There are quite a few links to Farm Bill-related activities throughout the week below on a variety of matters - - - a Senate Agriculture Committee conservation hearing, House Agriculture Committee plans for field hearings, Farm Bill priorities, position statements and letters from various players, and more. All of the news flowing from Capitol Hill is pointing to likely movement of a bill out of the Senate Agriculture Committee and on to the full Senate for its consideration sometime this spring.
Controversial St. Croix River Bridge Crossing Bill Passes House - Sent on to President
On March 1, the U.S. House approved the St. Croix River Crossing Project Authorization Act (S. 1134) under a suspension of rules (339-80 roll call vote to suspend the rules and approve the resolution). The House approval follows the Senate's passage of the same measure by unanimous consent on January 23. The Obama Administration has neither overtly supported nor expressed its outright disapproval of the bill, so it is expected that the measure will be signed into law by the President. For more details on the bill and the surrounding controversy, please follow this link.
Notable @UpperMiss Twitter Postings for the Week
Agriculture -
On March 1, the U.S. House approved the St. Croix River Crossing Project Authorization Act (S. 1134) under a suspension of rules (339-80 roll call vote to suspend the rules and approve the resolution). The House approval follows the Senate's passage of the same measure by unanimous consent on January 23. The Obama Administration has neither overtly supported nor expressed its outright disapproval of the bill, so it is expected that the measure will be signed into law by the President. For more details on the bill and the surrounding controversy, please follow this link.
Notable @UpperMiss Twitter Postings for the Week
Agriculture -
- USDA to unveil new farmer incentives for enrolling new grass & wetland acres into conservation reserve program http://wapo.st/AvmxVC
- Environmental Working Group releases its analysis of farm conservation compliance issues http://bit.ly/wS7M52 (PDF file)
- Herb Kohl (D-WI) - Senate Agriculture Appropriations Subcommittee Chair - vows to support organic farming http://bit.ly/z6vyYD
- Corn prices could fall 20% this year because of expanding production globally http://reut.rs/ylSIgf
- Izaak Walton League of America video on crop insurance, farm conservation practices & conservation compliance http://youtu.be/7Og87dqczls
Farm Bill-
- House Agriculture Committee Chair Lucas announces 2012 Farm Bill field hearings through March-April http://1.usa.gov/w0bKSR
- Senate Agriculture Committee Chair Stabenow moved up dates of last 2 farm bill hearings to move the bill more quickly http://bit.ly/ySe8K5
- 643 groups send letter to Senate and House Agriculture Committee leaders in support of Farm Bill conservation programs http://bit.ly/ydZYm4
- Four commodity farm groups issue statement supporting crop insurance; urging Congress to pass new farm bill in 2012 http://bit.ly/Akgl8t
- Several farm orgs write to Senate Agriculture Committee leaders to support Conservation Title supercommittee framework http://bit.ly/yBb8Dc
- New Congressional Research Service report on 2012 Farm Bill: “Previewing the Next Farm Bill” http://bit.ly/yJEAnF (PDF)
- Senate Agriculture Committee Member Amy Klobuchar (D-MN) lists her top Farm Bill priorities in op-ed http://bit.ly/xt1BPz
- Senate Agriculture Committee has scheduled March 14 hearing to discuss potential change to crop subsidy system bit.ly/y0Pn74
- ND Governor Dalrymple stresses to USDA the importance of preserving strong crop insurance program http://bit.ly/AnwJBX
- Commentary on "2012 Farm Bill: Conservation and the Environment" http://bit.ly/y1MdOb
- Environmental Working Group report: early progress reducing farm soil erosion has slowed and in some cases reversed http://politi.co/zLjglp
- News coverage of Tuesday's Senate Ag Committee Farm Bill conservation hearing: http://bit.ly/xD8LD0
Water Quality -
- EPA Region 7 to hold Concentrated Animal Feeding Operations (CAFO) Meeting; March 13; West Point, NE; details: http://bit.ly/z0HeFl
- Welch, WV settles Clean Water Act violations - will eliminate combined sewer overflows (cost=$16 - $23M) http://1.usa.gov/wFecqJ
- Metropolitan Water Reclamation District: No tax hike needed to clean up Chicago River http://trib.in/Agg0bS
- Interior Department announces new "National Water Trails System" program to "promote healthy, accessible rivers" http://on.doi.gov/wxkrov
- ACS's J of Envirntl Sci & Technology report: 7 in 10 US counties at risk for fresh water shortages by mid-21st century http://bit.ly/xAGN5U
- Army Corps begins "Port and Inland Waterways Modernization Study" bit.ly/AypASK (see related webinar under "Events')
In the States -
- MN Pollution Control Agency seeks public comment on report re: Mississippi River's Fort Snelling-Lake Pepin stretch http://bit.ly/wAlumZ
- Wisconsin governor signs legislation that loosens state rules on development in wetlands http://bit.ly/xDs0ge
Biodiversity, Wildlife and Invasives -
- New Missouri aquatic invasive species rules took effect on March 1 for use of waders in trout areas http://bit.ly/wwxGvf
- Ohio adds more strict fish consumption advisory limits in 10 waterways; relaxes 4 http://bit.ly/AD3cP7
- Australian Broadcasting Corp story: Louisiana coastline "bears little sign" of BP oil well catastrophe http://bit.ly/x90Djz
- Pearl River (coastal LA) health reassessed after 2011 chemical discharge that killed thousands of fish http://bit.ly/xc9xW1
- Ducks Unlimited comments on Louisiana's 2012 Master Plan for a Sustainable Coast http://bit.ly/xHibYk
Resource extraction -
- Globally, oil & gas industry expansion leading to large-scale "land grabbing" & threatening farming/water resources http://bit.ly/z5mdC9
- Activists say TN Scenic Vistas Protection Act will not stop mountaintop removal; Lt. Governor disagrees http://tnne.ws/wzHPJk
Events-
- MN DNR Stream Habitat Program schedules two 2012 Workshops; on dams & ditching; May & July http://bit.ly/z85Vfx (PDF of flier)
- March 13 listening session/webinar scheduled for Army Corps' "Port and Inland Waterways Modernization Study" http://bit.ly/A1GJlJ
- White House to host conference on community-driven conservation; March 2; http://on.doi.gov/xKZfTm live streaming: http://on.doi.gov/dSbSQX
- Registration open - 9th INTERCOL International Wetlands Conference; Orlando, FL; June 3-8; early bird rate thru Mar 16 http://bit.ly/wW2Dp3
- Conference on economics of providing environmental services from agriculture; April 17-18; Resources for the Future, DC http://bit.ly/zXYPnq
- Healthy Waters Initiative to Release Recommendations for Farm Bill Reauthorization; March 6; Washington DC http://bit.ly/zuOaZa
- Webcast and DC seminar on Invasive Species: Impacts, Challenges, and Strategies for Management; March 7, 12:45 PM EST http://bit.ly/z5YBdR
e-Newsletters, Publications and Journals -
- February edition of the "Mississippi River Basin Update" is now available for reading or downloading online bit.ly/wzM5yY
- Great Lakes and Mississippi River Interbasin Study February newsletter (aquatic invasive species) http://bit.ly/yu2mrm (PDF)
- Assoc. of State Flood Plain Managers Foundation Winter newsletter now available on-line http://bit.ly/d8Jugl
- Association of State Floodplain Managers bimonthly "News & Views" http://bit.ly/AlYXVO - NOT the same as the above newsletter
Other news-
- IA Governor Branstad elected Chair of the Midwestern Governors Association; sets forth agenda with heavy energy focus http://bit.ly/xPQnwB
- Minnesota commission holds plan to build rural wind farm because of bat and bald eagle concerns http://bit.ly/AcQYio
- American Water Works Environmental Grant Program water grants available in 10 states (8 Mississippi River Basin states) http://bit.ly/hcFzCG
- Historic maps available online & browseable by date range and geographic area bit.ly/yAlrDR [a terrific historic geo-research tool]
Political Scene -
- Sen. Dick Lugar (D-IN) is facing his first serious political challenge to reelection in decades http://politi.co/AsX1xJ
- US House races in IL heating up with less than a month until the state’s primary http://bit.ly/AwFDjX
- IL's 16th District has one of "ugliest" redistricting US House races; pitting 2 sitting incumbents vs each other
- http://politi.co/xfm5Ky
- WI Governor Walker calls recall election targeting him a "distraction" & "frivolous" http://politi.co/AtuSS3
- Former Senator Bob Kerrey (D) makes comeback US (Nebraska) Senate bid official http://bit.ly/x8blp8
"Congress is becoming more like a parliamentary system — where everyone simply votes with their party and those in charge employ every possible tactic to block the other side." - U.S. Senator Olympia Snowe (R-ME), in a March 2, Washington Post opinion piece entitled "Why I'm Leaving." Well worth the read, by the way.
No comments:
Post a Comment