://wapo.st/qru0pG “Gang of Six” proposal cuts $11B http://bit.ly/qhag2h
• House Ag Comm Chair Lucas: farm bill conservation focus-keep framework intact to protect soil & water in face of $ cuts http://bit.ly/nBfdjy

Floodplains, Dams and Navigation -

• Talk of diverting Mississippi River water to help ease Western US drought surfaces again http://bit.ly/rmq2VC
• Louisiana asking for $95 million in Federal funding to dredge Mississippi River http://bit.ly/nrwdYv
• Water Protection Network commentary-Severe Missouri River Flooding Calls for Modernized Water Planning Guidelines http://bit.ly/qkdZrf (PDF)
• Nebraska governor invites governors of other MO River states & Army Corps to flood control meeting http://bit.ly/qEm1E6 & http://bit.ly/qkQ88o
• Army Corps' New Orleans area levee armoring plans challenged by East Bank levee authority members http://bit.ly/p4O2jb
• MN budget bonding bill provides $103 million for natural resource projects, including $50 million for levee rebuilds http://bit.ly/mQzH1G (PDF)
• Army Corps may have to repair Mississippi River levee system with no supplemental Congressional appropriation http://bit.ly/p7GR9i
• FEMA study: US flood-prone land area likely to increase 45%; major challenge to federal flood insurance program http://bit.ly/ph6DLK

Current Flooding -

• Sen Grassley's take on Missouri River flood management meeting http://bit.ly/qK1H3k
• FEMA Missouri River Basin Flooding Summary: http://1.usa.gov/qjsenC
• USGS: Landsat Satellites Track Continued Missouri River Flooding http://on.doi.gov/qhmfV6
• MO U of Science & Tech prof: more MO River levees likely to fail throughout summer because of high water stresses http://bo.st/pA4AFK
• Mississippi River finally falls below flood stage in IL for 1st time in 3 months http://bit.ly/p8KMf5

In the States -

• Under litigation threat EPA hires consulting firm to draft cleanup plan for Floyds Fork (tributary of Salt River in KY) http://bit.ly/noBhlR
• Minnesota state shutdown officially ends as Gov Dayton signs budget http://bit.ly/rseSBL
• KS Gov Brownback puts spotlight on  diminishing supply of water in Ogallala Aquifer; seeks conservation reform http://bit.ly/oICbDu

Biodiversity, Wildlife and Invasives -

• Fast spreading invasive cogongrass threatens forests in the U.S. South http://bit.ly/pJtBNw
• Decatur IL lowering of water level between 2 Lake Decatur dams & Sangamon River leads to 1000s of dead Asian Carp http://bit.ly/q7xZxW
• Invasive zebra mussels spreading rapidly throughout Kansas waters http://bit.ly/pisTqs
• EPA extends comment period on power-plant surface water intake proposal until August 18 http://1.usa.gov/j7WL7k
• Invasive Asian longhorned beetle attacks maple & other trees in SW OH & Northern KY http://bit.ly/phK5E3

Federal Budget -

• Obama opposes/threatens to veto House GOP 2012 Interior & Environment appropriations bill: http://1.usa.gov/oI5lm2 (pdf)
• Article on Obama veto threat of House Interior & Environment spending bill: http://bit.ly/oDrrHU
• House approves 2012 Energy & Water funding bill with controversial water amendments/cuts http://bit.ly/pKJBM7
• For those in the dark as much as me: "Debt Ceiling 101 - The Basics" http://bit.ly/rt5zGn
• Obama & Boehner reportedly moving toward deficit deal cutting up to $3 trillion in spending; overhauling tax code http://bit.ly/mRj0PN
• Sides edging toward short-term debt deal http://bit.ly/q0Jo9x but House GOP may have other plans  http://bit.ly/rgmZxz

Gulf Coastal Area-

• LA Gov Jindal Announces $60 Million in Coastal Protection Projects http://bit.ly/pfuHL4
• Gulf Coast senators introduce bill to assign BP penalties to coastal restoration http://bit.ly/ngkfs0

Events -

• Webinar Recap of EPA Stakeholder mtg: Development of New /Revised Recreational H2O Quality Criteria; Sept 20; 1 PM http://1.usa.gov/psssiS
• National Conference on Ecosystem Restoration; Baltimore, MD, August 2-5 http://bit.ly/q2wawf
• 26th Annual WateReuse Symposium; Sept 11-14; Phoenix, AZ http://bit.ly/pZMJq1 (early-bird registration discount ends July 25)
• Early Bird registration closes July 31 for 2011 Horinko Group Water Resources Summit; U of MD College Park http://bit.ly/qr8riN

Other news-

• The world's biggest problem? Too many people http://tiny.ly/Rkd0 (LA Times)
• River Talk blog: Learning with those who have lived in the Mississippi River Valley the longest http://bit.ly/pKVMBU

Last Word
With President Obama alienating those in his own party over the Administration's debt reduction negotiation strategy, and the GOP right disgruntled with House Speaker Boehner's dealings with Obama, the two have found themselves stuck in the middle together.  Speaking of which, here's your virtual Friday morning coffee break: "Stuck In The Middle With You" by Stealers Wheel

EPA Extends Comment Period for Proposed New Cooling Water Intake Structure Standards to Reduce Environmental Impact

The EPA has extended the period during which the public can provide comments on proposed regulations concerning cooling water intakes at power plants until August 18 (adding 30 days to the public comment period).

Background:
The EPA published a proposed rule in the Federal Register on April 20 that will affect (when finalized) many large cooling water dischargers to rivers in the Mississippi River Basin, including large electric utility plants. The rule sets requirements that reflect the best technology available (BTA) for minimizing adverse environmental impact; requirements that would be implemented through National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) permits. Read more background and comment submission information here.

Debt Ceiling 101 - The Basics

If most accounts are accurate, the Federal government will reach the legal limit on its ability to borrow money (a borrowing limit of $14.3 trillion) on or about August 2, unless Congress raises the debt ceiling beforehand.  If Congress does not increase the limit, borrowed funds would not be available to pay bills and the United States may be forced to default on its debt obligations, an unprecedented situation. These helpful resources are offered for those, like yours truly, who are struggling to comprehend the enormity and complexity of the issue.

Back in February of this year, the Government Accountability Office (GAO) prepared this useful primer on government debt.  The report, entitled "Debt Limit: Delays Create Debt Management Challenges and Increase Uncertainty in the Treasury Market," was prepared "to assist Congress in identifying and addressing debt management challenges," in anticipation of reaching the debt limit sometime this year (at the time it was anticipated that the limit could be reached as early as April 5).

In noting that "failure to raise the debt limit in a timely manner could have serious negative consequences for the Treasury market and increase borrowing costs," the GAO provides this concise description of what the debt limit is and is not (emphasis added):
“The debt limit does not control or limit the ability of the federal government to run deficits or incur obligations. Rather, it is a limit on the ability to pay obligations already incurred. While debates surrounding the debt limit may raise awareness about the federal government's current debt trajectory and may also provide Congress with an opportunity to debate the fiscal policy decisions driving that trajectory, the ability to have an immediate effect on debt levels is limited.”

For a good overview of the debt limit and its various associated spending issues, you might wish to page through this concise and informative analysis on the matter (in a PowerPoint format) prepared earlier this month by the Bipartisan Policy Center.  The report was written Jay Powell, a Treasury Department official in the George H.W. Bush administration.

House Approves Energy and Water Funding Bill for Fiscal Year 2012

The full House today (July 15) passed the 2012 Energy and Water Appropriations bill (H.R. 2354, the fiscal year 2012 Energy, Water, and Related Agencies Appropriations bill).  The spending bill  provides $24.7 billion for the Department of Energy, $4.8 billion for the Army Corps of Engineers and $934 million for Department of Interior's Bureau of Reclamation.  It was passed on a largely party-line vote of 219-196 (roll call vote here) and now moves to the Senate.  The Army Corps funding level is actually slightly more than the $4.63 billion requested by the President in his 2012 budget proposal; not an unexpected outcome, given a Congressional history of adding spending for particular Army Corps' flood control, navigation and ecosystem restoration projects.  The House Appropriations Committee's press release concerning the bill's passage, including a description of the measure's approved amendments can be found here.

Among the measure's more controversial provisions is one that would block funding for a new Obama administration policy aimed at better-defining Clean Water Act protections over wetlands and streams, and another that prohibits funding to conduct a study relating to the Army Corps' Missouri River Projects (known as the Missouri River Authorized Purposes Study), required by the Fiscal Year 2009 Omnibus Appropriations Law.

The bill also includes provisions (adopted as amendments) that would:

• provide $1 billion in emergency funding for responses to this year's floods in the Mississippi and Missouri river basins,
• add $6.3 million  to Army Corps Operation and Maintenance for dredging of waterways, at the expense of a similar-sized cut to supervision and general administrative expenses in the headquarters of the Corps of Engineers
• reduce funding for a Missouri River Fish and Wildlife project by $1.75 million
• increase Operations and Maintenance funding for river levee repair by $1 million

Missouri River Authorized Purposes Study (MRAPS) Background
MRAPS is a broad-based study designed to review Army Corps of Engineers' Missouri River Project purposes established by the Flood Control Act of 1944, including a review of the effects on the Mississippi River of Army Corps authorized works.  The 2009 Omnibus Appropriations Act authorized the $25 million MRAPS to “determine if changes to the authorized Missouri River project purposes and existing Federal water resource infrastructure may be warranted.”

The study was to be conducted at 100 percent federal expense.    For any management alternative addressed in the study, the Corps was to evaluate all relevant impacts, including impacts on the Mississippi River.  The implementation guidance directing the MRAPS calls for study completion in five years, with consideration of climate change and compliance with Corps planning guidance, including internal and external reviews.

The study is designed to analyze eight authorized purposes in view of the current Basin values and priorities to determine if changes to the existing purposes and existing Federal water resource infrastructure may be warranted. Those eight authorized purposes include flood control, water supply, navigation, water quality, irrigation, recreation, hydropower, and fish and wildlife.  The MRAPS project area covers the entire Missouri River Basin and its tributaries and the scope of the review includes Army Corps projects (especially the Missouri River main stem lake projects), and a review of their impacts on the Mississippi River.  The Army Corps of Engineers is working collaboratively on the study with Tribes, Federal and State agencies, and other stakeholders within the Missouri River Basin and along the Mississippi River.

The Army Corps' Omaha and Kansas City Districts are co-leads for the study, with Omaha having the management lead.  The Corps' Northwestern Division will also coordinate closely with the Mississippi Valley Division, and a St. Louis District technical team will assist in conducting the study.   The Corps initiated work on MRAPS in October 2009, following receipt of the study implementation guidance, with outreach to basin stakeholders about their interests and concerns relative to the study (the Corps held  a series of scoping meetings - including some along the Mississippi River - during the summer of 2010 to provide input to the formal study scope and external organization involvement plan).

Mississippi River Basin Water Resource News for the Week

NRCS to Host Mississippi River Basin Initiative Briefing
USDA's Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) will host a briefing and dialogue session on the progress and activities of the Mississippi River Basin Healthy Watersheds Initiative (MRBI) on Tuesday, August 9, from 10:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m. (EDT) in Washington, DC (in person) and remotely via a webinar. The meeting will be hosted by NRCS Chief Dave White at the USDA Whitten Building, Room 104-A, located at 12th Street, SW and Jefferson Drive.

NRCS has indicated that a number of topics will be covered during the briefing including progress made on MRBI projects approved in fiscal year 2010, newly approved fiscal year 2011 projects, monitoring and evaluation, and adaptive nutrient management.

Those planning to attend in person should notify Executive Assistant Michael Coates by email (michael.coates@wdc.usda.gov) before noon (EDT) August 5.  A conference call number is available to access the audio portion of the webinar for those who cannot attend in person (call-in number 1-888-566-7824; participant code 6848397). For those interested in viewing the PowerPoint presentations during the briefing, the following link can be used: https://www.mymeetings.com/nc/join/ (Conference Number: PW5520251; Audience Passcode is the same as the phone participant code: 6848397).

House Science Subcommittee Approves Algal Bloom and Dead Zone Research Bill
Yesterday (July 14) the House Science, Space and Technology Subcommittee on Energy and Environment unanimously approved on a voice vote H.R. 2484, the Harmful Algal Blooms and Hypoxia Research and Control Amendments Act of 2011, sending the measure on to the full committee for consideration. The legislation authorizes a targeted research plan to improve efforts to monitor, prevent, mitigate and control both marine and fresh water algal blooms and hypoxia.

Among the bill's provisions is one that would establish an Inter-Agency Task Force on Harmful Algal Blooms and Hypoxia consisting of representatives from various Federal agencies and offices. The bill calls for the Task Force to prepare and submit to Congress within two years a comprehensive research plan and action strategy to address marine and freshwater harmful algal blooms and hypoxia. The "Freshwater Program" established under the measure would carry out research on the ecology of freshwater harmful algal blooms, monitor and respond to freshwater harmful algal blooms in lakes, rivers, estuaries and reservoirs, and mitigate and control freshwater harmful algal blooms.

Senate Environment and Public Works Committee Passes Three Water and Wildlife Bills
On July 13 by voice vote the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee approved three water and wildlife bills that relate to Mississippi River and Gulf of Mexico coastal ecosystem conservation and restoration. The three bills are:

• S. 1313, the Clean Estuaries Act of 2011, which would amend the Clean Water Act to reauthorize the National Estuary Program, revise the purpose of management conferences convened to guide voluntary estuary restoration efforts, and expand requirements governing comprehensive conservation and management plans prepared by estuary programs. It also seeks to improve the National Estuary Program's accountability by requiring regular evaluations to determine if the goals of improving water quality and habitat are being met.
• S. 899, the Nutria Eradication and Control Act of 2011 that would reauthorize a nutria eradication program and require the Secretary of the Department of Interior to continue a long-term nutria control or eradication program in Louisiana and Maryland (and extend the program to new states, including Delaware, Virginia, North Carolina, Oregon and Washington).
• S. 538, a bill to amend and reauthorize the Neotropical Migratory Bird Conservation Act that would reauthorize a grant's program to promote the conservation of migratory birds in the United States, Canada, Latin America and the Caribbean. 

House Passes Controversial "Clean Water Cooperative Federalism Act"
On July 13 the full House handily passed a controversial "Clean Water Cooperative Federalism Act" (H.R. 2018) that would significantly restrict EPA's ability to issue revised or new water quality standards without a state's permission (see prior story on the bill here). The bill passed on a 239-184 roll call vote, gaining the support of all but 13 Republicans as well as Democrats from Appalachia, where the coal industry had been lobbying consistently to shift more of EPA's regulatory power to the states. There is little chance of the bill becoming law, however. No similar measure has been introduced in the Senate. And on July 12, the White House Office of Management and Budget released a veto threat within a strongly-worded statement opposing the measure. You can read more on the bill here.

House Passes Flood Insurance Reform Act
The full House on July 12 passed H.R. 1309, the Flood Insurance Reform Act of 2011 to extend the authorization of the fiscally-nonviable National Flood Insurance Program until September 2016 and add a measure to pay down its nearly $18 billion debt through a series of annual rate increases for policyholders (the bill passed on a vote of 406-22; roll call here). An amendment was also approved to reduce the number of flood insurance policies directly managed by Federal Emergency Management Agency to no more than 10 percent of the total number of flood insurance policies in place nationally. Both the Obama administration and various national insurance associations have endorsed the House bill. A related bill (S. 1284) has been introduced in the Senate and referred to the Senate Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs.

House Appropriations Committee Passes Fiscal Year 2012 Interior and Environment Spending Bill
The full House Appropriations Committee on July 12 passed its Fiscal Year 2012 Interior and Environment spending bill on a vote of 28-18, sending it on to the full House for consideration (expected the week of July 25).  The bill provides $27.5 billion in funding for the US EPA and Department of Interior – a reduction of $2.1 billion below last year’s (Fiscal Year 2011) level and $3.8 billion below the President’s 2012 budget request. Among the legislation's more significant cuts are:

• Interior's land acquisition funding reduced by $239 million
• EPA's municipal water and wastewater infrastructure project funding (know as Clean Water and Drinking Water State Revolving Loan Funds) reduced by $967 million
• Climate change programs cut by a total of $83 million

You can read the Committee's press release on the bill's passage and link to the bill and its accompanying report language here.

EPA's proposed "Mississippi River Basin Initiative" would not be funded under terms of the bill.  The President's 2012 budget proposal had requested $6 million for the initiative.

One of the more controversial riders attached to the bill would block EPA from using any funds "to carry out, implement, administer, or enforce" changes to Clean Water Act jurisdiction put into place since the last guidance on the matter (issued during the George W. Bush administration).

Although certain to be challenged by President Obama and Senate Democrats, House Democrats and Republicans alike said following the bill's passage out of Committee that much of what had been passed may survive into a final bill, given the political realities of the current fiscal year.

Notable @UpperMiss Twitter Postings for the Week:

Agriculture -

• Research: cellulosic miscanthus & switchgrass show economic & environmental promise as US corn replacements http://bit.ly/nVArS7
• American Enterprise Institute sponsored series of academic papers on "Fixing the 2012 Farm Bill" - http://bit.ly/orebwi
• OK Assn of Conservation Districts President: water quality alerts show need to address nonpoint source pollution http://bit.ly/pf3PPX (PDF)
• July 19 briefing - Farm Bill Energy Title: Rural Energy for America Program; Washington DC http://bit.ly/ozHLru
• China buys more US corn & ethanol plants exceed livestock as main consumer; so US corn stocks languish near 15-yr lows http://reut.rs/qyNJVi
• US drought map dire & expected to worsen. NY Times: http://nyti.ms/pUgka7 & http://nyti.ms/p7NFgA Official drought map: http://bit.ly/29RL7k
• National Cotton Council VP: “This farm bill is going to be one where the budget will dictate policy" http://bit.ly/nVBb69
• Soybean & corn growers: let House & Senate Agriculture Committees make USDA budget cuts in Farm Bill; not appropriators http://bit.ly/n0ybeu

Floodplains, Dams and Navigation -

• Iowa's governor urging 3 downstream states to withdraw from Missouri River Assoc to form their own group http://bit.ly/pHy3eq
• 2011 flood should spark unified approach to Missouri River management http://bit.ly/nDkO5G
• Widening Missouri River, reducing risk, keys to flood control http://bit.ly/rmOpgy 
• Political time is right to bring change to Missouri River management http://bit.ly/rtoBNk

(The last three links are to articles in a St Louis Post-Dispatch Editorial series)

Current Flooding -

• USDA Secretary Vilsack criticizes Army Corps of Engineers on management of Missouri River flooding http://bit.ly/o4gcZD

Water Quality-

• 1st of 3 summer Texas A&M Univ cruise's research results: Gulf of Mexico dead zone already larger than Delaware http://bit.ly/nWplLj
• House Science Subcommittee Approves Algal Bloom and Dead Zone Research Bill http://bit.ly/pieV5u

In the States -

• Iowa State University to check state lakes to get handle on blue-green algae blooms http://bit.ly/puV69O
• MN Public Radio - latest news on the MN state government shutdown and deal to end it: http://bit.ly/qAzLRw

Biodiversity, Wildlife and Invasives -

• Report: 1 in 10 species could die out by the end of century due to climate change http://ind.pn/rrwk72
• Invasive Stink Bug expected to cause big problems for Wisconsin farmers & homeowners http://bit.ly/mYY7tq
• Minnesota's war on invasive Water Milfoil shuts down along with state government http://bit.ly/pGbe6d
• Senate Environment & Public Works Committee passes Clean Estuaries, Neotropical Bird & Nutria Eradication bills http://1.usa.gov/qvlmil
• Study looks to "un-reverse" the Chicago river to stop spread of aquatic invasive species http://bit.ly/nVHdR2
• IN Gov candidate: closing canal linking Great Lakes & Mississippi River system "would have devastating effect" on jobs http://bit.ly/mXw3Z8

Federal Budget -

• Chaos and gloom inside the beltway as debt ceiling talks hit wall http://politi.co/mUrG2H
• Debt talks shut down as parties bicker over how the bickering went http://politi.co/nLLYNJ
• On the deficit: Gang of Six (Senate) talks warm as White House-Hill talks melt http://bit.ly/of4SFZ
• House Appropriations Committee passes 2012 Interior & Environment spending bill with large EPA - Interior cuts http://bit.ly/pz3AZP
• The House should complete consideration of H.R. 2354 - the 2012 Energy & Water Appropriations bill - today http://1.usa.gov/nKTvd6

Gulf Coastal Area-

• Obama administration lists Gulf of Mexico's rare largetooth sawfish as endangered species http://1.usa.gov/q6d1k3
• Senate Environment & Public Works Committee passes Clean Estuaries, Neotropical Bird & Nutria Eradication bills http://1.usa.gov/qvlmil
• Louisiana officials seek to stop "lake-destroying" invasive giant salvinia plant http://bit.ly/mBOmlN
• House Rules Committee blocks vote on a proposal to give Gulf states 80% of BP spill Clean Water Act fines http://bit.ly/okeB3S
• New federal (NOAA) policy aiming to expand US fish farming in coastal waters sparks both support & concern http://bit.ly/qnCa6x

Events -

• National Conference on Ecosystem Restoration final speakers list announced; Baltimore, MD, August 2-5 http://bit.ly/q2wawf
• Early Bird registration closes July 31 for 2011 Water Resources Summit; U of MD College Park http://bit.ly/qr8riN
• July 19 briefing - Farm Bill Energy Title: Rural Energy for America Program; Washington DC http://bit.ly/ozHLru

e-Newsletters and Journals -

• National Great Rivers Research & Education Center July 2011 e-newsletter released: http://bit.ly/nLilMG
• The Horinko Group’s environmental monthly e-newsletter for July: http://bit.ly/qFH198

Other news-

• GOP conservation cuts rile anglers and hunters http://politi.co/pxSJwH
• Analysis: severe natural catastrophes makes 2011 highest-ever insurance loss year on record; with 6 months to go http://bit.ly/nJQKXV

Political Scene -

• U of Wisconsin Badger Poll: 59 % of Wisconsinites disapprove of Gov. Walker’s job performance http://bit.ly/q0Fc4y
• US House Rep. Tammy Baldwin (D-WI-2) raising more $ for an increasingly likely US Senate bid http://bit.ly/qWuKAN

Last Word -"We can't talk about that right now. I don't want to tell you or anyone else what our priorities are going to be." - House Appropriations Committee Chair Hal Rogers (R-KY) in answering a question regarding what GOP priorities might be - spending cuts or policy riders - if the 2012 Interior and Environment spending bill goes to a House-Senate Conference Committee to be resolved.

House Science Subcommittee Approves Algal Bloom and Dead Zone Research Bill

Yesterday (July 14) the House Science, Space and Technology Subcommittee on Energy and Environment unanimously approved on a voice vote H.R. 2484, the Harmful Algal Blooms and Hypoxia Research and Control Amendments Act of 2011, sending the measure on to the full committee for consideration.  The legislation authorizes a targeted research plan to improve efforts to monitor, prevent, mitigate and control both marine and fresh water algal blooms and hypoxia.  

The bill was introduced by Rep. Andy Harris (D-MD-1), and has seven co-sponsors.  In commenting on the need for the bill, Harris stressed that “harmful algal blooms affect nearly every State in the U.S., and the complexity in understanding and responding to these events has eclipsed our current research and response structure.”

Among the bill's provisions is one that would establish an Inter-Agency Task Force on Harmful Algal Blooms and Hypoxia consisting of representatives of  the Department of Commerce, EPA, USDA, Interior Department, Navy, NSF, FDA, NASA, the Office of Science and Technology Policy, and White House CEQ.  The Task Force would coordinate activities within each agency in carrying out provisions of the Act. 

The bill calls for the Task Force to prepare and submit to Congress within two years a comprehensive research plan and action strategy to address marine and freshwater harmful algal blooms and hypoxia.

The "Freshwater Program" established under the measure would carry out research on the ecology of freshwater harmful algal blooms, monitor and respond to freshwater harmful algal blooms in lakes, rivers, estuaries and reservoirs, and work to mitigate and control freshwater harmful algal blooms.

Senate Environment and Public Works Committee Passes Three Water and Wildlife Bills

Yesterday (July 13) by voice vote the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee approved three water and wildlife bills that relate to Mississippi River and Gulf of Mexico coastal ecosystem conservation and restoration.  The three bills are:

• S. 1313, the Clean Estuaries Act of 2011 (introduced by Senators Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI), David Vitter (R-LA), Ben Cardin (D-MD) and Joe Lieberman (I-CT)). This measure would amend the Clean Water Act to reauthorize the National Estuary Program. The bill would also revise the purpose of management conferences convened to guide voluntary estuary restoration efforts and expand requirements governing comprehensive conservation and management plans prepared by estuary programs. It also seeks to improve the National Estuary Program's accountability by requiring regular evaluations to determine if the goals of improving water quality and habitat are being met.
• S. 899, the Nutria Eradication and Control Act of 2011, a bill that would reauthorize a nutria eradication program and require the Secretary of the Department of Interior to continue a long-term nutria control or eradication program in Louisiana and Maryland (and extend the program to new states, including Delaware, Virginia, North Carolina, Oregon and Washington). S. 899 was introduced by Senator Ben Cardin (D-MD) and is cosponsored by Senators Mary Landrieu (D-LA), Jeff Merkley (D-OR), Barbara Mikulski (D-MD), and Kay Hagan (D-NC).  Background: Nutria is a large, semi-aquatic rodent native to South America that was originally brought to the United States in 1889 for its fur.  When the nutria fur market collapsed in the 1940s, thousands of nutria were released into the wild by ranchers who could no longer afford to feed and house them, and soon after, feral populations became established in the Gulf Coastal area.  Recognized in the US as an invasive species, nutria is now found in 22 states, and is well-established in 16 states.  The nutria's relatively high reproductive rate combined with a lack of natural population controls have resulted in a proliferation of the species.  In many regions the damage to wetland plants they cause is severe.  
• S. 538, a bill to amend and reauthorize the Neotropical Migratory Bird Conservation Act.  Introduced by Senator Ben Cardin (D-MD), the bill would reauthorize a grants program to promote the conservation of migratory birds in the United States, Canada, Latin America and the Caribbean.

Each bill now goes on to the full Senate for consideration.

House Passes Controversial "Clean Water Cooperative Federalism Act"

Late last evening (July 13) the full House handily passed a controversial "Clean Water Cooperative Federalism Act" (H.R. 2018) that would significantly restrict EPA's ability to issue revised or new water quality standards without a state's permission (see prior story on the bill here).  The bill passed on a 239-184 roll call vote, gaining the support of all but 13 Republicans as well as Democrats from Appalachia, where the coal industry had been lobbying consistently to shift more of EPA's regulatory power to the states.

There is little chance of the bill becoming law, however.  No similar measure has been introduced in the Senate.  And on July 12, the White House Office of Management and Budget released a  veto threat within a strongly-worded statement noting the Obama Administration "strongly opposes" the measure "because it would significantly undermine the Clean Water Act (CWA) and could adversely affect public health, the economy, and the environment."   Republicans countered that the bill would restore the "intended state-federal balance" in the enforcement of Clean Water Act regulations, arguing that EPA regulatory over-reach is costing the nation jobs and hindering its economic recovery.

An amendment offered by House Democrat Gerald Connolly (VA-11) that sought to exempt various  watersheds and estuarine regions that receive federal restoration funding from the provisions of H.R. 2018 was voted down.  The amendment would have allowed "critical efforts such as restoration to continue in acknowledgement of the undeniable fact that water does not stop when it reaches a state line," according to a dear colleague letter circulated by Connolly earlier in the week.  The list of "great waters" covered under the amendment included the entire Mississippi River Basin, as well as the Great Lakes, Chesapeake Bay, Long Island Sound, South Florida/ Everglades, San Francisco Bay, Gulf of Mexico, Lake Champlain, Puget Sound, Casco Bay (ME), New Hampshire Estuaries, Massachusetts Bays, Buzzards Bay, Narragansett Bay, Peconic Estuary, New York/NJ Harbor, Bernegat Bay, Delaware Inland Bays, Maryland Coastal Bays, Southeast Coast, Albermarle-Pamlico Sound, Indian River Lagoon, Gulf Coast, Charlotte Harbor, Sarasota Bay, Tampa Bay, Mobile Bay, Bataraia-Terrebonne Estuary, Galveston Bay, Coastal Ben, West Coast, Lower Columbia River, Tillamook Bay and Morro Bay.

In a June 21 US EPA four-page legal analysis (PDF file) of the bill, EPA cautioned that the bill would “overturn” clean water law.

House Passes Flood Insurance Reform Act

The full House yesterday (July 12) passed H.R. 1309, the Flood Insurance Reform Act of 2011 to extend the authorization of the national flood insurance program.  The bipartisan passage (vote 406-22; roll call here) extends the fiscally-nonviable National Flood Insurance Program until September 2016 and adds a measure to pay down its nearly $18 billion debt through a series of annual rate increases for policyholders.  An amendment was also approved to reduce the number of flood insurance policies directly managed by Federal Emergency Management Agency to no more than 10 percent of the total number of flood insurance policies in place nationally.

A related bill (S. 1284) has been introduced in the Senate and referred to the Senate Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs.   Both the Obama administration and various national insurance associations have endorsed the House bill.

UPDATED: House Appropriations Committee Passes Fiscal Year 2012 Interior and Environment Spending Bill

The full House Appropriations Committee last night (July 12) passed its Fiscal Year 2012 Interior and Environment spending bill on a vote of 28-18, sending it on to the full House for consideration (expected the week of July 25).   You can read the Committee's press release on the bill's passage here.  The bill provides $27.5 billion in funding for the US EPA and Department of Interior – a reduction of $2.1 billion below last year’s (Fiscal Year 2011) level and $3.8 billion below the President’s 2012 budget request. Among the legislation's more significant cuts are:

• Interior's land acquisition funding reduced by $239 million
• EPA's municipal water and wastewater infrastructure project funding (know as Clean Water and Drinking Water State Revolving Loan Funds or "SRFs") reduced by $967 million (totals were $689 million for the Clean Water SRF and $829 million for the Drinking Water SRF)
• Climate change programs cut by a total of $83 million

One of the more controversial riders attached to the bill would block EPA from using any funds "to carry out, implement, administer, or enforce"  changes to Clean Water Act jurisdiction put into place since the last guidance on the matter  (issued during the George W. Bush administration). 

Although certain to be challenged by President Obama and Senate Democrats, House Democrats and Republicans alike said following the bill's passage out of Committee that much of what had been passed may survive into a final bill, given the political realities of the current fiscal year.

EPA's proposed "Mississippi River Basin Initiative" would not be funded at all under the terms of this bill (the Administration's 2012 budget proposal included $6 million for the initiative).  With respect to that Mississippi River Basin Initiative, the House bill's report language notes "the Committee has not provided funding to initiate a new grant program in the Mississippi River Basin (but) is pleased to see that the (EPA) has proposed a more focused approach to targeting the funding in such a large watershed. However, the Agency’s proposal continues to lack definitive targets and goals and it is unclear what results could be expected from this new program similar to Section 319 nonpoint source grants." (report language not yet released but will accompanying the spending bill following the full Appropriation Committee’s mark-up).  The President’s 2012 Budget Proposal described the Mississippi River Basin Initiative as a program  “to address upstream pollution sources in the Mississippi River Basin."

UPDATED: Mississippi River-Basin Relevant Congressional Hearings and Meetings for the Upcoming Week

Here are the US Congressional hearings and meetings scheduled for the upcoming week that are particularly relevant to Mississippi River Basin water resource issues (along with links to the relevant Committee hearing or meeting web site):

• House Appropriations Committee Full Committee Mark Up - FY 2012 Interior, Environment and Related Agencies Appropriations Bill; Tuesday, July 12, 9 AM; room 2359 Rayburn House Office Building 
• Senate Environment and Public Works Full Committee oversight hearing on the Environmental Protection Agency’s Implementation of the Safe Drinking Water Act’s Unregulated Drinking Water Contaminants Program. Tuesday, July 12, 10 AM; room 406 Dirksen Senate Office Building 
• House Committee on Science, Space and Technology's Subcommittee on Investigations and Oversight hearing on EPA’s IRIS Program: Evaluating the Science and Process Behind Chemical Risk; Thursday, July 14, 10 AM; room 2318 Rayburn House Office Building 
• House Science, Space and Technology's Subcommittee on Energy and Environment markup of Harmful Algal Blooms & Hypoxia bill Thursday, July 14, 2 PM; 2318 Rayburn House Office Building
  
• House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee's Subcommittee on Economic Development, Public Buildings, and Emergency Management hearing on FEMA Reauthorization and Cutting the Red Tape in Recovery; Thursday, July 14, 10 AM; room 2253 Rayburn House Office Building.

Mississippi River Basin Water Resource News for the Week

Widespread Flood Threats to Continue Through Summer in Upper Midwest and Northern Plains 
NOAA’s National Weather Service announced on July 6 that many rivers in the upper Midwest and northern Plains remain above flood stage, and the threat for more flooding will continue throughout the remainder of the summer, as the likelihood of more soaking rains in already flooded regions points to a 2011 flooding scenario that could rival that of 1993, when flood-related damages topped $25 billion (adjusted for inflation). NOAA’s Climate Prediction Center has forecast above-average rainfall in much of the upper Midwest and northern Plains over the next two weeks, and above-average rainfall in much of that region in both its one- and three-month weather outlooks.  “The sponge is fully saturated – there is nowhere for any additional water to go,” said Jack Hayes, director of NOAA’s National Weather Service. “While unusual for this time of year, all signs point to the flood threat continuing through summer.”

With respect to the Mississippi River Watershed, NOAA notes that throughout the remainder of the summer, the highest flood risk areas include:

• Throughout the North Central U.S., including the Minnesota River (Minnesota), Upper Mississippi River (Minnesota and Iowa), and Des Moines River (Iowa)
• Lower Missouri River from Gavin’s Point (Nebraska and South Dakota border) downstream along the border of Nebraska and Iowa, continuing through the borders of Kansas and Missouri then through Missouri to the Mississippi River
• Tributaries to the Lower Missouri including the James and Big Sioux Rivers in North Dakota
• Lower Ohio River Valley including the White, Wabash and lower Ohio River; and
• North Platte River in Colorado

House Appropriations Subcommittee Approves Interior and Environment Spending Bill
On July 7 the House Appropriations Interior and Environment Subcommittee approved a Fiscal Year 2012 Interior and Environment spending bill that would deeply cut funding for EPA and Department of Interior programs and that included over two dozen controversial riders  (see a full description of the bill here).  The bill was approved on a strictly party-line vote.  No amendments were offered by any Subcommittee member during the mark-up session, although Subcommittee Ranking Member Rep. Jim Moran (D-VA-8) noted after the session that he expects "there will be one major overriding amendment and then probably some smaller specific" amendments during the full Appropriations Committee mark-up of the bill, adding, "I think it's going to be a long, drawn-out full committee process."  The full House Appropriation Committee markup of the  spending bill has been scheduled for July 12.  Read more here.

Notable @UpperMiss Twitter Postings for the Week: 

Agriculture -

• Farmers have planted the second-largest US corn crop in nearly seven decades this spring http://bit.ly/mgJLpo
• Iowa GOP Senator Chuck Grassley accepts "political reality" that direct farm payments are over http://n.pr/kNjK0N
• Sen. Roberts announces farm bill field hearing http://bit.ly/lLaQN7 [Wichita, Kansas; August 25]
• Louisiana's biofuel future rests with farm waste & cellulosic technologies http://bit.ly/oykBve
• Washington Post Editorial: Why can’t Congress end the wasteful breaks for ethanol? http://wapo.st/oHAldK
• Sens. Feinstein (D-CA), Thune (R-SD) & Klobuchar (D-MN) reach deal on ethanol subsidy repeal http://1.usa.gov/oHafGb
• Izaak Walton League wants crop insurance to be subject to Conservation Compliance rules in next farm bill http://bit.ly/n4HiJN
• House Agriculture Committee continues audit hearings on farm policy; yesterday's focus on conservation http://1.usa.gov/qwQ1t3

Floodplains, Dams and Navigation -

• Senators Blunt, McCaskill, Hoeven & Conrad launch Missouri River Working Group to address flood control & damage http://bit.ly/mA4UDN
• As Missouri River rises in 2011, so do 2012 flood concerns (Army Corps will be pressed to repair levees in time) http://bit.ly/mSWu4I
• Floods carried ~60M cubic yds of sediment down Mississippi River; creating obstacles for large ships; raising costs http://on.wsj.com/jV5QVf
• US Dept of Energy: Ohio River corridor at heart of large untapped hydroelectric power potential http://bit.ly/lY3UYy
• Missouri River flooding could cause Army Corps to rethink its dam management strategies http://bit.ly/lPGFaN
• Proposed new Labadie, MO coal waste dump would sit in Missouri River floodway http://bit.ly/pPuJ6a
• Controversial coal ash landfill plan on 1100 acres of Missouri River bottomland wins County support http://bit.ly/q7iiqd

Current Flooding -

• NOAA: Widespread flood threats to continue through summer in upper Midwest & northern Plains http://1.usa.gov/pJyla5
• Missouri River tributaries flow backward as flooding builds http://goo.gl/fb/YEblt
• RT @USGSNeb: Landsat 5 Captures Missouri River Flooding Near Omaha http://bit.ly/mSLOqf

Water Quality-

• Satellite images of sediment concentrations in Gulf of Mexico waters - Spring flooding 2011 (from NASA) http://bit.ly/l5EAAJ
• EPA releases new online training module on Water Quality Standards re: encouraging & facilitating public involvement http://1.usa.gov/nwrCbC

In the States -

• MN project looks to revitalize Spring Lake,  Lower Vermillion River & Mississippi River pool 3 http://bit.ly/qZhPud & http://bit.ly/oTkAgl
• NY Times: No End in Sight as Minnesotans Grapple With State Shutdown http://nyti.ms/iHdPn7
• Minnesota political niceness turns nasty as state government shuts down for 2nd time in 6 years http://politi.co/iILvwV
• MN government doesn’t know how much state shutdown is costing because people who would calculate are out of work http://wapo.st/rjWDbu
• Minnesota Pollution Control Agency calls for major reductions of nutrients in Elk River watershed http://bit.ly/jqiefm
• Aquatic Toxicology Lab Director: presence of  estrogen-like chemicals in MN rivers & lakes is "concern, not alarm" http://bit.ly/lvHnJh
• Sewer District hopes to save stormwaterhttp://bit.ly/j2x64C
• KY groups identify 1000s of alleged Clean Water Act violations by coal companies in first 3 months of 2011 http://bit.ly/j4yr3U
• EPA: Coal Ash Ponds at Alliant Energy Corporation in Burlington, IA meet safety standards http://1.usa.gov/pziQ9L

Biodiversity, Wildlife and Invasives -

• Team of scientists: No additional study is necessary; Split Mississippi River, Great Lakes to stop invasive species http://trib.in/kKTLug
• Senate confirms Ashe as new Fish & Wildlife Service Director http://bit.ly/kJcrmX
• Asian Carp -- the "Kudzu Fish" of the Mississippi River http://bit.ly/mdEMd7
• Sen. Brown (R-MA) introduces bill to strengthen/improve US fisheries monitoring http://1.usa.gov/lks1dS (referred to Commerce Committee)
• A problem downstream on the Mississippi: Asian carp problem could hit home (MN) soon http://bit.ly/qBbZlI

Federal Budget -

• Sen. Budget Committee chair Conrad (D-ND) plans on releasing Senate's 2012 budget resolution this week http://bit.ly/nnAuOQ
• Senate Dems rally around Budget Committee Chair Conrad's (D-ND) Senate budget plan concepts http://bit.ly/oOPqHH
• President Obama announces budget-deficit summit for this Thursday at White House http://on.wsj.com/pEEeXu & http://wapo.st/nmWRKq
• Bipartisan policy group offers analysis http://bit.ly/jerZGh "to shed light on operation of debt limit in case Congress does not raise limit"
• House Appropriations Committee FY 2012 Interior-Environment spending bill released http://1.usa.gov/oOaV9V cuts EPA 18% & Interior 7%
• House Friday will begin consideration of its Energy & Water Appropriations Act; re: DOE & Army Corps funding http://1.usa.gov/nuGA4t

Gulf Coastal Area-

• Satellite images of sediment concentrations in Gulf of Mexico waters - Spring flooding 2011 (from NASA) http://bit.ly/l5EAAJ
• Army Corps unveils long-awaited $446 million plan to rebuild LA Delta Caminada shoreline & Shell Island http://bit.ly/lK9zI9
• Editorial: Corps of Engineers' delays are harmful to Louisiana coastal restoration & region http://bit.ly/pOR4rU
• Sen. Whitehouse (D-RI) introduces bill to reauthorize National Estuary Program http://1.usa.gov/jUq1OO
• Louisiana estuarine oysters may survive Mississippi River flooding after all http://bit.ly/memby9
• Obama administration objects to House energy & water bill that de-funds LA coastal restoration construction funding http://bit.ly/nYu5Fh

Events 

• Presentations from NAS Web conference on "Increasing National Resilience to Hazards and Disasters" July 6 http://bit.ly/jheDkY
• The Horinko Group Annual Water Resources Summit, October 25; 9 AM-5 PM, U of MD at College Park http://t.co/X2YhuAD

e-Newsletters and Journals -

• Tennessee Clean Water Network's latest (July 6) e-newsletter available here: http://bit.ly/prrvLy
• Theme of July 2011 Journ of Sustainable Human Development ("Mother Pelican"): What is Sustainable Human Development? http://bit.ly/oJpzfc
• Great Lakes and Mississippi River Interbasin Study (of invasive species) July e-newsletter issued (PDF): http://bit.ly/pYTNiU

Other news-

• Survey of aquatic ecosystem managers: Public outreach crucial for ecosystem management http://bit.ly/iZ0XR6
• Office of Management & Budget releases annual report on costs/benefits of major federal regulations over last 10 years http://bit.ly/jCFOZO
• Rural tourism summit set for 16 Louisiana parishes & 17 Mississippi counties along & near Mississippi River http://wapo.st/m4VYP5
• PBS: Very illustrative interactive aerial images: Minot ND (NOT Mississippi basin) before & during recent flooding http://to.pbs.org/mQ3yMs
• USFS: Forest mortality from insects tripled over past decade in lower 48 US states http://on.msnbc.com/pYXFUq
• National Weather Service: Record SC US drought to persist/intensify (including parts of Lower Mississippi Basin) http://1.usa.gov/9E9YN8
• Sen. Landrieu [D-LA] introduces bill to study LA's Lower Mississippi River area's inclusion in National Park System http://1.usa.gov/nE0SS5

Political Scene -

• Republicans for Environmental Protection names Rep. Johnson (R-IL) Greenest Republican in Congress in annual scorecard http://bit.ly/nqHrQ2
• Op-ed: “112th Congress is one of the least productive in years” http://trib.in/lCSuJJ
• Wisconsin State Sen. Lasee (R) strongly considering a run for open US Senate seat now held by Herb Kohl (D) http://bit.ly/jesWpO
• The Daily Beast looks at the 10 biggest campaign fibs so far in the run-up to the 2012 elections http://bit.ly/lA3LbH Tammy Duckworth, former assistant secretary of Veterans Affairs, to run for IL-8th US House seat http://bit.ly/o2yMSU
• House leaders tell members that House will likely be in session through scheduled July recess "district work week" http://bit.ly/nSAqfr

Last Word -
"I thought that we would vote on a lot more bills." - Freshman U.S. Senator Kelly Ayotte (R-NH) in answering the question of what surprises her most about serving in Congress's upper chamber.

House Appropriations Subcommittee approves Interior and Environment Spending Bill

This morning (July 7) the House Appropriations Interior and Environment Subcommittee approved a Fiscal Year 2012 Interior and Environment spending bill that would deeply cut funding for EPA and Department of Interior programs (see a full description of the bill here).  The bill was approved on a strictly party-line vote.  No amendments were offered by any Subcommittee member during the mark-up session, although Subcommittee Ranking Member Rep. Jim Moran (D-VA-8) noted after the session that he expects "there will be one major overriding amendment and then probably some smaller specific" amendments during the full Appropriations Committee mark-up of the bill, adding, "I think it's going to be a long, drawn-out full committee process."  The full House Appropriation Committee markup of the  spending bill has been scheduled for July 12.

One of more than 24 controversial riders attached to the bill that is sure to be debated during the full Appropriations Committee meeting is one that would block EPA from using any funds "to carry out, implement, administer, or enforce"  changes to Clean Water Act jurisdiction put into place since the last guidance on the matter  (issued during the George W. Bush administration).  On June 15 the full House Appropriations Committee approved a Fiscal Year 2012, $30.6 billion energy and water spending bill that contained a similar rider blocking funding for Army Corps of Engineers' implementation of a new Obama administration policy aimed at better-defining Clean Water Act protections over wetlands and streams.

NOAA: Widespread Flood Threats to Continue Through Summer in Upper Midwest and Northern Plains

NOAA’s National Weather Service announced on July 6 that many rivers in the upper Midwest and northern Plains remain above flood stage, and the threat for more flooding will continue throughout the remainder of the summer, as the likelihood of more soaking rains in already flooded regions points to a 2011 flooding scenario that could rival that of 1993, when flood-related damages topped $25 billion (adjusted for inflation). NOAA’s Climate Prediction Center has forecast above-average rainfall in much of the upper Midwest and northern Plains over the next two weeks, and above-average rainfall in much of that region in both its one- and three-month weather outlooks.  “The sponge is fully saturated – there is nowhere for any additional water to go,” said Jack Hayes, director of NOAA’s National Weather Service. “While unusual for this time of year, all signs point to the flood threat continuing through summer.”

NOAA notes that throughout the remainder of the summer, the highest flood risk areas include:

• North Central U.S. including Souris River (North Dakota) and Red River of the North (border of North Dakota and Minnesota), Minnesota River (Minnesota), Upper Mississippi River (Minnesota and Iowa), and Des Moines River (Iowa)
• Lower Missouri River from Gavin’s Point (Nebraska and South Dakota border) downstream along the border of Nebraska and Iowa, continuing through the borders of Kansas and Missouri then through Missouri to the Mississippi River
• Tributaries to the Lower Missouri including the James and Big Sioux Rivers in North Dakota
• Lower Ohio River Valley including the White, Wabash and lower Ohio River
• East of Rockies: North Platte River in Colorado, Wyoming and Nebraska and Yellowstone River in Wyoming and Montana
• West of Rockies: Utah and Colorado

To read more details, please see this NOAA news release on the topic.

House Appropriations Committee Releases 2012 Interior-Environment spending bill - Funds EPA Mississippi River Basin Initiative While Cutting EPA 18% and Interior 7%

The House Appropriations Committee this morning (July 6) released its Fiscal Year 2012 Interior-Environment spending bill, which will be formally considered and marked-up in a meeting of the House Appropriations Committee's Interior and Environment Subcommittee on Thursday, July 7, at 9 AM (room B308 of the Rayburn House Office Building). When compared to the current fiscal year's (2011) spending levels, the Interior and Environment Appropriations bill would cut EPA's funding by 18 percent and the Department of Interior's spending by 7 percent for the Fiscal Year starting October 1.

The spending bill would make particularly deep cuts to the Interior Department's land and water conservation fund (reduced to one-fifth its current size) and EPA's municipal water and wastewater infrastructure project funding (know as Clean Water and Drinking Water State Revolving Loan Funds), which were cut by $967 million compared to Fiscal Year 2011 spending levels (and more than $1 billion below what the President had requested in his 2012 budget proposal). 

According to an Appropriations Committee press release, "the bill includes $27.5 billion in spending – a reduction of $2.1 billion below last year’s level and $3.8 billion below the President’s budget request.  Overall, this funding level is $106 million below fiscal year 2009 spending levels. The legislation also includes a total cut to climate change programs of $83 million – or 22% – from last year, and decreases land acquisition funding by $239 million – or 79%."  The release goes on to justify the cuts to EPA spending by noting that "the EPA has been funded at unparalleled high levels over the past several years, leading to wasteful and unnecessary spending within the agency, as well as contributing to the agency’s regulatory over-reach, which has a detrimental effect on American businesses and the recovering economy."

EPA's proposed "Mississippi River Basin Initiative" would be funded at $6 million under the bill, the same level as in Fiscal Year 2011 and at the level requested by the President for 2012.  The President’s 2012 Budget Proposal described the Mississippi River Basin Initiative as a program  “to address upstream pollution sources in the Mississippi River Basin."  The EPA detailed budget estimate from February of this year goes on to describe the initiative this way: "The Mississippi River Basin Program is funded at $6.0 million and will focus on nonpoint source program enhancements to spur water-quality improvement.  Through a competitive grant process with States, the Mississippi River Basin program will address excessive nutrient loadings that contribute to water quality impairments in the basin and, ultimately, to hypoxic conditions (dead zones) in the Gulf of Mexico.  Working with the Gulf Hypoxia Task Force, EPA will help target efforts within critical watersheds to implement effective strategies that can yield significant progress in addressing nonpoint source nutrient pollution.  A key emphasis will be coordinating with USDA and USGS to promote sustainable agricultural practices, to reduce nutrient loadings in the Mississippi River Basin and to implement monitoring programs to measure nutrient reductions.  As a complement to the Agency’s actions in the immediate Gulf coast, EPA’s Mississippi River Basin program will address excessive nutrient loadings that contribute to water quality impairments in the basin and, ultimately, to hypoxic conditions in the Gulf of Mexico. Working with the Gulf Hypoxia Task Force, Gulf of Mexico Alliance and other states within the Mississippi/Atchafalaya River Basins, and other federal agencies, EPA will help target efforts within 2-3 critical watersheds to implement effective strategies that can yield significant progress in addressing nonpoint source nutrient pollution."

The Interior and Environment Subcommittee's draft text of the legislation can be viewed as a PDF file here.  And a table comparing spending levels proposed in the Fiscal Year 2012 appropriations bill with the current year’s levels and the President’s 2012 request can be viewed here (PDF file).  

House Hearings and Markups for the Week Relevant to Mississippi River Basin Water Resource Issues

Here are the Mississippi River Basin-relevant hearings and bill markup sessions scheduled for the upcoming week in the US House (none are currently scheduled in the Senate):

• House Appropriations Committee's Interior and Environment Subcommittee markup of Fiscal Year 2012 Interior Department, EPA and the U.S. Forest Service spending bill; Thursday, July 7, 9 AM; room B308 Rayburn House Office Building
• House Committee on Agriculture's Subcommittee on Conservation, Energy, and Forestry's Agricultural Program Audit: Examination of Conservation Programs; Thursday, July 7, 10 AM; room 1300 Longworth House Office Building 
• House Appropriations Committee's Commerce, Justice and Science Appropriations Subcommittee markup of Fiscal Year 2012 National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (Department of Commerce) spending bill; Thursday, July 7, 10:15 AM; room H140 US Capitol

This Week in the US House and Senate (UPDATED from July 1 posting)

A bill limiting the reach of the federal flood insurance program (H.R. 1309 - Flood Insurance Reform Act of 2011)  and possibly the energy and water 2012 appropriations bill will be on tap this week on the House floor, as it reconvenes on Wednesday (mid-day) and votes Wednesday night, Thursday and Friday morning.  

Following an off-day for the July Fourth holiday, the Senate reconvenes on Tuesday.  Senate Budget Committee Chairman Kent Conrad (D-ND) announced on June 29 that Democrats had reached agreement on a Fiscal Year 2012 budget plan, and that the plan may be announced as soon as next week. Conrad’s proposal would reportedly cut more than $4 trillion from the Federal deficit over the next ten years.

One House hearing and two spending bill markup meeting are currently scheduled during the week of particular relevance to Mississippi River Basin water resource issues:

• House Appropriations Committee's Interior and Environment Subcommittee markup of Fiscal Year 2012 Interior Department, EPA and the U.S. Forest Service spending bill; Thursday, July 7, 9 AM; room B308 Rayburn House Office Building
• Committee on Agriculture's Subcommittee on Conservation, Energy, and Forestry's Agricultural Program Audit: Examination of Conservation Programs; Thursday, July 7, 10 AM; room 1300 Longworth House Office Building 
• House Appropriations Committee's Commerce, Justice and Science Appropriations Subcommittee markup of Fiscal Year 2012 National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (Department of Commerce) spending bill; Thursday, July 7, 10:15 AM; room H140 US Capitol 
  

This page will be updated as warranted throughout the week.