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