The Ecological Society of America (ESA) is hosting a congressional briefing entitled "Using Science to Improve Flood Management," on November 2, 2011 at 2 PM (Eastern) in room 2253 Rayburn House Office Building, Washington, DC. You can read more details and find RSVP information here.
Mississippi River Water Quality Monitoring Framework Announced
Ann Mills, Deputy Under Secretary for Natural Resources and the Environment for the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) announced the formation of a Federal Mississippi River Water Quality Monitoring Framework on October 25 at The Horinko Group's Second Annual Water Resources Summit.
While indicating that a more formal announcement and additional details would follow, Mills stated that a major purpose of the Framework would be to evaluate the effectiveness of conservation measures targeted for high-priority watersheds through the USDA's Mississippi River Basin Healthy Watersheds Initiative (known as MRBI). More details about the new Framework can be seen here.
Notable @UpperMiss Twitter Postings for the Week
Agriculture -
- NSAC: Senate's 2012 agriculture spending bill cuts farm bill mandatory conservation program spending 12% http://bit.ly/mRV0WE
- Biofuel industry to continue some subsidies & financial assistance that it got in last farm bill http://bit.ly/v4HHoc
- Walz (D-MN), Fortenberry (R-NE) in House & Senator Harkin to introduce Beginning Farmer & Rancher Opportunity Act http://bit.ly/sZsig2
- Rep. Chellie Pingree (R-ME) plans to introduce local farm and food bill this week http://1.usa.gov/tznhGX
- American Farm Bureau sends letter to Congress describing down sides of ‘shallow loss’ Farm Bill safety net proposals http://bit.ly/oOPZ77
- Farm lobbyists working with some lawmakers to draft grower subsidy plan that could sidestep Congressional debates http://bit.ly/oKSysX
- Boston Herald & Washington Post editorial boards come out for deep cuts to farm subsidies http://bit.ly/nAZHFT & http://wapo.st/nt5vfT
- Senate & House agri committee staff expected to work through weekend to complete supercommittee farm bill proposal http://bit.ly/uqf4UC
- House Ag Chairman Lucas: possibility of getting farm bill to Super Committee by Nov 1 deadline ‘about fifty-fifty' http://bit.ly/sQzdX1
- Potential loss of direct payments causes concern among conservationists http://bit.ly/vbEAs4
- Conservative groups trying to stop agriculture committees from getting new farm bill included in deficit-reduction plan http://bit.ly/uWAHuR
- Oregon Rep. Earl Blumenauer in new proposal demands that direct subsidies to farmers be eliminated http://bit.ly/w3fVfl
- Hydrological separation of Great Lakes & Mississippi basins would stop carp; could also alter IL River water quality http://bit.ly/n0WzSu
- EPA Proposes to Collect Information about Concentrated Animal Feeding Operations http://1.usa.gov/veqvTk
- Mississippi River Water Quality Monitoring Framework announced by USDA http://bit.ly/tjqa2R
- Hydrological separation of Great Lakes & Mississippi basins would stop carp but could also alter water quality http://bit.ly/n0WzSu
- EPA Primer on Using Biological Assessment to Support Water Quality Management now available http://1.usa.gov/rtqV6G
- USGS: No links found between floods and greenhouse gases http://bit.ly/v2c897
In the States -
- KY Democratic Gubernatorial running mates differ on coal mining issues http://bit.ly/sPAwuk
- Environmentalists: WI state legislation would weaken air and water protections http://bit.ly/rxKfky
Biodiversity, Wildlife and Invasives -
- Asian Carp "Infest" Mississippi River at Twin Cities (MN) http://bit.ly/u6x5Qd
Federal Budget -
- NSAC: Senate's 2012 agriculture spending bill cuts farm bill mandatory conservation program spending 12% http://bit.ly/mRV0WE
- Federal spending bills lag & another temporary spending bill likely to keep government open through Christmas http://politi.co/tFPIhv
- Federal Budget cuts threaten conservation push in 'America's Dairyland' (Wisconsin) http://bit.ly/srAKCb
- House Minority Whip Hoyer (D-MD) casts doubt on supercommittee’s ability to reach agreement before its Nov. 23 deadline http://bit.ly/vkCjaQ
- House GOP leadership: EPA to be curbed by riders or no spending bill passage http://bit.ly/tMDSRg
- Nebraska Legislature plans special session on Keystone XL pipeline project http://lat.ms/vEfsYJ
- Congressional Briefing: "Using Science to Improve Flood Management" November 2; 2 PM in Washington, DC http://bit.ly/w13zUQ
- Levees & Beyond: Making Wise Choices, National Nonstructural Floodproofing Conference; Sacramento, CA; Nov 28 – Dec 1 http://bit.ly/u7QdpT
- International Conference on Sustainability, Transition, and Culture Change; Nov. 10-14; Bellaire, MI http://bit.ly/t9m9UB
- Webinar online to view: Global Climate Change: Water Quality Impacts, Ecological Impacts & Nonlinear Responses http://1.usa.gov/vCUwmN
Other news-
- Survey ranks countries and cities at risk for climate change disasters; Asia & Africa most at risk http://reut.rs/sfFCs7
- Asia pays a watery price for watershed/floodplain overdevelopment http://bit.ly/rycQev
- New research casts doubt on doomsday water shortage predictions http://bit.ly/u0dADq
Political Scene -
- Saturday: Louisiana Republican Gov. Bobby Jindal won a second term, avoiding a November run-off http://wapo.st/o1Jpcs
- Non-partisan Congressional Management Foundation grades 112th Congress' member/committee web site usage http://bit.ly/qYJpWU
- Poll: Former Wisconsin Gov. Thompson leads pack for GOP WI Senate nomination http://bit.ly/tKnP2s
- Field of contenders for Rep. Costello’s soon-to-be-open IL US House seat growing http://bit.ly/vA8Uiz
- Ann Wagner definitively rules out switching to US Senate bid, will run for Congress in MO's 2nd district http://bit.ly/sslKK1
- Kentucky Democrat Chandler May Have Advantage in hi US House Rematch http://bit.ly/tsGEtG
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