EPA Seeks Mississippi River Basin Nutrient Pollution Impact Photos for Education and Outreach

The Environmental Protection Agency's Office of Water has announced that it is looking for digital photographs depicting the adverse impacts of nutrient pollution within the Mississippi River Basin (i.e., those showing algal blooms or fish kills, or other impacts on recreation, tourism and public health).  EPA hopes to use the images collected for public outreach and education in order to raise public awareness about the negative results associated with Mississippi River Basin nutrient pollution.

Photos should ideally  be medium to high quality (size: 300 dpi or greater).  Interested persons should contact Patricia Scott at scott.patricia@epa.gov to discuss details.

Mississippi River Basin-Related Congressional Hearings for the Week

Only one particularly Mississippi River Basin-relevant hearing is scheduled to take place this week on Capitol Hill.  That one is:

• The House Science, Space and Technology Committee's Energy and Environment Subcommittee hearing on EPA science program improvement; February 3, 10 AM (Eastern); room 2318 Rayburn House Office Building  (Note that this will be the third in a series of Subcommittee hearings on the general topic of "Fostering Quality Science at EPA: Perspectives on Common Sense Reform."  The first hearing was held on November 17 and the second on November 30, 2011.  The subcommittee's information for those two hearings can be found here (November 17) and here (November 30)).

Controversial St. Croix River Crossing Project Bill Passes U.S. Senate

Stillwater Lift Bridge

On January 23, the U.S. Senate passed the St. Croix River Crossing Project Authorization Act (S. 1134) by unanimous consent, clearing the way for the much-debated and controversial measure to be considered by the House.  The bill, sponsored by Sen. Amy Klobuchar (D-MN), with three cosponsors would permit "any federal agency to authorize and assist in the construction of a new bridge crossing" over the St. Croix River as long as "specified mitigation items" contained in a "2006 St. Croix River Crossing Project Memorandum of Understanding for Implementation of Riverway Mitigation Items" are included within the project conditions.  The new bridge would replace an 80 year-old Stillwater Lift Bridge, which most people agree was never intended to carry the level of traffic that it currently does, is gradually failing structurally, and needs to be replaced.

However, two issues have consistently arisen at the center of a running controversy regarding the appropriateness of the bridge replacement project approved by the Senate's bill: the project's cost and its suitability, especially given the St. Croix River's Federal designation as a Wild and Scenic River.  Proponents, including Senator Klobuchar and Rep. Michele Bachmann (R-MN-6), maintain that the new bridge represents a safe and efficient alternative to the lift bridge that it would replace.   Bridge opponents argue that the project is not fiscally responsible and would be environmentally damaging, especially in light of what they say are readily-available, less costly alternatives (see, for example, this release from Rep. Betty McCollum (D-MN-4) and this from American Rivers, both in response to the Senate passage of St. Croix River bridge legislation).

The St. Croix River originates in northeastern Wisconsin, flowing out of Upper St. Croix Lake.  It joins the Namekagon River, and a few miles downstream of that confluence a considerably wider St. Croix River forms the boundary between Minnesota and Wisconsin (for approximately 130 miles until its confluence with the Mississippi River).

The bill has been referred to the House Natural Resources, Transportation and Infrastructure, and Budget committees for consideration.  To date, no action has been scheduled in any of those committees on the measure.

Mississippi River Basin Water Resource News for the Week

Notable @UpperMiss Twitter Postings for the Week 

Farm Bill-

• Rep. Peterson (D-MN-7): ‘relatively optimistic’ about new Farm Bill this year; Rep. Walz (D-MN-1): little prospect http://bit.ly/yn3J9x 
• MN DNR estimates 550,000 acres of MN ag land will expire from Conservation Reserve Program in next 3 years http://bit.ly/yLirDg
• Sen. Tim Johnson (D-SD) doubts Congress will find will to write new farm bill this year; looks to extension instead http://argusne.ws/AkMK7m
• House Agriculture Committee Chairman Frank Lucas feels strong urgency to complete Farm Bill in 2012 http://bit.ly/xR08Pm

Water Quality -

• EPA study to focus on clean water value to various economic sectors: tourism, farming, fishing, manufacturing, etc. http://1.usa.gov/xwJBY4
• TN issues water quality violation notice to coal company for discharging >1.4 M GAL into New River http://bit.ly/yseMBP
• House Natural Resources Comm GOP threatens subpoena Administration to get upcoming stream protection rule documents http://bit.ly/yF91OI PDF

Water Resource Management (Floodplains, Dams, Navigation, Wetlands, Flooding, etc.) -

• J of Soil & Water Conservation: Impacts of 2011 induced levee breaches on Mississippi River Valley agricultural lands http://bit.ly/xMDLYW
• Agreement moves ahead for refurbishment work on Coon Rapids Dam (Mississippi River - MN) http://bit.ly/wvifUQ
• Inland Waterways Users Board caught in "bureaucratic limbo" as its authority to exist expires http://bit.ly/yIO56l
• Crown Hydro seeks new hydroelectric project location from Corps on St. Anthony Falls lock & dam property (MN) http://bit.ly/zrUut8
• Army Corps will clear (dredge) barge traffic chokepoint at mouth of Mississippi River w/ $5 Million in extra funds http://bit.ly/zSOlEH
• May 2011 Mississippi River floods created legacy of damage in 100s of agricultural acres http://bit.ly/wuNmYY
• Iowa to receive $10.8 Million in Federal (USDA) farm-flood recovery funds http://bo.st/wP1bjC
• Fracking in Kansas pushes water use permits to new high, even as sections of state struggle with drought http://bit.ly/wXEpu5
• Harpeth River (TN) advocates excited at this summer's dam removal and prospects for improved fish/mussel passage http://tnne.ws/waslkf
• Research calls into question whether constructed wetlands compensate for destroyed/buried ones they "replace" http://nyti.ms/x4g8vH

Agriculture -

• Kansas Governor, Attorney General object to proposed EPA Concentrated Animal Feeding Operations Reporting Rule http://bit.ly/z9EMyq
• Op-ed: "President Obama Should Spend $6 Billion in Corn Ethanol Subsidies on Biofuels and Renewable Energy" http://bit.ly/wDiryq
• USDA releases new map of nation's growing zones; confirms what many already know: warmer winters http://bit.ly/A4lXrV
  
• USDA Announces New Ag Energy Website http://bit.ly/wyTlss
• Agriculture and Climate Change, Revisited (NY Times): Future climate talks need strong food production focus  http://nyti.ms/xYtFO4
• EPA meets w/ Region 7 & 8 state agriculture directors to discuss ag sector interests & concerns; news: http://bit.ly/zZ490u & EPA release: http://1.usa.gov/AeGhKk
• Nat Geog: "Raiding the Bread Basket: Use and Abuse of the Mississippi River Basin" http://bit.ly/wJCONb [costs of industrial agricultural]
• U of MN River Life blog overview of major federal-state effort to curb farm-based water pollution starting up in MN bit.ly/wHEy8x
• Sen. Cardin (D-MD) calls for end to preferential treatment of corn-based ethanol http://wapo.st/A5jcWd
• Congressional Research Service releases new report: “The Role of Local Food Systems in U.S. Farm Policy” http://bit.ly/zscMA7 (PDF)
• National Assoc of Farm Service Agency County Office Employees calls on Congress to review proposed USDA office closures http://bit.ly/xEec7n

 Biodiversity, Wildlife and Invasives -

• Australian company to harvest carp from MN waters & open new MN processing plant http://bit.ly/A5pdye
• Parish along Ouachita River has highest number of invasive plant species in Louisiana (359) http://tnsne.ws/ylOB9Y
• NOAA & USFWS Draft National Fish, Wildlife & Plants Climate Adaptation Strategy open for Public Review thru March 5 http://bit.ly/w6PQhD

Gulf Coastal Area-

• Louisiana state $923 million coastal restoration & hurricane levee spending plan proposed http://bit.ly/we0dBY
• Louisiana's new flood plan relies more on wetland restoration; not past's heavy reliance on levees and seawalls http://bit.ly/wxBwgv
• Fishers object to LA proposed 50-yr coastal restoration & protection plan reliance on freshwater & sediment diversions http://bit.ly/w2f1dR

Resource extraction -

• WV state legislator to introduce >20 bills this session to amend Marcellus Shale measure passed last month http://bit.ly/z5kr18
• Ohio House members looking into ways to tighten state's regulation of fracking & injection disposal wells http://ohne.ws/yiLyx5
• VW DEP: Study finds no link between mining and complaints of polluted groundwater in southern WV http://bit.ly/xIs6k8
• WI DNR has no plans for new limits on growing sand mining industry http://bit.ly/wwDNec

Federal Budget -

• Budget Committee Chair Paul Ryan (R-WI) confirms that House Republicans will move a budget resolution this year http://bit.ly/zvUwEe
• Obama Administration delays 2013 budget release one week until February 13 http://bit.ly/wlOrVW
• See our Federal Budget &Appropriations Update here for the latest on where things stand politically & legislatively http://bit.ly/yBTgCL

Events-

• Great Waters Coalition Webinar on Regional Restoration Program Authorizations; Feb 9; 4 PM EST http://bit.ly/AwqN8E (PDF file)
• Registration deadline for the 2012 Upper Midwest Stream Restoration Conference is THIS Friday, January 27 http://bit.ly/xbTKQw
• EPA Nutrient Removal Webinar: Nitrogen Control at Wastewater Treatment Plants; March 8, 1:00-4:30 PM EST  http://1.usa.gov/AASLZZ
• WI Assoc for Floodplain, Stormwater & Coastal Mgmt Feb. 16 seminar on fish passages at road crossings; Waukesha, WI http://bit.ly/yFW2fd
• USDA Webinar: "Assessing the Vulnerability of Water and Watersheds to Climate Change" February 2, 12:00 PM EST http://1.usa.gov/xuMTUz
• Horinko Group Webinar: Agricultural Water Usage-Trends, Indicators, and What It All Means; February 16, 1:30 PM EST http://bit.ly/xwN869
• RT @InvasiveNotes: National Invasive Species Awareness Week, February 26 - March 3, 2012 Washington, DC bit.ly/4vuLqO

e-Newsletters, Publications and Journals -

• January edition of "Mississippi River Basin Update" now available online; full of River Basin policy & science news http://bit.ly/woxjwQ

Other news-

• Minneapolis had the first centralized hydroelectric power in the nation http://bit.ly/ydx80y
• Scientists develop way to use satellites to help farmers improve harvests http://reut.rs/x3ynXH  could be available for wide use in 2 yrs
• Johnson Foundation Report: urban water and sewage systems will need to overhaul to adapt to climate change http://bit.ly/xrybNh (PDF file)
• Nijmegen's (Netherlands) "Room for the River" plan receives "Excellence on the Waterfront Honor Award 2011" http://bit.ly/Ah4r1H

Political Scene -

• Freshman US Rep. DesJarlais (R-TN-4) catches break and will not face a primary challenge from state Sen. Ketron http://bit.ly/zP9y0B
• US Sen. Mark Kirk (R-IL) suffers serious stroke but should be able to return to his full Senate duties http://politi.co/xZ3llo
• US Rep. Michele Bachmann (R-MN-6) confirms that she will run for 4th term in Congress this year http://bit.ly/xPAgnR
• New Tennessee Congressional district map helps assure Republican dominance http://bit.ly/wUZqMa

Last Word -
"The important thing is not to stop questioning. Curiosity has its own reason for existing."– Albert Einstein

Federal Budget and Appropriations Update

The Obama Administration has announced that it will release its 2013 Fiscal Year budget proposal on Monday, February 13: a budget highly-expected to be more frugal on Federal discretionary spending than last year’s version. Anticipating criticisms from the left, the White House has preemptively hinted that their proposal will present a disappointingly slim budget, warning its political allies to brace themselves for an austere plan.

“Traditionally,” the release of the Administration’s budget proposal kicks the Federal appropriations process into high gear. Following its release, members of Congress would customarily start to negotiate and adopt a Budget Resolution in response to the President’s budget; House and Senate committees would schedule and hold budget hearings regarding the agencies under their jurisdiction, and Appropriations Committees in both the Senate and House would go about developing legislation to allocate funds (ostensibly in line with Fiscal Year 2013 spending ceilings set by the Budget Resolution). There are twelve appropriation subcommittees in each chamber, and each would be tasked with drafting legislation to allocate funds to government agencies within their respective jurisdictions.

However, few fiscal years end up reflecting that “traditional” appropriations approach. Last year’s example was a case in point, when the House developed a Budget Resolution, only to look on as the Senate declined to follow suite.

House Budget Committee Chair Paul Ryan (R-WI-1) confirmed earlier this month that House Republicans plan to once more move a Budget Resolution forward in 2012, laying to rest rumors that the House would wait first for the Senate to act, in order to avoid a repeat of 2011.

An informative, June 2011, Congressional Research Service introduction to the Congressional budget and appropriations process can be read on-line or downloaded here (PDF file).

The latest news on appropriations efforts in Congress can be tracked on the respective House and Senate Appropriations Committee’s web pages, or on this Library of Congress web page.

January Mississippi River Basin Update Now Available On-Line

The January edition of the "Mississippi River Basin Update" is now available for reading or downloading online (PDF file here).  The January edition includes these stories:

RIVER BASIN NEWS AND NOTES

• New Farm-Water Quality “Regulatory Certainty” Strategy to be Piloted in Minnesota
• 2012 Water Protection Network Annual Meeting to Have a Mississippi River Basin Focus
• Federal Draft Ocean and Coastal Implementation Plan Includes Mississippi River Basin Actions
• NRCS Issues Request for Proposals under its Mississippi River Basin Healthy Watersheds Initiative
• Applicants Sought for Mississippi River Policy Manager Position in River Region
• EPA Advisory Committee Completes Water Quality-Agriculture Report
• Upcoming Conferences, Events and Workshops

LEGISLATION, BUDGET AND APPROPRIATIONS

• 2012 Farm Bill
• Water Resources Development Act
• Federal Budget and Appropriations Update

New Farm-Water Quality "Regulatory Certainty" Strategy to be Piloted in Minnesota

One of the more significant River Basin related news items for the week was a Tuesday announcement by Minnesota Governor Mark Dayton, together with U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Secretary Tom Vilsack and U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Administrator Lisa Jackson, of a new program to be piloted in Minnesota to increase voluntary use of farm conservation practices. The related USDA news release can be seen here.

The program is part of a wider federal strategy that would effectively give farmers "certainty" with respect to water quality regulations if they voluntarily choose to put land conservation practices in place for the benefit of improved water quality. Agricultural producers who implement a significant degree of conservation practices to reduce nutrient run-off and erosion would receive assurance (or "certainty") from Minnesota that their farms will meet the state's water quality standards and goals throughout the duration of the certainty agreement.

According to the USDA news release, the USDA and EPA will "offer support to Minnesota in developing its certainty process for water quality improvements on private agricultural lands and eligible tribal lands in high priority watersheds. While this idea is new to protection of water quality, 'certainty agreements' have been successful for encouraging private landowners to conserve wildlife habitat."

Details of the program have yet to be developed, and Minnesota plans to form a Technical Advisory Committee to help it develop those details. That committee will solicit input from stakeholders in designing the initiative. One group of stakeholders, the Minnesota Environmental Partnership, responded to Tuesday's announcement with a press releasesetting forth the key elements that the Partnership believes "any agricultural water pollution clean-up program must" contain, including ensuring water quality will meet standards, targeting resources to the greatest needs, ensuring accountability from farm operators, and being consistent with existing pollution reduction programs and laws.

EPA has been exploring a variety of certainty mechanisms in conjunction with USDA and several states for some time, and the Minnesota pilot certainty initiative could be viewed as one component of the Obama Administration's draft action plan to address the challenges facing ocean, coastal, and Great Lakes resources, announced on January 12 and reported on here last week. Among other goals, that action plan calls for the "development of State regulatory certainty programs for reducing nutrient and sediment loads that will accelerate the adoption of voluntary conservation efforts" by 2013.

Mississippi River Basin Water Resource News for the Week

New "Regulatory Certainty" Strategy to be Piloted in Minnesota
On January 17, Minnesota Governor Mark Dayton, together with U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Secretary Tom Vilsack and U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Administrator Lisa Jackson, announced a new program to be piloted in Minnesota to increase voluntary use of farm conservation practices that mitigate nutrient runoff and soil erosion.  According to an accompanying USDA news release, the USDA and EPA will "offer support to Minnesota in developing its certainty process for water quality improvements on private agricultural lands and eligible tribal lands in high priority watersheds. While this idea is new to protection of water quality, 'certainty agreements' have been successful for encouraging private landowners to conserve wildlife habitat."

The program is part of a wider federal strategy that in would effectively give farmers "certainty" with respect to water quality regulations if they voluntarily choose to put land conservation practices in place for the benefit of improved water quality. Agricultural producers who implement a significant degree of conservation practices to reduce nutrient run-off and erosion would receive assurance (or "certainty") from Minnesota that their farms will meet the state's water quality standards and goals throughout the duration of the certainty agreement.  Program details, and links to relevant press releases, reactions and related federal initiatives, can be found here.   Additional news coverage of the announcement is provided under the "Agriculture" section, below.
Notable @UpperMiss Twitter Postings for the Week

Agriculture -

• USDA: $10 million in funds available to enhance water quality credit trading effectiveness; seeks project proposals http://1.usa.gov/wJ7PGJ
• Novel "regulatory certainty" strategy to reduce farm erosion nutrient runoff will be tested starting in MN http://bit.ly/ydroo5
• Details yet to be worked out for newly announced MN-USDA-EPA program to protect water quality http://bit.ly/xVMYlf
• Op-ed: How Iowans manage land leaving Conservation Reserve Program is critical to maintaining past conservation gains http://dmreg.co/xQIr2e
• Biofuel companies account for >50% of top 50 recipients of IA state tax credits & incentives http://dmreg.co/y4nPNg
• Ohio farms are flush with manure; and right now the conditions are far from good http://bit.ly/xJkar9
• Sustainable Ag conference topic: Microbe-based soil enhancer promises higher crop yields & reduced fertilizer need http://bit.ly/A3Sw3d
• Big-city mayors are starting to see local food policy as key in getting healthy, affordable food to their constituents http://n.pr/xzFRdh

Farm Bill-

• Great Waters Coalition to host January 25 informational conference call on Farm Bill reauthorization http://bit.ly/xjIEut
• Many farm policy experts are predicting a highly contentious debate on the 2012 Farm Bill http://bit.ly/zzxA8a
• Sen. Agriculture Committee Chair Stabenow: Upcoming debate in Congress over 2012 Farm Bill likely to be difficult http://bcene.ws/wZv6Fp
• As GOP maps strategy, farm bill reauthorization in 2012 likely to get caught up in fight over how to pay for programs http://fxn.ws/zKfZGA
• Senator Kent Conrad (D-ND) is committed to passing a Farm Bill in 2012 but admits that may not happen http://1.usa.gov/A2xJ7O
• Rep Marlin Stutzman (R-IN-3): "a year from now we will be will living with a Farm Bill extension" (not a new bill) http://bit.ly/yPQaQb
• Sen. John Thune (R-SD) doubts any real headway will be made towards writing a new farm bill this session http://bit.ly/z3eCJO

Water Quality -

• Minnesota Pollution Control Agency adding another 500 lakes & stretches of river to its list of impaired waters http://bit.ly/ws4y4U
• USDA: $10 million in funds available to enhance water quality credit trading effectiveness; seeks project proposals  http://1.usa.gov/wJ7PGJ
• Op-ed: gutting the Clean Water Act won't revive the economy http://bit.ly/zXwzIJ
• Environmental Integrity Project: toxics in wastes going into coal ash disposal ponds is increasing http://bit.ly/Aar61d
• New law clinic at West Virginia University to focus on the New and Gauley river watersheds http://bit.ly/xvOiHf
• EPA adds updated USGS SPARROW data to its nitrogen & phosphorus pollution data access tool 1.usa.gov/wptHew
• Enviro group fears US congressional letter to EPA is step backwards in  efforts to maintain OK river's water quality http://bit.ly/AgV9mF

Water Resource Management (Floodplains, Dams, Navigation, Wetlands, Flooding, etc.) -

• Army Corps of Engineers’ Mississippi Valley Division prepares for 2012 flood season http://bit.ly/ys8N8t
• Army Corps of Engineers releases its 2012 Missouri River management plan with little additional flood storage space http://bit.ly/A4UCVG
• FEMA faces criticism for increasing risky development behind levees http://bit.ly/yHKCnm (PDF file)
• Army Corps of Engineers gets busy on Mississippi Rive flood control projects as river levels drop http://bit.ly/yMKvWm 

In the States -

• OHEPA called overreaching, unreasonable, ludicrous, unfair, hypocritical & secretive at water quality standards meeting http://bit.ly/xFEMGy

Biodiversity, Wildlife and Invasives -

• Reintroduction of whooping cranes in LA conservation ares undergoes rough 1st year as only 3 of 10 juveniles survive http://bit.ly/yb3yvq

Resource extraction -

• IL county board agrees to allow sand mine adjacent to Starved Rock State Park (Illinois River) http://trib.in/yjfm7o
• USEPA: Soon-to-be largest coal mine in eastern US isn't regulated enough http://trib.in/wNBwpQ
• US State Dept official announcement rejecting Keystone XL pipeline: 1.usa.gov/yYwz0j

Events-

• Webinar on EPA's 2012 Draft Recreational Water Quality Criteria; January 25, 1-3 pm EST http://bit.ly/yGEgtj
• Great Waters Coalition January 25 informational conference call on Farm Bill reauthorization http://bit.ly/xjIEut

Political Scene -

• Missouri Supreme Court orders closer look at Congressional district line redrawing http://bit.ly/xKOZ5D
• WI Democrats file Gov. Walker recall petition before deadline http://usat.ly/zrtPsY

Last Word - “If you think this is bad, you ain’t seen nothing yet.”  U.S. Senator Joe Manchin (D-WV) describing the highly partisan state of the U.S. Congress, adding that the bar has been set so low that “even a hard-charging, fast-digging mole” couldn’t find it.

USDA Seeks Proposals for Projects to Improve Water Quality Markets; $10 Million in Funding Available

The U.S. Department of Agriculture announced today (January 13) that the Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) will offer up to $10 million in grants for proposals on how to set up and improve water quality trading markets, a potential market-based financing mechanism for the cleanup of impacted surface waterways such as the Mississippi River, northern Gulf of Mexico and Chesapeake Bay.   NRCS is providing funds for the projects through its Conservation Innovation Grant (CIG) program, with up to $5 million focused on water quality credit trading in the Chesapeake Bay watershed. Proposals for projects are due March 2, 2012. 

A webinar will be held January 24 at 3:00 PM (Eastern) to provide more details to potential applicants. In the webinar USDA officials and staff will discuss the goals of the program and answer questions about its request for proposals. For more webinar details go to this CIG website.

Great Waters Coalition to Host Farm Bill Reauthorization Informational Conference Call

America's Great Waters Coalition has announced that it will host a January 25 informational conference call on the issue of Farm Bill reauthorization to "brief Great Waters Coalition members and . . . allies on the latest policy proposals being proposed for the new Farm Bill, discuss how they can benefit restoration efforts, and explain ways . . . the Great Waters restoration community can be involved." Presenters during the call will include Tina May, Senior Professional Majority Staff Member for the U.S. Senate Agriculture, Nutrition and Forestry Committee, and Sara Hopper, Agricultural Policy Director for the Environmental Defense Fund.

Interested persons can dial into the call at 1-877-890-9502 (Participant Passcode: 8599270#). The call will convene at 3:00 p.m. (Eastern).

Mississippi River Basin Water Resource News for the Week

Federal Draft Ocean and Coastal Implementation Plan Includes Mississippi River Basin Actions
On January 12 the White House's National Ocean Council released for public comment, a draft National Ocean Policy Implementation Plan, touted by the Council as "an action plan to address the most pressing challenges facing ocean, coastal, and Great Lakes resources." The draft Implementation Plan details more than 50 Federal actions to be taken to "improve the health of the ocean, coasts, and Great Lakes," including several actions which relate explicitly in the Plan to reducing the impacts of point and non-point sources of nutrient pollution in the Mississippi River Basin. For each action, the Plan outlines key milestones, identifies responsible Federal agencies, and sets an anticipated time frame for completion. Major actions specifically related in the Plan to the Mississippi River Basin include (1) Improving water quality by reducing the impacts of trash, marine debris, and sources of excess nutrients, sediments, pollutants, and pathogens; and (2) Minimizing impacts of hypoxia.  To read more Mississippi River Basin-related details and link to the draft Plan and on-line public comment portal, see here.

EPA Advisory Committee Completes Water Quality-Agriculture Report
EPA's Farm, Ranch, and Rural Communities Federal Advisory Committee completed a significant Water Quality-Agriculture report in December, and submitted that report to the EPA on January 5.  The 85-page report advises the agency on how to best focus its efforts in protecting and improving water quality with respect to impacts from agricultural practices.  The report suggests how to most effectively manage the nation's water quality issues and how best to improve water quality across the country, as they relate to agricultural production. It also offers specific recommendations for (1) increasing support for certainty programs, (2) increasing stewardship, and (3) coordinating resource allocation and use with the USDA, with land grant universities and with the agricultural sector.  For a more complete review and links to the full report and transmittal letter see here.

2012 Water Protection Network Annual Meeting to Have a Mississippi River Basin Focus
The Water Protection Network has announced plans to hold its 2012 Membership Meeting along the Mississippi River in St. Louis, Missouri from March 18-20.  The meeting theme will be "Working With Nature to Protect Communities,"  and will include a field trip to the nearby Cahokia Mounds World Heritage Site, workshops on becoming a more effective advocate for water protection projects and permits, and a panel discussion on the 2011 Mississippi and Missouri River floods. For more details and links to meeting and sponsorship information, read our blog story here.

“Our Upper Mississippi River: Connection, Inspiration, Transformation” Essay Contest Announced
Prairie Rivers Network in collaboration with 1Mississippi have invited interested persons to enter their “Our Upper Mississippi River: Connection, Inspiration, Transformation” Essay Contest. Written submissions can be made on line between now and the March 16 deadline. Further instructions and details can be found here.

Applicants Sought for Mississippi River Policy Manager Position
The Biodiversity Project and Mississippi River Network (MRN) seek applicants for a Mississippi River Policy Manager position to be located either in the Chicago, Illinois area (near the Biodiversity Project office) or elsewhere at a location near the Mississippi River.  According to the position announcement, "The Policy Manager will provide key analysis and proactive policy development in issues relating to the restoration and conservation of the Mississippi River, analyze proposed legislative or administrative changes to Federal policy and law related to the River, educate members of MRN, the public, and the media on such policies and proposals, and cultivate support for those policies and proposals among policymakers and other stakeholder organizations." Details are available here.

Notable @UpperMiss Twitter Postings for the Week 

Agriculture -

• USDA announces agency-wide program/office cuts in "Blueprint for Stronger Service to Increase Efficiency"  http://1.usa.gov/xsd1gW
• USDA plans to close 249 offices this year; half of them local county offices that deal directly with farmers http://reut.rs/w3xnfs
• Satellites show groundwater levels dropping fast in stretches of US & globally in past 9 years; farm withdrawal blamed http://bit.ly/sTj05X
• Sioux County, Iowa is "ground zero" for nation's farm boom http://bit.ly/xs5NsS
• EPA Farm Ranch & Rural Communities Comm completes agriculture & water quality report; news http://bit.ly/ADnsi9 rpt http://1.usa.gov/zDcOXm
• University of WI-Madison economist: atrazine use helps farmers reduce aggregate soil erosion by up to 85 M tons/yr http://bit.ly/wVMxhc
• WI Dept of Agriculture: many WI landowners not requesting Farmland Preservation tax credits they’re entitled to receive bit.ly/wzA2m1

Farm Bill-

• Congress could slash US farm subsidies far more than expected, perhaps 2x that proposed just 2 months ago http://bit.ly/yBAkeL
• Economist provides explanation of Farm Bureau’s Systemic Risk Reduction Program farm bill proposal http://bit.ly/y0SHUJ
• American Farm Bureau Federation Congressional Relations Director gives 50-50 odds on getting new farm bill done in 2012 http://bit.ly/wZvIXT
• Environmental Working Group: "Farm Bill is a Climate Bill” & climate change activists should be concerned over cuts http://bit.ly/xjFiyG
• Members of American Farm Bureau Federation vote to rewrite much of group’s farm programs policy http://bit.ly/ydqI2d
• Farm Bureau will continue to press Congress for some form of protection against catastrophic revenue losses http://bit.ly/zbKW4j
• Rep. Rick Berg (R-ND) doesn't see a farm bill being passed before the 2012 general election http://bit.ly/w7plu4

Water Quality -

• EPA approves IA DNR designated use changes for 430 water bodies; disapproves changes for 89; press release: http://1.usa.gov/xmcXxs (PDF of EPA letter http://1.usa.gov/w8c2G0)
• EPA and coal company reach a settlement over Indiana mining discharges to surface water http://bit.ly/wQJfq2
• EPA releases new recovery potential screening tool for surface water quality protection & restoration http://1.usa.gov/zX43Qd
• 3M turns the tables in Mississippi River pollution lawsuit in a counterclaim filed Monday http://bit.ly/yB7tEW

Water Resource Management (Floodplains, Dams, Navigation, Wetlands, Flooding, etc.) -

• Argument For Chicago waterway changes strengthened by Army Corps commercial shipping study results http://bit.ly/xUHaBP
• NY Times: Along Mississippi River in MO, rebuilding Birds Point levee after 2011 spring flooding http://nyti.ms/ycXgt7
• Army Corps seeks to assure public that underground drainage canals won't worsen Hollygrove, LA flooding http://bit.ly/z4DpF6

In the States -

• Towns look to stop OH EPA from imposing new limits on wastewater discharged into Mahoning River (Ohio River basin) http://bit.ly/weypPU
• WI Wetlands Association op-ed: State's "wetlands legislation goes too far; everyone will pay the price" http://bit.ly/ApOYq9
• AR DEQ will ask EPA to allow more time to study Crooked Creek problems, over concerns about meeting TMDL requirements http://bit.ly/wjqE5A

Biodiversity, Wildlife and Invasives -

• MN DNR launches new prevention efforts in 2012 to slow spread of aquatic invasive species http://bit.ly/xf8xDr
• All Minnesota boats will face DNR roadside checks for aquatic invasive species http://bit.ly/xJWzZ3
• National Great Rivers Museum Brings "Masters of the Sky" to Alton, IL [along Mississippi] http://1.usa.gov/yrToCi

Gulf Coastal Area-

• Louisiana officials release 50 billion, 50-yr plan to rebuild coastal land; increase protection from storm surge http://bit.ly/xWDsmA

Resource extraction -

• Natural gas and oil boom spurs sand mining (for fracking) in Midwest http://post.cr/zR0rKQ
• In Illinois, along Illinois River, it's come down to "Starved Rock State Park versus sand mining" http://trib.in/wkcqpR
• WV lawmakers unlikely to revisit Marcellus shale issues in 2012 despite notable absence of issue resolution http://bit.ly/yKo8Jh

Fedral Budget -

• Obama set to reprise 2012 tax & deficit-reduction proposals in FY 2013 Budget Proposal (goes to Congress on Feb. 6) http://buswk.co/yzZsW5

Events-

• Northeastern Agricultural and Resource Economics Assoc. Workshop; June 12-13; Lowell, MA http://bit.ly/Aj2T3E (abstract deadline Feb 15)
• 8th National Monitoring Conference (National Water Quality Monitoring Council) April 30-May 4, Portland, OR http://bit.ly/ycevNG
• River Rally 2012 sponsored by River Network & Waterkeeper Alliance; May 4-7, Portland, OR http://bit.ly/yu3ji6
• EPA workshops on Achieving Water Quality thru Integrated Municipal Storm & Wastewater Plans under Clean Water Act http://1.usa.gov/zBQYl3
• 2012 North American River Management Society Symposium; April 24 - 26, Asheville, NC http://bit.ly/zgUSkK
• 2012 Water Protection Network Annual Meeting to have a Mississippi River Basin focus http://bit.ly/wznFZ2
• Assoc of State Wetland Managers' State/Tribal/Federal Coordination Mtg; March 13-15, Shepherdstown, WV http://bit.ly/w4juVf

e-Newsletters, Publications and Journals -

• The Horinko Group's monthly newsletter is now on line, with news of a new Mississippi River Corridor staff person http://bit.ly/zOYWD4
• Soil and Water Conservation Society's, January 12 Conservation News Brief: http://bit.ly/wW0hn4

Other news-

• National Agricultural Research Alliance - Beltsville http://www.facebook.com/AgAdvocate grateful for your "like" in support of efforts
• Louisville KY names city’s first director of sustainability http://cjky.it/xHIpHR

Political Scene -

• NE Attorney General defending himself from charges he funneled $100,000 grant to farm group to help US Senate run http://bit.ly/y9uh8E
• Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker (R) believes that he will face a recall election this June http://bit.ly/x8MhcX
• Arduous KY GOP primary ahead for any ambitious GOP candidates vying to replace retiring Rep. Davis (R-KY-4) http://bit.ly/wk2iXg
• GOP businessman John Raese files to challenge US Sen. Manchin (D-WV) in rematch of 2010 Senate race http://bit.ly/yoCprV

Last Word
"It may be that when we no longer know what to do we have come to our real work, and that when we no longer know which way to go we have come to our real journey. The mind that is not baffled is not employed. The impeded stream is the one that sings."  - Wendell Berry

Federal Plan to Address Oceans and Coasts Includes Mississippi River Basin Actions

Today (January 12) the White House's National Ocean Council released for public comment, a draft National Ocean Policy Implementation Plan, touted by the Council as "an action plan to address the most pressing challenges facing ocean, coastal, and Great Lakes resources." The draft Implementation Plan details more than 50 Federal actions to be taken to "improve the health of the ocean, coasts, and Great Lakes," including several actions which relate explicitly in the Plan to reducing the impacts of point and non-point sources of nutrient pollution in the Mississippi River Basin. For each action, the Plan outlines key milestones, identifies responsible Federal agencies, and sets an anticipated time frame for completion. Major actions specifically related in the Plan to the Mississippi River Basin include:

• Improving water quality by reducing the impacts of trash, marine debris, and sources of excess nutrients, sediments, pollutants, and pathogens; and
• Minimizing impacts of hypoxia.

Under the Plan action item of "reduc(ing) rural sources of excessive nutrients, sediments, toxics, and pathogens," the Plan designates six Federal agencies (USDA, EPA, USGS, NOAA, USACE and DOI) to be responsible for "reducing pollutants from rural sources (to) improve local water quality and enhance ecosystem services and benefits within rural watersheds and in downstream waters." Specific milestones applicable to the Mississippi River Basin under this action item are (with responsible Federal entities and milestone dates indicated in the parentheses):

• Establishing Priority Watersheds within current Regional Landscape Initiatives (e.g., Mississippi River Basin Healthy Watershed Initiative) and other water quality restoration efforts on public and private lands. (USDA, EPA, USGS; 2012) 
• Evaluating the effectiveness of restoration efforts and BMPs for mitigating hypoxia through watershed nutrient loading reductions, using quantitative performance measures and an adaptive management approach. (NOAA, NRCS; 2013)
• Establishing integrated interagency monitoring, modeling, and assessment partnerships in priority watersheds to better evaluate the effectiveness of land treatment practices (e.g., the Mississippi River Basin Healthy Watersheds Initiative). (USDA, EPA, USACE, DOI, NOAA; 2013)
• Making financial cost-sharing assistance available to assist private landowners in priority watersheds (e.g., Mississippi River Basin Healthy Watersheds Initiative) on a voluntary basis with the application of conservation practices to reduce excessive nutrient and sediment loadings from entering the Nation’s waters. (USDA; 2012)
• Completing implementation of the EPA 2008 Concentrated Animal Feeding Operations regulation. (EPA; 2012)
• Implementing environmental market pilot projects between Federal and regional partners for nutrient and sediment reduction. (USDA, DOI, EPA; 2013
• Supporting the development and implementation of State-wide nitrogen and phosphorus reduction strategies in the Mississippi River Basin and Gulf region, working collaboratively with interested states, and verify and communicate these results to the public. (EPA; 2014)
• Targeting State Clean Water Act section 319 programs to current regional landscape initiatives and other priority areas identified by States as they develop comprehensive strategies for reducing nitrogen and phosphorus pollution, and encouraging the use of Clean Water State Revolving Fund funding to high-priority projects in each state, including those that address nutrient pollution. (EPA; 2015), and
• Supporting development of State regulatory certainty programs for reducing nutrient and sediment loads that will accelerate the adoption of voluntary conservation efforts. (USDA, EPA; 2013).

Under the Plan's action item of minimizing the adverse impacts of hypoxia, NOAA, USDA, USGS, the Gulf of Mexico Hypoxia Task Force, EPA and DOC will be responsible for meeting the objective of "increas(ing) scientific knowledge and more effective environmental monitoring and forecasting (to) provide decision-makers with the necessary information to minimize and mitigate impacts of hypoxia on regional ecosystems, fisheries resources, wildlife, and human populations."  Mississippi River Basin-relevant milestones under the hypoxia-reduction action include:

• Identifying collaborative measures with regional partnerships to improve water quality in the Gulf of Mexico. (NOAA, USDA, USGS, Gulf of Mexico Hypoxia Task Force; 2012)
• Advancing the development and application of scenario-based ecosystem models to quantitatively evaluate hypoxia causes and impacts, using an integrative modeling approach, and developing outreach tools to communicate advanced understanding to coastal managers and other stakeholders. (NOAA, USGS; 2013)
• Producing and implementing at least 12 State-wide nutrient reduction strategies. (EPA; 2013)
• Providing results of integrated modeling and resulting tool kits for communicating hypoxia-related information to coastal managers and other stakeholders. (NOAA, USGS, USDA; 2013)
• Producing an interagency report on socioeconomic benefits to coastal communities of restoring hypoxic zones. (NOAA, EPA, DOC; 2015), and
• Developing a national hypoxia data portal for seamless data sharing and information dissemination, building on the success of the EPA/USGS data portal, and link to ocean.data.gov. (NOAA, USGS, EPA; 2015).  

The draft Implementation Plan will be available for public comment through February 27, 2012.

EPA's Farm, Ranch, and Rural Communities Federal Advisory Committee Completes Water Quality Report

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) - established Farm, Ranch, and Rural Communities Federal Advisory Committee (FRRCC) has completed a report for the EPA that advises the agency on how best to focus its efforts in protecting and improving water quality with respect to impacts from agricultural practices (see the January 5 report transmittal letter and full report as PDF files).

The report recommends how to most effectively manage the nation's water quality issues and how best to improve water quality across the country, as they relate to agricultural production. It also offers recommendations for (1) increasing support for certainty programs, (2) increasing stewardship, and (3) coordinating resource allocation and use with the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), with land grant universities and with the agricultural sector.

In four meetings over the past 15 months, the committee studied interactions between agriculture systems and the environment, and related policy and technical issues, including federal, state and local regulatory and voluntary program conditions.  The committee gathered information from a variety of water, conservation and farm experts on water and environmental issues in general, and those issues specifically related to some of the country's major aquatic ecosystems, including the Mississippi River Basin, Puget Sound, Florida Everglades, Chesapeake Bay and Great Lakes.

Among the Committee's recommendations discussed in detail in the report are that EPA should:

• Ensure that nutrient criteria and new suspended and bedded sediments (SABS) criteria  are science-based and rely upon a clear cause-effect relationship.
• Use adaptive management to inform the ways in which nutrients and SABS can be managed most effectively to reduce off-site movement into waterways.
• Always use the EPA Guidelines for Preparing Economic Analyses, and ensure that they are updated as appropriate.
• Develop a coordinated public engagement plan to exchange information on agricultural and environmental issues.
• Ensure it has adequate resources to work effectively in the field with agriculture on environmental issues.
• Work proactively and often with agriculture to address water quality issues.
• Continue to encourage and support state certainty programs, especially with respect to stewardship.
• Continue to improve the effectiveness and reach of currently available resources by leveraging resources with others, including the USDA.
• Enable and provide resources for a partnership resulting in improved measurement, documentation and verification of water quality benefits from agricultural practices.
• Convene, support and facilitate a partnership to evaluate and advance more effective approaches to delivering real improvements to nutrient management and other critical conservation practice efforts, and to advance more effective use of federal and state resources invested in conservation programs.

EPA formed the FRRCC in 2008 to provide independent policy advice, information, and recommendations to the Agency on a range of environmental issues and policies that are of importance to agriculture and rural communities. FRRCC members include representatives from academia, industry (e.g., agriculture and allied industries), non-governmental organizations (NGOs), and state, local, and tribal governments.

2012 Water Protection Network Annual Meeting to Have a Mississippi River Basin Focus

May 2011 Mississippi River Flooding 

The Water Protection Network has announced plans to hold its 2012 Membership Meeting along the Mississippi River in St. Louis, Missouri from March 18  – 20.  The meeting theme will be "Working With Nature to Protect Communities,"  and will include a field trip to the nearby Cahokia Mounds World Heritage Site, workshops on becoming a more effective advocate for water protection projects and permits, and a panel discussion on the 2011 Mississippi and Missouri River floods.

The Water Protection Network is seeking sponsors for the meeting.  Sponsorship information can be found here (PDF file).  Additional meeting information can be found at these web locations (also as PDF files):

• Meeting Brochure/Agenda
• Registration Form
• Strategic Plan

The Water Protection Network home Internet page notes that it is a coalition of hundreds of organizations from around the country that "supports member groups advocating to ensure water projects and policies are economically and environmentally sound."

Applicants Sought for Mississippi River Policy Manager Position in River Region

The Biodiversity Project and Mississippi River Network (MRN) seek applicants for a Mississippi River Policy Manager position to be located in the Chicago, Illinois area (near the Biodiversity Project office) or elsewhere at a location near the Mississippi River.  According to the position announcement, "The Policy Manager will provide key analysis and proactive policy development in issues relating to the restoration and conservation of the Mississippi River, analyze proposed legislative or administrative changes to Federal policy and law related to the River, educate members of MRN, the public, and the media on such policies and proposals, and cultivate support for those policies and proposals among policymakers and other stakeholder organizations." Details are available here.

Mississippi River Basin Water Resource News for the Week

NRCS Issues Mississippi River Basin Healthy Watersheds Initiative Request for Proposals
In a January 3 Federal Register article USDA's Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) issued a Request for Proposals and announced the availability of Fiscal Year 2012 financial assistance in the amount of (up to) $36.74 million through its Mississippi River Basin Healthy Watersheds Initiative (MRBI). The funding is available for new MRBI farm conservation proposals within 54 designated focus areas in 13 Mississippi River Basin states. The projects will be funded through the Cooperative Conservation Partnership Initiative ($11.74 million) and Wetlands Reserve Enhancement Program ($25 million). All proposals must be received on or before March 19, 2012. See more details, including a map of the focus areas and applicable states, here.

Asian Carp Regional Coordinating Committee to Hold Illinois River-Focused Meeting
The Asian Carp Regional Coordinating Committee has announced an upcoming meeting on the topic of "Fishing Down the Bighead and Silver Carps: Reducing the Risk of Invasion to the Great Lakes." The meeting will include an overview of Aisan Carp prevalence in the Lower Illinois River and the possibilities of their control in that River stretch.  The meeting, co-hosted by the Illinois Department of Natural Resources and Southern Illinois University will be held at the Northwest Indiana Forum, 6100 Southport Road, Portage, Indiana, on Wednesday, January 11, 2012, from 8:30 AM – noon (Central Time), and will also be webcast live. To see the meeting agenda and webinar link information, see here. 

"Family Farms, Rural Landscapes and the Farm Bill" Webinar
The Horinko Group's Water Division is hosting a "Family Farms, Rural Landscapes, and the Farm Bill" webinar on January 18, from 1:30 – 3:00 pm (Eastern).   The webinar will explore issues and opportunities tied to moving the nation forward on a path of sustainable agricultural practices, while strengthening small family farms, diversifying rural economies, and fostering livable rural communities. Webinar panelists include  Dick Warner, Professor Emeritus of Natural Resource Ecology at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign; Robert Stewart, Executive Director of the Rural Community Assistance Action Project (RCAP); Mark “Coach” Smallwood, Executive Director, Rodale Institute; and Mark Gorman, Policy Analyst, Northeast-Midwest Institute.  To register for the free webinar, visit this web page. 

Notable @UpperMiss Twitter Postings for the Week 

Agriculture -

• Lack of corn seed could mean the second year in a row of tumult for US corn market http://on.wsj.com/zN3rsA
• Center for Agricultural & Rural Sustainability, U of AR researcher defines "sustainable agriculture" in presentation: http://bit.ly/v3Hh7K
• EPA Extends Public Comment Period for Proposed CAFO Rule bit.ly/rDCvkq
• Save Our Rural Environment alarmed about potential impact of confined animal feeding operation on LaMoine River http://bit.ly/tBNGW1 & http://bit.ly/sevSnl
• Oct. NRCS Managing Water, Harvesting Results (ag drainage water management) slides, videos & itineraries now on-line: http://bit.ly/sFnhcn
• NPR: Congress allows era of ethanol subsidies to lapse http://n.pr/vFpFC1
• NRCS: ranking period cut-off date for the Conservation Stewardship Program (CSP) is Jan. 13 http://bit.ly/sv2q2r
• USDA blog takes "A Closer Look At the Benefits of Farmers Markets" http://1.usa.gov/AeIS6e
• Deadline for USDA 2012 Conservation Innovation Grant Pre-proposals is Jan. 31; nutrient management is program priority http://bit.ly/w0rAuf

Farm Bill-

• American Farm Bureau convention delegates expected to engage in spirited debate on 2012 Farm Bill safety net http://bit.ly/wMCKo7
• Senator Grassley (R-IA): new farm bill needs to be done by mid-summer; if not may not get done until after election http://bit.ly/xHRzN2

Water Quality -

• PennEnvironment, Sierra Club announce Clean Water Act lawsuit against PPG Groups re: Allegheny River pollution http://bit.ly/zJg8RI
• USGS Cooperative Water Program posts new web pages on water availability, hazards & quality, ecosystem health, etc. http://on.doi.gov/vLVaCY
• Human-sourced nitrogen from fossil fuels & fertilizer found in world's most isolated lakes http://bit.ly/u7V0yX
• EPA releases 2012 draft Recreational Water Quality Criteria; accepts comments until Feb 21 http://1.usa.gov/tmkKvj & http://1.usa.gov/tcmYrH
• Environmental groups file federal lawsuit vs coal company for alleged KY Clean Water Act violations (Se contamination) http://bit.ly/xSBOJp
• 2 US senators & US Rep try steering development of federal water-quality standards for Illinois River (Oklahoma) http://bit.ly/AAniil

Water Resource Management (Floodplains, Dams, Navigation, Wetlands, Flooding, etc.) -

• Army Corps: raising levees along Mississippi River west bank will not put east bank residents (New Orleans) at risk http://bit.ly/rwcXWY
• Mississippi river: Political reality swamps ecologists' restoration dreams http://bit.ly/u8pye0
• Billions needed to upgrade America's failing water & wastewater infrastructure http://wapo.st/vqEUAY

In the States -

• 3 weeks after MN environmental oversight group head was fired, mystery remains over what led to dismissal http://bit.ly/A4Tvnv
• MN Pollution Control Agency announces public meetings on its new impaired waters listing http://bit.ly/spRKOI (list available there)
• MN Pollution Control Agency releases the list of 16 waterways that don’t meet state & federal standards (news story: bit.ly/spUtyZ)
• Louisiana businesses fined $2.5 million in pollution penalties via 1,803 enforcement actions during 2011 http://bit.ly/yQxdX9
• Wisconsin issues proposed biennial "impaired waters" list; now available for comment http://bit.ly/yNYxd2

Biodiversity, Wildlife and Invasives -

• Several consecutive years of Missouri River high water boost rainbow trout populations http://bit.ly/vqu5P2
• Statewide NGO "Minnesota Waters" to expand its training portfolio to include aquatic invasive species monitoring http://bit.ly/rWbN1y
• New 2012 Kansas rules designed to prevent Asian carp & zebra mussel invasion concern some Kansas anglers http://bit.ly/vKzTEP
• Snowy owls migrating into the upper Midwest this winter - a previously rare phenomenon http://bit.ly/vRuqaY
• Mississippi River Eagles bring out bird watchers for miles around bit.ly/uvlF57
• All eyes are on US bald eagles as national survey begins: http://on.msnbc.com/wkSy6Y
• Army Corps releases "Inventory of Available Controls for Aquatic Nuisance Species - Chicago Area Waterway System" http://bit.ly/rJhQ4p
• North Dakota man charged with transporting Zebra Mussels to Minnesota's Rose Lake bit.ly/xlL7bT
• Asian Carp Regional Coordinating Committee Announces Illinois River Asian Carp Meeting (webcast available) bit.ly/xZSu01

Gulf Coastal Area-

• NY Times Editorial: Rescue for the Gulf of Mexico http://nyti.ms/twRSDF
• Tampa Tribune Editorial: Gulf of Mexico needs bipartisan help http://bit.ly/uwbDRX
• The Maritime Executive Washington Insider primer on Gulf Coast restoration http://bit.ly/AgAAXE

Resource extraction -

• Louisiana oil & gas industry is fighting back against claims fracking is threat to drinking water http://bit.ly/smjO9S
• Mountaintop removal in Tennessee prompts Appalachian Voices to open office in Nashville http://bit.ly/szPiqL
• Ohio State University economists: economic boon of shale gas is overblown http://bit.ly/uFw1CJ

Events-

• 12th National Conference on Science, Policy & the Environment: Environment and Security, Jan 18-20, Washington, DC http://bit.ly/mFPshp
• Aquatic Invasive Species Legislative Summit to convene in Minnesota on January 14 (re: MN lakes) http://bit.ly/smnDiD

e-Newsletters, Publications and Journals -

• Association of State Floodplain Managers December newsletter available here http://bit.ly/uCs9bS (pdf file here: http://bit.ly/rUKc6r)
• December 2011 issue of "Mother Pelican: A Journal of Sustainable Human Development" posted http://bit.ly/szMKza
• Water Environment Federation January 2012 Stormwater Report now online: http://bit.ly/wxdtws

Other news-

• Ohio earthquake linked to wastewater injection well http://usat.ly/wGB4BZ
• Groups release report on potential impact of increased federal spending on water & wastewater infrastructure projects http://bit.ly/shaF6i
• USDA’s Economic Research Service releases useful report: “Major Uses of Land in the United States, 2007” http://1.usa.gov/w2ZPwA

Political Scene -

• Dems on House Committee on Energy & Commerce say House was "most anti-environment" in history of Congress http://bit.ly/tRyWvp
• "Must-do" list of business on the president’s 2012 congressional agenda very short [welcome to the election year] http://on.wsj.com/sFNK7L
• There are few 2012 US House races  more uncertain than Minnesota's 6th district held by Rep. Michele Bachmann http://bit.ly/ul0Luz
• Rep. Adam Kinzinger (R) announces he’ll seek re-election in Illinois’ redrawn 16th district http://bit.ly/vIWVCK
• State Rep. Alecia Webb-Edgington (R) becomes 1st to announce campaign for retiring Rep. Geoff Davis’ (R-KY-4) seat http://bit.ly/tfqG3F
• Federal three-judge panel rules against redrawn West Virginia congressional map http://bit.ly/z4YXAp
• Federal three-judge panel implements new Mississippi Congressional map, essentially unchanged http://bit.ly/zZh8Td

Last Word -  "Shortsighted men . . . in their greed and selfishness will, if permitted, rob our country of half its charm by their reckless extermination of all useful and beautiful wild things." - President Theodore Roosevelt

Deadline for USDA 2012 Conservation Innovation Grant Pre-proposals is January 31

The U.S. Department of Agriculture's Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) issued a press release on January 4, reminding applicants that January 31 is the last day to submit project pre-proposals for fiscal year 2012 Conservation Innovation Grants (CIG) from the NRCS. 

This year's CIG projects focus on nutrient management, energy conservation, soil health, wildlife and CIG projects assessment. NRCS notes that it is especially interested in projects that demonstrate:

• Optimal combinations of nutrient source, application rate, placement and timing that improve nutrient recovery by crops.
• Procedures for refining the usefulness of the phosphorous index in reducing phosphorous losses.
• Suites of conservation practices that protect water quality.
• Renewable energy systems that reduce the use of fossil fuels and increase energy efficiency on farms.
• The impacts of cover crops, crop rotations, tillage and other conservation practices on soil health.
• Conservation practices that increase the water-holding capacity of soils.
• Decision tools that help producers assess their operations and conservation needs in order to improve wildlife habitat.
• Assess the technology transfer potential of completed CIG projects.

CIG enables NRCS to work with other public and private entities to accelerate technology transfer and adoption of promising technologies and approaches to address some of the Nation's most pressing natural resource concerns. CIG will benefit agricultural producers by providing more options for environmental enhancement and compliance with Federal, State, and local regulations. NRCS administers CIG.  CIG funds will be awarded through a competitive grants process. At least 50 percent of the total cost of CIG projects must come from non-Federal matching funds, including cash and in-kind contributions provided by the grant recipient. 

To view NRCS's complete Announcement of CIG program funding, visit the Conservation Innovation Grants program page. The announcement can also be viewed online as a PDF file at  http://www.nrcs.usda.gov/Internet/FSE_DOCUMENTS/stelprdb1046237.pdf

Webinar on Sustainable Farm-Urban Economies and Their Links to Watershed Conservation

The Northeast-Midwest Institute's Mark Gorman, Policy Analyst, will make a presentation on sustainable farm-urban economies and their links to watershed conservation during The Horinko Group's "Family Farms, Rural Landscapes, and the Farm Bill" webinar on January 18, 2012 from 1:30 – 3:00pm (Eastern).  Mr. Gorman's presentation, "Local Cheese and Chinese Pork," will highlight a Pennsylvania case study that successfully reestablished an urban market as the hub of a community-based food system, while catalyzing urban revitalization, value-added local food production, and farmland conservation.

The webinar, hosted by The Horinko Group’s Water Division, will explore issues and opportunities tied to moving the nation forward on a path of sustainable agricultural practices, while strengthening small family farms, diversifying rural economies, and fostering livable rural communities. In addition to Mr. Gorman, presenters will include Dick Warner, Professor Emeritus of Natural Resource Ecology at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign; Robert Stewart, Executive Director of the Rural Community Assistance Action Project (RCAP); and Mark “Coach” Smallwood, Executive Director, Rodale Institute.

To register for the free webinar, visit this web page.

Asian Carp Regional Coordinating Committee Announces Illinois River Asian Carp Meeting

The Asian Carp Regional Coordinating Committee has announced an upcoming meeting on the topic of "Fishing Down the Bighead and Silver Carps: Reducing the Risk of Invasion to the Great Lakes." The meeting will include an overview of Asian Carp prevalence in the Lower Illinois River and the possibilities of their control in that River stretch.

The meeting, co-hosted by the Illinois Department of Natural Resources and Southern Illinois University will be held at the Northwest Indiana Forum, 6100 Southport Road, Portage, Indiana, on Wednesday, January 11, 2012, from 8:30 AM – noon (Central Time), and will also be webcast live at https://www.mymeetings.com/tetratech/join/ (Conference number: PG2535005; Passcode: ASIAN CARP; audio available by calling 888-603-8914).

The meeting agenda consists of:
 
1.  Introductions – Illinois Department of Natural Resources
2.  Efficacy of Control in the Lower Illinois River – Dr. James Garvey, Southern Illinois University

• Overview 
• Immigration of Asian carp and movement 
• Density and biomass of large fish in the lower Illinois River; 
• Ecosystem impact 
• Nutrition 
• Contaminants 
• Marketing research 
• Is control possible? 
• The fishing experiment

3.  Questions and Answers

The Asian Carp Regional Coordinating Committee is a group of 22 federal, state, local and private entities whose goal is to create a "sustainable Asian carp control program to prevent introduction and implement actions to protect and maintain the integrity and safety of the Great Lakes ecosystem from an Asian carp invasion via all viable pathways."

NRCS Issues Request for Proposals Under its Mississippi River Basin Healthy Watersheds Initiative

USDA's Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) has issued a Request for Proposals (RFP) and announced the availability of Fiscal Year 2012 financial assistance in the amount of (up to) $11.74 million under the Cooperative Conservation Partnership Initiative (CCPI) and (up to) $25 million in the Wetlands Reserve Enhancement Program (WREP) through the Mississippi River Basin Healthy Watersheds Initiative (MRBI). The $36.74 million is available for new MRBI proposals.  The funding availability announcement appeared in the January 3, 2012 Federal Register. All proposals must be received on or before March 19, 2012. 

According to the Federal Register announcement, NRCS will provide assistance to eligible participants in the 54 designated focus areas (8-digit hydrologic unit codes (HUCs)) in the following 13 States: Arkansas, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kentucky, Louisiana, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, Ohio, Tennessee, South Dakota, and Wisconsin (click on the figure on the left to see an enlarged map of the focus areas). Proposals from potential partners are to be based on one or more 12-digit  HUCs within the 54 designated focus areas. Partners who are currently involved in approved MRBI agreements through CCPI or WREP and want to work in other 12-digit watersheds must submit new proposals for a new project.  The specific 8-digit HUC "Designated Focus Areas" for the MRBI in FY 2012 are listed in the Federal Register announcement.

For additional information about this RFP, interested parties should contact Deena Wheby, MRBI Coordinator, NRCS Conservation Initiatives Team, by telephone at 859-224-7403 or by e-mail at deena.wheby@ky.usda.gov.