Tuesday, December 20, 2011

Holiday Greetings

The Northeast-Midwest Institute's Mississippi River Basin Blog and your FNB ("friendly neighborhood blogger") are taking a holiday vacation until January 3. Please have a safe, happy and peaceful time, wherever you are this season.
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December Mississippi River Basin Update


Here is the link to the December Update (PDF file) from the Northeast-Midwest Institute on Mississippi River Basin issues. The December Update contains these news items:
 
RIVER BASIN NEWS AND NOTES
  • Task Force Final Strategy for Restoring Gulf of Mexico Coastal Ecosystem
  • GAO’s Report on Actions Needed to Resolve Environmental and Flooding Concerns Surrounding Mississippi River Training Structures
  • EPA’s Extension of Public Comment Period for Proposed CAFO Rule
  • USDA Revised National Nutrient Management Standard Issued
  • CRS and USDA Overviews of Conservation and Other Farm Bill Programs
  • Report Calls into Question One Motivation for Expanding Mississippi River Locks and Dams
  • Upcoming Conferences, Events and Workshops
LEGISLATION, BUDGET AND APPROPRIATIONS
  • 2012 Congressional Calendar
  • Consolidated Appropriations Package Cuts EPA Significantly; Provides Army Corps with Flood Reconstruction Money
  • Spending Bill Rider Blocks Army Corps from Implementing Updated Water Policy
  • Farm Bill Update
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EPA Extends Public Comment Period for Proposed CAFO Rule

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has extended the public comment period for its proposed CAFO (concentrated animal feeding operations) rule in response to requests from the public for additional time to submit comments. The comment period is now extended to January 19, 2012. EPA says that it "proposed the rule in order to more effectively carry out its CAFO permitting programs on a national level and ensure that CAFOs are implementing practices to protect water quality and human health."

For information on the proposed rule, including instructions on how to submit comments, visit this EPA web site.
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Monday, December 19, 2011

Last Minute Spending Bill Rider Blocks Army Corps from Implementing Updated Water Policy

A rider added at the last minute to a large Federal spending package passed by the House would block the Army Corps of Engineers from implementing updates to the U.S. water resource management policy (known as the "Principles and Guidelines;" under development by the White House Council on Environmental Quality) for the next Fiscal Year (see this Environment and Engineering news article on the rider and its impact - PDF file).  On Friday (December 9), the House passed a massive ($1 trillion) Federal appropriations ("megabus") bill that will fund the Federal government through the remainder of the 2012 Fiscal Year.  The rider was among several attached to the legislation.  Final passage of the spending package came on a 67-32 Senate roll call vote on Saturday, which followed on a 296-121 bipartisan House vote on Friday afternoon.

The rider, in its entirety, reads:
"Water Resources Principles and Guidelines.-No funds are provided for the line item proposed for Water Resources Principles and Guidelines, as this is considered a new start. No funds provided to the Corps shall be used to develop or implement rules or guidance if an update or replacement to the document dated March 10, 1983, and entitled "Economic and Environmental Principles and Guidelines for Water and Related Land Resources Implementation Studies" is finalized during the fiscal year period covered by the Energy and Water Development Act for 2012. The Corps shall continue to use the Water Resources Principles and Guidelines in effect as of the date of enactment of this Act during that same period."

For additional details, including a summary packet and links to the legislation, visit this House Appropriations Committee web site. 
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Friday, December 16, 2011

Mississippi River Basin Water Resource News for the Week - Final 2011 Edition

NRCS to Hold Briefing on Mississippi River Basin Healthy Waters Initiative and Related RFP
USDA's Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) has scheduled a December 22, 10 AM (Eastern) meeting to update conservation and agricultural partners on the Mississippi River Basin Healthy Waters Initiative (MRBI). The briefing has been timed to coincide with the publication of the next MRBI Request for Proposals (RFP) (to be published in the Federal Register the week of December 19).  Interested parties can attend in person, or connect remotely by telephone and internet. Read details here.

GAO: Actions Needed to Resolve  Mississippi River Training Structures' Environmental and Flooding Concerns
In a December 9 report, the General Accounting Office (GAO) found that Army Corps of Engineers' Middle Mississippi River projects have not always complied with all environmental requirements, and may in the long run have destroyed habitat and worsened flooding along the River. Here is a link to the GAO report summary web page, which includes links to the full report and a report highlights' sheet.  The GAO prepared the report at the request of Rep. Timothy Bishop (D-NY-1), Ranking Member of the House Transportation and Infrastructure (T&I) Committee’s Subcommittee on Water Resources and the Environment, and Rep. Jerry Costello (D-IL-11) Ranking Member of the T&I Subcommittee on Aviation.

CRS and USDA Provide Comprehensive Overviews of Conservation and Other Farm Bill Programs
On November 30, the Congressional Research Service published a new guide to Agricultural Conservation Programs managed by the USDA's Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) and Farm Service Agency (FSA).  Entitled "Agricultural Conservation: A Guide to Programs," the report provides an overview of 22 NRCS and FSA programs available to assist producers and landowners who wish to practice conservation on agricultural lands (download or view the Guide as a PDF file here).  On a related note, the USDA's Economic Research Service on December 15 released its “Farm Program Atlas,” an on-line resource designed to provide "access to an array of public data on Federal farm programs that will allow users to visually explore a core component of U.S. agricultural policy." The reports should prove to be valuable resources over the upcoming months, as Congress considers changes to and consolidation of many of those programs during its Farm Bill discussions.

Highly-Anticipated Revised National Nutrient Management Standard Issued by USDA
On December 13, the Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) revised its national conservation practice standard on nutrient management, and released the long-anticipated revised standard ("Standard 590"), along with an accompanying general National Nutrient Management Policy manual and National Instruction.  In a summary accompanying the standard's release, NRCS said that it is the intent of the "national conservation practice standard on nutrient management to help producers better manage the application of nutrients on agricultural land," while protecting and improving "ground and surface water, air quality, soil quality and agricultural sustainability."  You can read more details, and find links to the relevant standard documents, here).

Congress to Pass Megabus Federal Spending Bill Today; Cuts EPA Significantly; Provides Army Corps Flood Reconstruction Money
Last evening members of a joint Senate-House Conference Committee agreed to the provisions of a massive ($1 trillion) Federal appropriations ("megabus") bill that, when approved by Congress and signed by the President later Friday, will fund the Federal government through the remainder of the 2012 Fiscal Year. The megabus is the same as the 1,219-page Consolidated Appropriations bill package posted late Wednesday night by House appropriators, with the exception of two changes in provisions related to relationships with Cuba and the funding level for the Commodity Futures Trading Commission. For an updated summary of the three-bill package, you can visit here (PDF file). For additional details, including a summary packet and links to the legislation, visit this House Appropriations Committee web site. 

Notable @UpperMiss Twitter Postings for the Week
Agriculture -
  • NPR: Putting farmland on a fertilizer diet: USDA's new national nutrient management standard http://n.pr/u4qMaZ
  • Midwestern farmers may see steep increases in crop insurance premiums because flood-damaged levees not repaired http://wapo.st/soDbCY
  • US farmers enjoying best run in decades due to high crop, land & livestock prices & demand for corn used to make ethanol http://wapo.st/u6ygIe
  • High commodity prices and harsh winters threaten Conservation Reserve Program, habitats and wildlife in farm belt http://bit.ly/vWogbq
  • Battle over elimination of ethanol subsidies goes down to last minute as stakeholders vie for congressional attention http://dmreg.co/rTxs7T
Farm Bill-
Water Quality -
Water Resource Management (Floodplains, Dams, Navigation, Wetlands, Flooding, etc.) -
  • Senate testimony calls for fundamental changes to US water policy http://bit.ly/twAHGi
  • $1.6 million Army Corps study looks for ways to restore lost wildlife & plant habitat along lower Mississippi River http://trib.in/vbp7Qk
  • GAO: Army Corps Actions Needed to Resolve Environmental & Flooding Concerns in Middle Mississippi River http://bit.ly/rHQvnd
  • Corps cuts flow from Missouri River Gavins Point Dam to increase later flood storage capacity downstream http://bit.ly/vNfkv2
  • Dredged material from Army Corps Mississippi River channel project expected to form new island, but no one knows where http://bit.ly/rqc9dM
  • Federal Claims court trial opens in shipping canal & Army Corps rolls in Katrina flooding http://bit.ly/t6T1Nh
  • Army Corps of Engineers short on levee-repair money after Missouri River flooding http://bit.ly/t1OUkl
  • FEMA $1.6 M grant to Winnebago Co, IL for acquisition/removal of  homes repeatedly damaged by Rock River flooding http://1.usa.gov/s4K88e
In the States -
  • Louisiana is one of worst states in country at enforcing environmental laws, EPA Inspector General finds http://bit.ly/uDwdBd (see related link below in "Other News")
  • KY environmentalists ask court to vacate Clean Water Act settlement btw KY Energy & Environment Cabinet & coal company http://bit.ly/vu3ghp
  • EPA and IA DNR want 4 cities to fix stormwater problems before renewing wastewater treatment plant permit http://bit.ly/veigH3
  • IL Dept of Ag approves hog farm construction although county board advised denial due to water resource concerns http://bit.ly/uR71oM
  • Coalition of MO environmental groups urges National Park Service to strengthen Jacks Fork and Current Rivers management http://bit.ly/uCvQy8 & http://bit.ly/u7cvXW
Biodiversity, Wildlife and Invasives -
  • Coalition of  Minnesota conservation groups: Close Mississippi River Ford Dam lock to keep Asian Carp out http://bit.ly/t4fQlb
  • Kentucky assigns four-mile “Outstanding State Resource Water” Ohio River area to protect endangered mussels http://bit.ly/vDPCKz
  • Minnesota sees new setback in fight against invasive Asian carp http://bit.ly/rZWNOo
Federal Budget -
Gulf Coastal Area-
  • Officials release first round of BP oil spill Gulf restoration project proposals (totaling $57 million) http://bit.ly/rJMFUm
Resource extraction -
Events-
  • Horinko Group Webinar: Family Farms, Rural Landscapes, and the Farm Bill  January 18, 1:30 PM EST http://bit.ly/vyfon4
  • USDA's Agricultural Outlook Forum 2012 - Moving Agriculture Forward; February 23-24; Arlington, VA 1.usa.gov/cPKpGZ
  • NRCS December 22 Briefing on Mississippi River Basin Healthy Waters Initiative & Related RFP (phone call-in available) http://bit.ly/ts9DFb
  • 2 free upcoming Farm Bill webinars: Conservation: Dec 16, 11 am; Local & Regional Food Systems: Dec 19, 11 am http://bit.ly/vYZ0GR
e-Newsletters, Publications and Journals -
Other news-
Political Scene -
Last Word - We leave this year's final "Last Word" to Samuel Langhorne Clemens (a/k/a Mark Twain), who reminds us that "The Mississippi River will always have its own way. No engineering skill can persuade it to do otherwise." And what better way to illustrate Clemens' 1866 wisdom than with this 2011 aerial view of some of the homes inundated within the Mississippi River's floodplain last spring and summer (these near Vicksburg, Mississippi on May 23).
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Congress to Pass Megabus Federal Spending Bill Today

Last evening members of a joint Senate-House Conference Committee agreed to the provisions of a massive ($1 trillion) Federal appropriations ("megabus") bill that, when approved by Congress and signed by the President later today, will fund the Federal government through the remainder of the 2012 Fiscal Year (FY).  The bill package is the same as the 1,219-page Consolidated Appropriations bill package posted late Wednesday night by House appropriators, with the exception of two changes in provisions related to relationships with Cuba and the funding level for the Commodity Futures Trading Commission.  For an updated summary of the three-bill package, you can visit here (PDF file). 

Notably, with respect to Mississippi River Basin natural resource issues, the substantial (18 percent) cuts to the Environmental Protection Agency's budget and provision of flood control reconstruction money to the Army Corps of Engineers remain identical to those described in our article on the consolidated bill package here.

House Democrats were able to resolve most of the major disagreements that they had with their Republican colleagues regarding legislative riders to the appropriations bills.  You can find the summary of the legislative riders that remain and key funding levels in the legislative package here (with a nod to NWF's Joshua Saks (Senior Legislative Representative) for this latter link).

UPDATE:  Final passage of the spending package came on a 67-32 Senate roll call vote on Saturday, which followed on a 296-121 bipartisan House vote on Friday afternoon.  A rider added at the last minute to the spending package blocks the Army Corps of Engineers from implementing updates to the U.S. water resource management policy (known as the "Principles and Guidelines" under development by the White House Council on Environmental Quality) for the next Fiscal Year (see this Environment and Engineering news article on the rider and its impact - PDF file).

The rider, in its entirety, reads:
"Water Resources Principles and Guidelines.-No funds are provided for the line item proposed for Water Resources Principles and Guidelines, as this is considered a new start. No funds provided to the Corps shall be used to develop or implement rules or guidance if an update or replacement to the document dated March 10, 1983, and entitled "Economic and Environmental Principles and Guidelines for Water and Related Land Resources Implementation Studies" is finalized during the fiscal year period covered by the Energy and Water Development Act for 2012. The Corps shall continue to use the Water Resources Principles and Guidelines in effect as of the date of enactment of this Act during that same period."
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Thursday, December 15, 2011

Consolidated Appropriations Package Would Cut EPA Significantly; Provide Army Corps with Flood Reconstruction Money

The House Appropriations Committee late last night released its Fiscal Year (FY) 2012, 1,219-page Consolidated Appropriations bill package. Should the House and Senate leaders come to an agreement with respect to moving ahead on a "megabus" spending package, this (or something closely resembling it) would likely be what the two chambers agree to vote on (for a summary of the three separate bills, click here (PDF file). However, it will likely take into Friday (or even into the weekend) before divisions between the Democratic-majority Senate and Republican-led House are overcome and a deal reached on the "megabus" package or on yet another Continuing Resolution (avoiding a long-term government shutdown, which would start on Friday night, absent new spending authorization). Nonetheless, the announced package is probably a good road-map of what will eventually come out of this protracted end-of-the-year appropriations process.

According to the Committee's summary, overall funding for the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) will be reduced by $1.8 billion (-18.4%) from calendar year 2011 spending levels. The summary seeks to justify these cuts by noting that "funding for EPA has been unparalleled over the past several years, leading to unnecessary spending and contributing to the agency’s regulatory overreach, which has a detrimental effect on American businesses and the recovering economy." The conference agreement would fund EPA at $8.4 billion for FY 2012; a $233 million reduction below the FY 2011 enacted level and $524 million below the President’s budget proposal request. The conference agreement would specifically cut:
  • $14 million (-6%) in clean air and climate research programs;
  • $12 million (-9.5%) in EPA’s regulatory development office; and
  • $14 million (-5%) to air regulatory programs.
  • $101 million (combined) from the Clean Water  and Drinking Water  State Revolving Funds: $1.469 billion provided for the Clean Water and $919.363 million for the Drinking Water funds.
In addition, the bill includes:
  • A 33% reduction to the EPA Administrator’s immediate office;
  • A $78 million reduction for EPA operations/administration, which includes $41 million (-5%) in cuts to EPA’s regulatory programs;
  • A $14 million (-6.2%) reduction for uncoordinated climate and other air research; and
  • An elimination of $4 million in funding that EPA has used to delay the processing of Appalachian mining permits.
According to the summary the following are among other Mississippi River Basin-relevant provisions of the Consolidated Appropriations bill package:
  • $1.7 billion in funding for disaster recovery assistance through the Army Corps of Engineers to "help repair damage to critical infrastructure caused by recent storms and floods, and will help prepare for future disaster events."
  • $1.5 billion in funding for the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service; a cut of $28 million below last year’s level. Funding for mitigation fish hatcheries is restored.
  • National Park Service (NPS) is funded at $2.6 billion, which is $32 million below last year’s level. This funding level "will allow all National Parks to remain open and NPS activities to continue" according to the summary statement.
The Consolidated Appropriations bill package consists of three separate bills (H.R. 3671 — "Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2012;" H.R. 3672 — "Disaster Relief Appropriations Act;" and H. Con. Res. 94 — "Directing the Clerk of the House of Representatives to make corrections in the enrollment of H.R. 3671").
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Wednesday, December 14, 2011

New CRS Report: "Agricultural Conservation: A Guide to Programs"

On November 30, the Congressional Research Service published a new guide to to Agricultural Conservation Programs managed by the USDA's Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) and Farm Service Agency (FSA) (download or view the Guide as a PDF file here).  Entitled "Agricultural Conservation: A Guide to Programs," the report provides an overview of 22 NRCS and FSA programs and subprograms that are available to assist producers and landowners who wish to practice conservation on agricultural lands.  The report offers a concise overview of the current regime of Farm Bill programs, and should prove to be a valuable resource over the upcoming months, as Congress discusses changes to and consolidation of many of those programs during its 2012 Farm Bill debates.

Following an overview of the available conservation programs, information on each program is presented in a tabular format in the report.  Each program table includes a brief program description; major program amendments included in the 2008 farm bill; national scope and availability; states with the greatest participation; backlog of program applications (or other measures of program interest); program funding authority; Fiscal Year 2011 and 2012 funding; statutory authority; program authorization expiration date; and a link to the program’s website.
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NRCS to Hold Briefing on Mississippi River Basin Healthy Waters Initiative and Related RFP

USDA's Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) has scheduled a meeting to update conservation and agricultural partners on the Mississippi River Basin Healthy Waters Initiative (MRBI).  The briefing has been timed to coincide with the publication of the next MRBI Request for Proposals (RFP) (to be published in the Federal Register the week of December 19).  NRCS’s goal for the meeting is “to address changes made in this RFP, answer questions related to the RFP, and provide additional guidance on the monitoring and evaluation portion of the RFP.”

The briefing will occur on December 22, from 10:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m. (EST) in Room 5104 of the USDA-NRCS office at 14th and Independence Ave., S.W. (South Building), Washington, DC.  There will be an audio portion telephone number available for those who cannot attend in person (call-in number 1-888-469-1762; participant code: 7553244).  The following link can be accessed live during the meeting to view its PowerPoint presentations: (https://www.mymeetings.com/nc/join/ Conference Number: PW2505711; Audience Passcode: 7553244).

Persons planning to attend the briefing in person should RSVP to Myron Taylor (Mississippi River Basin Healthy Watersheds Initiative Coordinator) by email at myron.taylor@mn.usda.gov.

The draft agenda for the meeting (including NRCS staff leading the discussion) includes these topics:
  • Introduction and Goals - - David White, Chief
  • Mississippi River Basin Initiative Overview - - Tom Christensen, Regional Conservationist
  • RFP Review - - Myron Taylor
  • Monitoring and Evaluation Strategy - - Howard Hankin
  • Questions and Answers - - Tom Christensen, Martin Lowenfish, Myron Taylor
  • Timeline and Next Steps - - Myron Taylor
MRBI is designed to bring together a variety of stakeholders within the Mississippi River Basin to voluntarily implement conservation practices that avoid, control, and trap nutrient runoff in watersheds where high nutrient loading is particularly problematic.  The conservation measures put into place also frequently improve wildlife habitat, and can often have the benefit of improving agricultural productivity.
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Tuesday, December 13, 2011

Long-Anticipated Revised National Nutrient Management Standard Issued by USDA

The Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) has revised its national conservation practice standard on nutrition management, and released that standard ("Standard 590" - available here as a PDF file), along with an accompanying general National Nutrient Management Policy manual and National Instruction, earlier this afternoon (December 13).  In a press release accompanying the standard's publication, USDA said that it is the intent of the "national conservation practice standard on nutrient management to help producers better manage the application of nutrients on agricultural land," while protecting and improving "ground and surface water, air quality, soil quality and agricultural sustainability."

NRCS Chief Dave White, in a morning briefing for agricultural and environmental stakeholders prior to the standard's release, said that the revised standard will emphasize the concepts of (1) the four "Rs" of nutrient management (Right Source of Nutrients, Right Time of Application, Right Rate, and Right Method of Application); (2) new and advanced technologies, such as adaptive nutrient management; (3) soil nutrient tolerance levels; (4) coordination of multiple practices; and (5) effective management of manure (i.e., relating to application to frozen, snow-covered and saturated soils).  The nutrient management conservation practice is an important tool  to help farmers and ranchers apply their nutrients efficiently, while still assuring the protection of the nation's water resources, White stressed.

Two controversial issues addressed in the revised standard include manure application to frozen (or snow-covered or saturated) soils and phosphorus application management.

The standard will still generally preclude the direct application of manure to frozen ground, as did its predecessor.  But NRCS believes that there may be some conditions under which such applications could occur without degrading water bodies if additional nutrient control measures were to be implemented to protect water quality.  The standard will allow for that flexibility in such instances.

With respect to phosphorus application, NRCS has adopted the use of a phosphorus index - a risk-based evaluation tool - to estimate on a case-by-case basis the risk of phosphorus moving into waterways, and then plan phosphorus management accordingly (applying less when the risk is higher than when the risk is lower, and potentially adding additional conservation measures where a high risk warrants such action).

State NRCS offices will have one year during which to fully implement and be in compliance with the revised standard.  States have the ability to make further adjustments to the standard in an effort to improve its effectiveness before they are put into practice at the state level.
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Monday, December 12, 2011

GAO: Actions Needed to Resolve Environmental and Flooding Concerns Surrounding Mississippi River Training Structures

In a December 9 report to Rep. Timothy Bishop (D-NY-1), Ranking Member of the House Transportation and Infrastructure (T&I) Committee’s Subcommittee on Water Resources and the Environment, and Rep. Jerry Costello (D-IL-11) Ranking Member of the T&I Subcommittee on Aviation, the General Accounting Office (GAO) finds that the Army Corps of Engineers' Middle Mississippi River projects have not always complied with all environmental requirements; and may in the long run have destroyed habitat and worsened flooding along the River. Here is a link to the GAO report summary web page, and links to the full report and a report highlights' sheet (the latter two being PDF files).

Among some of the GAO's key findings are that:
  • The Army Corps routinely assesses some of the hydrological impacts of the Middle Mississippi training structures that it constructs, but not of their environmental impacts (training structures being "dikes to 'train' the Mississippi River channel and maintain adequate depth for navigation").
  • Researchers have routinely highlighted two key areas of concern with respect to those river training structures: degradation of river habitat and increased flooding.
  • Regarding flooding, the Army Corps disagrees with researchers' concerns that its structures have led to an increase in Mississippi River stages during high flow events, and has undertaken various studies in efforts to support its supposition.
In response to these findings, the GAO recommends that the Army Corps:
  • Prepare an environmental assessment for river training structures in the Middle Mississippi River.
  • Obtain required water quality permits for any new structures, and
  • Conduct physical and numerical modeling to assess the cumulative impacts of those structures on River flood heights.
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Congressional Committees to Examine U.S. Water and Wastewater Infrastructure This Week

This week a House and a Senate Congressional committee have each scheduled a hearing to explore issues surrounding the nation's aging water and wastewater infrastructure. 

The Senate Environment and Public Works Committee's Subcommittee on Water and Wildlife will explore the "challenges and opportunities" facing the country's water infrastructure in a hearing scheduled for 10 a.m. on Tuesday, December 13 in room 406 of the Senate Dirksen Office Building.

Meanwhile, the House Transportation and Infrastructure's Subcommittee on Water Resources and Environment has set a hearing on "Integrated Planning and Permitting: An Opportunity for EPA to Provide Communities with Flexibility to Make Smart Investments in Water Quality" for December 14 at 10:00 AM in room 2167 of the Rayburn House Office Building.
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Friday, December 9, 2011

Mississippi River Basin Water Resource News for the Week

Task Force Releases Final Strategy for Restoring Gulf of Mexico Ecosystem; Some Plan Elements Address Mississippi River Sources
The Gulf Coast Ecosystem Restoration Task Force on December 5 released its final strategy for long term ecosystem restoration for the Gulf of Mexico coastal region, and many of the issues addressed in the plan and its recommended solutions point directly to problems and solutions upstream within the Mississippi River Basin.  You can read more details and get a link to the final strategy document here.

Report Calls into Question One Motivation for Expanding Mississippi River Locks and Dams
In November, the Institute for Agriculture and Trade Policy (IATP) revisited the findings of its 1999 report entitled "Feeding the World? The Upper Mississippi River Navigation Project."  In their new report (as in its 1999 predecessor) IATP calls into question "agribusiness’ and the Mississippi River navigation industry’s claim that U.S. grain exports 'feed the world.'" Additionally, the shortfall in funding available to simply maintain, let alone expand upon, the Mississippi River Basin's (and nation's) system of locks and dams is becoming progressively more problematic. Read more, including links to resources on the issue, here.

2012 Congressional Calendar
For those looking ahead to next year on Capitol Hill (and who among us isn't!), the U.S. House and Senate have set their legislative calendars for 2012 (the second session of the 112th Congress). Next year, if things run as planned, the two chambers' calendars will be slightly less "out of sync" than they were in 2011, when House and Senate in-session weeks often did not coincide, self-limiting the opportunities for face-to-face, inter-chamber coordination and collaboration. Read a summary of the 2012 calendars and related details here.

Notable @UpperMiss Twitter Postings for the Week 

Agriculture -
Farm Bill-
Water Quality -
  • Florida regulators approve numeric nutrient water quality criteria (national implications) http://linkd.in/slvqiO
  • EPA $2 M in grants to restore urban waters by improving water quality, community access; proposals due 1/23/12 http://1.usa.gov/tUGclq
  • OH EPA developing long-range plan to reduce nitrogen & phosphorus in state waters; questions of cost & payment linger http://bit.ly/t8Yk9B
Water Resource Management (Floodplains, Dams, Navigation, Wetlands, Flooding, etc.) -
  • Kootenai Environmental Alliance files suit vs Army Corps re: order to remove 100s of levee trees http://bit.ly/vB80p9
  • Missouri River flooding issues fall under congressional scrutiny http://bit.ly/uYvtcG
  • Report questions if US grain exports “Feed the World” & need to expand & upgrade Mississippi River's locks & dams http://bit.ly/tyrAdE
  • Flood advisory issued to MS residents along Mississippi River through mid-December  http://exm.nr/t436zo
  • Louisville’s (KY) pumping stations along Ohio River in use to prevent flooding-more than a month earlier than normally http://bit.ly/sti8KS
In the States -
  • KY environmentalist resigns from 2 state boards in protest of Gov Beshear's cuts to regulatory programs http://bit.ly/t1FpS1
  • City of Dickson, TN signs settlement in two TCE well contamination lawsuits http://tnne.ws/t6sQCg
  • Five-part Mankato Free Press series on the Minnesota River:
  1. Part 1- Studies pin river troubles on farm drainage bit.ly/tXJ9EK
  2. Part 2-sedimentation problems at mouth of Lake Pepin http://bit.ly/tCgjiN
  3. Part 3-Landowner makes buffer strip changes to comply with law http://bit.ly/uwfjWG
  4. Part 4-River channels move; encroach on farmland http://bit.ly/tNLw5P
  5. Part 5-Alliances may help move river cleanup discussion forward http://bit.ly/t201ki
Biodiversity, Wildlife and Invasives -
Federal Budget -
  • Both chambers of Congress will be trying to wrap up FY 2012 funding business before breaking for holidays http://bit.ly/teanG3 Prospects increasing that $900 billion-ish spending package could get done this month; precluding need for stopgap bill http://bit.ly/vWDKLr
  • Congress close on  appropriations bill deal; next 2 days will be make or break http://politi.co/tqFjWh
  • Some Democrats willing to put farm subsidy cuts on bargaining table to pay for payroll tax break extension http://wapo.st/tCCmWm
Gulf Coastal Area-
Resource extraction -
e-Newsletters, Publications and Journals -
Other news-
  • NASA scientist: world's leaders have "run out of time" to save Earth's "traditional" climate http://bit.ly/vHtZGe
  • Study: Non-native species can play valuable ecological roles in new habitats  http://bit.ly/tbvgrS
  • House passes bill requiring Congressional approval of all major federal regulations with $100 million or more effect http://bit.ly/szcEVu
Political Scene -
  • State Sen. Dave Koehler (D) drops out of IL 17th district race, cutting # of challengers vs. Rep. Bobby Schilling (R) http://bit.ly/vEdt3K
  • Rep. Joe Walsh (R-IL-14) will switch to run in IL 8th district next year-report in Human Events magazine http://bit.ly/u8EEOg
  • Washington Post: 2011 in the US Congress saw fewer bills, fewer laws and more blame http://wapo.st/rLJxfl
  • Numbers & percentages of independent voters surge; Dem/GOP #s drop in 8 key Presidential swing states (PDF file): http://politi.co/tAalQX
Last Word - "Teaching science without evolution is like teaching sentence structure without the alphabet." - Carin Bondar, one of many scientists interviewed in this video about why evolution needs to be taught in public schools
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Monday, December 5, 2011

Report Calls into Question One Motivation for Expanding Mississippi River Locks and Dams

In November, the Institute for Agriculture and Trade Policy (IATP) revisited the findings of its 1999 report entitled "Feeding the World? The Upper Mississippi River Navigation Project."*  That new report (like its 1999 predecessor) calls into question "agribusiness’ and the Mississippi River navigation industry’s claim that U.S. grain exports 'feed the world.'"  IATP's November report, entitled "Feeding the World? Twelve Years Later, U.S. Grain Exports Are Up, So Too Is Hunger," includes an analysis of changes to the food production-availability dynamic in the twelve years since the original "Feeding the World" report was released, explores how and whether increases in U.S. grain exports during that period have played a role in alleviating world hunger, and assesses what that means for calls to expand the nation's (and Mississippi River Basin's) navigation system.  In particular, the IATP report looks to assess whether increasing the export capacity of the Mississippi River might have significant benefits for global food security, and whether such investments are cost-effective and sustainable from the global perspective.

IATP concludes in the five-page redux that "On the whole, the connection between increased U.S. grain exports and decreased global hunger is just as dubious today as it was in 1999," and that although the mandate for the U.S. to "feed the world" is used as a rationale to promote a variety of initiatives (including the expansion of the Mississippi River Basin navigation lock and dam system), such investments "would be better spent helping small-scale farming flourish around the world" (and, IATP goes on to argue, improving access to food by the world's poor).

Calls for increased investments to upgrade and expand the nation's inland waterway's navigation system also face ever-mounting arguments of an economic nature in today's increasingly-tight fiscal climate.  In fact, the shortfall of funding available to simply maintain, let alone expand upon, the Mississippi River basin's (and nation's) system of locks and dams is becoming progressively more problematic (see the American Society of Civil Engineers' 2009 Inland Waterway's Infrastructure "Report Card" and the sections on infrastructure maintenance and costs in this 2010 Inland Waterways Users Board report to Congress, for example).

You can download and read the entire 2011 "Feeding the World" report here (PDF file).
__________________________
*Muller, Mark and Levins, Richard. December 1999. Feeding the World? The Upper Mississippi River Navigation Project (Minneapolis, Minnesota: Institute for Agriculture and Trade Policy).  16 pages. (PDF file available here).
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Congressional Calendar Roulette

For those looking ahead to next year on Capitol Hill (and who among us isn't!), the U.S. House (here (as a PDF file)) and Senate (here (HTML)) have set their legislative calendars for 2012 (the second session of the 112th Congress).  Next year, if things run as planned, the two chambers' calendars will be slightly less "out of sync" than they were in 2011, when House and Senate in-session weeks often did not coincide, self-limiting the opportunities for face-to-face, inter-chamber coordination and collaboration. 

Next year, the House will convene on January 17, following the January 16, Martin Luther King, Jr. Day Federal Holiday.  The House has scheduled constituent work days and other breaks away from Washington, DC for:
  • week of February 20
  • week of March 12
  • weeks of April 2, 9 and 30
  • week of May 21 (through Memorial Day and May 29)
  • week of June 11
  • week of July 2
  • August 6 through September 7
  • week of September 24
  • October 8 (Columbus Day) through November 12 (Veterans Day)
  • week of November 19
The House plans to adjourn for the year on December 14.

The Senate will convene a week later than the House (on January 23), and, as in 2011, has been more frugal in scheduling time away from the Hill, planning breaks for:
  • week of February 20
  • weeks of April 2 and 30
  • week of May 28
  • week of July 2
  • August 6 through September 7
  • October 8 (one day)
  • November 12 (one day)
Except for the last three days during the week-long break beginning May 28, all of the Senate's times off coincide with House breaks.  The House plans additional time away from Washington the weeks of March 12, April 9, June 11, September 24 and November 19, and from October 10 through November 11 (although since that latter period overlaps with the end of the campaign run-up to the November 6 general election, many Senators may find themselves back in their home states during October and early November).

The Senate, as is tradition, has not (yet) targeted a session adjournment date.
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Task Force Releases Final Strategy for Restoring Gulf of Mexico Ecosystem

The Gulf Coast Ecosystem Restoration Task Force on December 5 released its final strategy for long term ecosystem restoration for the Gulf of Mexico coastal region, and many of the issues addressed in the plan and its recommended solutions point directly to problems and solutions upstream within the Mississippi River Basin (final strategy available here as a PDF file). The Task Force’s strategy lays out four major goals for Gulf Coast restoration, which include:
  1. Restoring and conserving habitat;
  2. Restoring water quality;
  3. Replenishing and protecting coastal and marine natural resources; and
  4. Enhancing community resilience.
Within each of those four goals, the Task Force identified major actions that it believes require immediate attention.  The full list of those actions can be found in the report (pages 21 - 47).  Those of particular relevance to resource management in the Mississippi River Basin include:
  • Improving sediment management to maximize the quantity and effective use of sediments utilizing what the Task Force calls a “strategic use” approach to sediment management.
  • Restoring and preserving more natural sediment and freshwater distribution river processes.
  • Decreasing and managing excess nutrient levels in the Gulf by developing and implementing state nutrient reduction frameworks.
  • Reduce excess nutrients and hypoxia in coastal waters by focusing restoration measures in priority watersheds.
  • Coordinating and expanding water quality monitoring in support of adaptive management of programs and projects designed to improve water quality.
Along with the announcement of the Strategy release, the Task Force also announced that $50 million in assistance from the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Natural Resources Conservation Service that will be used "to help agricultural producers in seven Gulf Coast river basins improve water quality, increase water conservation and enhance wildlife habitat," and that the Task Force plans to open a local office, headed by Task Force Executive Director John Hankinson, in the Gulf Coast region sometime in mid-December.

The Task Force developed its Strategy based upon its review of existing plans and remedial work, and by conducting public outreach over the last year.  President Barack Obama established the Gulf Coast Ecosystem Restoration Task Force on October 5, 2010, and it consists of representatives from the five Gulf States and 11 federal agencies.
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Friday, December 2, 2011

Mississippi River Basin Water Resource News for the Week

Federal Money Matters
The time to finish a large Omnibus Federal spending bill before current spending authority ends on December 16 is quickly slipping away, and Congress did little this week to advance their efforts toward that end. Therefore, it's looking more and more likely that yet another Continuing Resolution (CR) will be necessary before Congress recesses for the holidays, with a CR running until February the scenario expected by many.

Farm Bill Status in Light of the Super Committee Failure
Discussions surrounding the next Farm Bill will almost by necessity start from those parts of the Farm Bill (and the $23 billion in Farm Bill cuts over 10 years) contemplated in the Agriculture Committee leadership’s proposal to the Super Committee (officially known as the “Joint Select Committee on Deficit Reduction"). The Super Committee announced on November 21 that would not be able to come up with a plan to make at least $1.2 trillion in targeted cuts to Federal program spending, and that not report legislative language to make those cuts to Congress (missing a November 23 target date set in the Budget Control Act of 2011). 
The failure of the Super Committee to meet its goals means that the Senate and House Agriculture Committees will now fall back to more “traditional” ways of moving a new Farm Bill through Congress.  Senate Agriculture Committee Chair Debbie Stabenow (D-MI) said this week that she intends to push her Committee to mark up a Farm Bill in the early spring, 2012 and that she is shooting for 2012 passage. However, the window for passing a Farm Bill in 2012 will be narrow and the likelihood of that happening even more so, since political gridlock in the 2012 election year will be substantial (especially between Memorial Day and the November 6 general election). Nonetheless, the fiscal climate will not be much (if any) better in 2013. If anything, the combination of political and economic pressures following the 2012 election could potentially be worse from the standpoint of maintaining Farm Bill conservation funding.

Notable @UpperMiss Twitter Postings for the Week 
Agriculture -
  • 2012 likely to be a tipping point for conservation across Upper Midwest, including 300,000 acres in MN http://bit.ly/sMU3g3
  • Next generation opting to cash out of small, family-owned farms with land prices booming http://reut.rs/teUyRn
  • Recent farmland auction near Elkhart, IN brought in over $11,000 an acre http://bit.ly/vz260k
  • UN completes 1st global assessment of planet’s land resources: land degraded; farm production must rise 70% by 2050 http://wapo.st/ueTHN3
  • Op-ed on fertilizers vs organic-only approach; implications for resource availability, food production & pollution: http://bit.ly/s26QFk
Farm Bill-
  • Senator Tim Johnson (D-SD)  meets with SD's agricultural leaders to hear their priorities for Farm Bill rewrite http://1.usa.gov/v3C06T
Water Quality -
  • VW Gov. replaces 2 on WV Environmental Quality Board in battle with group over coal mining water quality standards http://bit.ly/sRu3zp
  • CONSOL Energy agrees in lawsuit settlement to clean up conductivity [water] pollution associated with WV valley fill http://bit.ly/w2MFrH
  • Two Illinois Cities Applauded For Green Infrastructure by Natural Resources Defense Council http://bit.ly/vfqAaJ
  • Atrazine in water tied to menstrual issues; low hormones (frequent in surface & ground water in farmland US Midwest) http://bit.ly/vz6A0m
  • Metropolitan Water Reclamation District of Greater Chicago to finally disinfect sewage entering Chicago River http://econ.st/uAy0FB
  • EPA awards $485,000 to St. Joseph, MO for improvements to its combined sewer system http://1.usa.gov/usE3q3
Water Resource Management (Floodplains, Dams, Navigation, Wetlands, Flooding, etc.) -
  • KY residents seek compensation for flood damages in lawsuit filed vs 9 mining companies (for lack of natural drainage) http://bit.ly/viuy8s
  • Federal appeals court rejects most claims against Army Corps decision to permit major development in FL wetlands http://bit.ly/vp6r8h
  • NY Times: After Floods, Debate Over Missouri River Rolls On nyti.ms/orARMj [editor's note: Excellent article]
  • @RiverLifeUMN blog coverage of November's TNC-Army Corps Fifth National Partnership Conference http://bit.ly/vhPJOc
  • Highlights & Action Items from Upper Miss River Basin Assoc Nov. 16 EMP-CC meeting available as PDF: http://bit.ly/usyju1
  • House Transportation & Infrastructure Subcommittee 11/30 hearing on Army Corps-Missouri River flooding; testimony here: http://1.usa.gov/v5trik
  • Lawmakers at hearing blame Army Corps for Missouri River flood damages; demand levee rebuilds & policy changes http://1.usa.gov/v16jtM
In the States -
Biodiversity, Wildlife and Invasives -
  • Pesticide-resistant corn & soybeans in US Midwest make Monarch Butterfly trip south rough http://bit.ly/sqtOB6
  • Minnehaha Creek Watershed District (MN) may usurp MN DNR's invasive species role; citing critical importance of issue http://bit.ly/twFs0j
Federal Budget -
  • Minibus funding bill Congress passed Nov. 17 included at least 75 policy riders; many re: USDA programs http://bit.ly/vsLXV2
  • Congressional Stage set for a contentious December,  with budget at forefront http://bit.ly/ujSMju
  • Over coming weeks, Congress will strive to perform a basic function: funding the government http://politi.co/tqWeA4
  • Sen. Majority Leader Reid: it's "fantasy" to expect further compromise on appropriations caps enacted last summer http://politi.co/uG0uXl
Gulf Coastal Area-
  • Gulf Task Force defines need but not answers re: how many billions it will cost to fix Gulf; where money will come from http://bit.ly/vlDyiM
  • RT @EDF_Louisiana: EDF's new Mississippi River Delta Restoration Campaign website bitly.com/spJwfF?r=bb
  • Louisiana parish declares emergency as saltwater intrudes into freshwater Mermentau Basin http://bit.ly/ulmXQH
  • Gulf Restoration Network: public needs to be more involved in determining how to spend BP $1B oil spill damage money http://bit.ly/vKPTA3
Resource extraction -
Events -
  • North American Surface Water Quality Conference & Exposition: StormCon; Aug 19-23; Denver, CO (call for abstracts open) http://bit.ly/13sJMg
  • Call for abstracts now open: INTECOL International Wetlands Conference; Orlando, FL; June 3-8, 2012 http://bit.ly/viDqlP
  • 44th annual Mississippi River Research Consortium, April 26-27, 2012 at the Radisson in La Crosse, WI http://bit.ly/vzsH3v
  • Videos of presentations from United Nations International Water Forum now online http://bit.ly/rDiXTY
e-Newsletters, Publications and Journals -
  • November Update (PDF file) from the Northeast-Midwest Institute on Mississippi River Basin issues: bit.ly/vwm1nt
Other news-
  • Delegates from 194 nations gather today in Durban, South Africa to try to advance world’s climate change response http://nyti.ms/tudFJE
  • UN Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change: Climate change will make drought & flooding events more frequent http://wapo.st/td3sfY
  • New book from MIT Press "Collaborative Resilience: Moving Through Crisis to Opportunity” (as a collaborative community) http://bit.ly/thI0yC
  • Op-ed argument vs. unsustainable growth: "growth beyond sufficiency loses its power to increase welfare" http://bit.ly/sEyJJD
  • Northeast-Midwest Institute Position Available “Mississippi River Cities and Towns Initiative” Project Lead http://bit.ly/v5WAXl
  • Northeast-Midwest Institute Position Available “Water information Supply” Project Lead (in collaboration with USGS) http://bit.ly/ruiH8M
  • Research: Changes in plant community composition lag behind climate warming in lowland forests http://bit.ly/vGFPm4
Political Scene -
  • Rep. Joe Walsh may switch races to run in IL 8th district to avoid 2013 GOP primary vs. Rep. Hultgren http://bit.ly/vaabCJ
  • Effort to force recall election of WI Gov. Walker (R) is on track to get well more than required # of signatures http://gbpg.net/u84MQa
  • Rookie lawmakers have less faith than ever in ability to force big changes in Washington http://politi.co/siThsp ["Welcome to the Machine"]
  • Missouri congressional candidate Ed Martin (R) is considering switching to the state’s governor’s race http://bit.ly/tPMRBy
Last Words -
"I'm ashamed." - Sen. Joe Manchin (D-WV), in a Face the Nation interview, on how Congress has conducted its business.
“Can I scream?” Rep. Rick Berg (R-ND-at large), a North Dakota freshman lawmaker, expressing his frustration over an inability to generate significant change within the halls of Congress.
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