Mississippi River Basin Water Resource News for the Week

EPA Sued Over Mississippi River Pollution and Associated Gulf of Mexico "Dead Zone"
On March 13, a coalition of environmental organizations filed two separate legal actions against the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). The lawsuits address nutrient (nitrogen and phosphorous) pollution in the Mississippi River Basin, and the associated, low-oxygen hypoxic zone or “dead zone” in the Gulf of Mexico. One of the lawsuits, challenges EPA’s denial of a 2008 petition asking EPA to establish numeric water quality limits (or standards) for and stream restoration plans relating to nitrogen and phosphorous pollution. A second lawsuit seeks to compel EPA to respond to a 2007 request (or "petition") that the agency update its wastewater treatment plant water quality standards to include provisions for the removal of nitrogen and phosphorous. For more details, including links to the two lawsuits and to over 20 related news releases and articles, see here.

Army Corps Developing Port and Inland Waterways Modernization Strategy - Comments Due by April 15
The Panama Canal expansion will almost triple the size of container vessels able to transit the canal. In anticipation of a projected 2014 completion of the canal expansion effort, on December 21, 2011, Congress directed the Army Corps of Engineers Institute for Water Resources (IWR) to submit a report by June 20, 2012 to the Senate and House Appropriations Committees “on how the Congress should address the critical need for additional port and inland waterway modernization to accommodate post-Panamax vessels.”

In response to that directive, the IWR is investigating the impacts of the Panama Canal expansion on future U.S. marine transportation system needs. Specifically, IWR is evaluating the costs associated with deepening and widening deep-draft harbors; ability of inland waterways and ports to enhance export initiatives benefiting the agricultural and manufacturing sectors; current and projected population trends that might predict regional port maintenance and expansion needs; availability of inland intermodal access; and environmental impacts resulting from the modernization.

The IWR study team will accept additional information and feedback through April 15 for consideration in its initial drafts of the strategy document. Interested persons can visit this U.S. Port and Inland Waterways Modernization Strategy web page for further information. 

Notable @UpperMiss Twitter Postings for the Week

Agriculture -

• New report on the "complex and dynamic local food systems in Minnesota" http://bit.ly/wb4Zhq (PDF file)
• USGS in Journal of Environmental Quality: herbicide atrazine poses little threat to rural groundwater http://bit.ly/w5fZ5k  (PDF)
• Much of 6.5M acres in USDA's conservation reserve program will likely return to cropland after Sept 30 CRP  expiration http://bit.ly/y3AnJb
• USDA's ERS releases updated map on direct payments & possible role for federal farm program environmental compliance http://1.usa.gov/AjEHci
• USDA’s Economic Research Service releases “The Future of Environmental Compliance Incentives in U.S. Agriculture” http://1.usa.gov/xtAI9R
• Construction starts on Iowa cellulosic ethanol plant http://bit.ly/zgOYy0 and  http://bit.ly/AxPhIq
• Kane County Illinois Farm Bureau president: ethanol is responsible for holding corn prices up http://bit.ly/wFrBCy
• GOP Presidential Candidate Romney's agriculture policy group is decidedly non-corn http://bit.ly/wITZDm
• Farmgateblog: Farmland an investment like any other and its value can erode over time-literally http://bit.ly/w0oHpI
• Value of Iowa farmland continues to grow at an average annual rate of > 20% http://dmreg.co/xAWvHR

Farm Bill-

• Sen. Harkin (D-IA) hedges just a bit: "possibly a good chance" "outside chance"  "we could pass a farm bill this year" http://bit.ly/wc3M9k
• Former NRCS official: we no longer have consensus that programs to support various agri commodities should be the same http://bit.ly/z1dWpq
• Rep. Adrian Smith (R-NE): If a Farm Bill passes the Senate, a bill will take place this year http://bit.ly/xDLQsO
• Big city mayors send letter on Farm Bill priorities to House and Senate Ag Committee leaders http://bit.ly/w6FcvD (PDF file)
• Commodity groups oppose linking conservation compliance to crop insurance but issue is missing from Farm Bill debate http://bit.ly/zFQ96t
• 13 witnesses testify at Senate Agriculture Committee hearing on risk management/commodities and next Farm Bill http://bit.ly/y0Pn74

Water Quality -

• EPA launches new nutrient pollution policy and data website for information on EPA & state nutrient control efforts http://1.usa.gov/wqewC5
• Chicago and the Gulf Dead Zone: NRDC Lawsuits Address Downstream Damage http://bit.ly/xImUDc
• Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development: Water pollution from agriculture costing $ billions/yr http://bloom.bg/wioehs

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

• Army Corps U.S. Port and Inland Waterways Modernization Strategy environmental issues meeting synopsis http://bit.ly/w9w0m5 (PDF)
• Two constructed Ohio wetlands, one planted & one left to nature, turn out the same after 15 years http://nyti.ms/wXc1wx
• Feast-or-famine rainfall in TX and Lower Mississippi River valley in line with broad climate change projections http://bit.ly/ybSkdK
• Louisiana Legislature prepares to vote on restoration plan that would cut Army Corps levees http://lat.ms/xWnKBK
• Mississippi River breaks through eastern bank at Bohemia Spillway (LA), creating natural diversion http://bit.ly/yLzw0y
• Cost rising for massive Army Corps Ohio River Olmsted Dam project project http://bit.ly/FPsKxz

In the States -

• Coal industry backs WV bill removing WV water pollution provision requiring compliance with all water quality standards http://bit.ly/yt8c4u

Biodiversity, Wildlife and Invasives -

• 100 environmental organizations petition USEPA to regulate lead in ammunition as toxic substance http://bit.ly/yZKR49
• http://bit.ly/ywzXHy
• MN DNR expects to see large numbers of bald eagles returning to state http://bit.ly/ybrMQX
• Federal and state officials continue to press plan for closing Minneapolis lock to thwart invasive Asian Carp advance http://bit.ly/AtX0Th
• Clarks River National Wildlife Refuge (KY) seeks to expand existing boundary to advance ecosystem  goals http://1.usa.gov/A1ILRO
• Retired Illinois Dept of Natural Resources biologist: Effects of Asian carp on Illinois rivers hard to find http://bit.ly/yD1WlO
• Mild, dry winter means problems for Wisconsin walleye http://bit.ly/wfqfYq

Gulf Coastal Area-

• Senate passes bill to direct 80% of BP spill fines to improve Gulf Region environment & economy; similar to House-passed http://bit.ly/we2xo8

Resource Extraction -

• MN Public Radio "primer" on the costs and benefits of frac sand mining in WI and MN http://bit.ly/yMru7p
• Geologists say Iowa could be home to one of the world’s largest untapped pools of oil http://dmreg.co/AadQxh
• Mailings to Ohio landowners from shale gas developers setting stage for Utica Shale leasing http://bit.ly/woMAHk

Federal Budget -

• Congressional Budget Office releases March baseline update: 10-yr deficit accumulated by 2022 will fall by $186 B http://1.usa.gov/z9OPyR
• GOP likely to unveil budget plan next week to cut 2013 federal spending below level 2 parties negotiated in 2011 http://on.wsj.com/xbA3dM

Events-

• Free EPA Watershed Academy Webcast on Clean Water Act history and evolution; March 21, 1-3 PM EDT http://1.usa.gov/dCcmO0
• March 26 DC EESI briefing: The Next Farm Bill: Conservation, Energy Security and Jobs with Biomass Crops? http://bit.ly/yQV2Uq
• Urban Water Sustainability Leadership Conference; Oct 15-17, Cincinnati, OH http://bit.ly/yJQodd
• Nebraska Concrete & Aggregates Assoc 1-day Pervious Seminar for April 26;  Omaha, NE http://bit.ly/xJspKC (PDF registration form)

e-Newsletters, Publications and Journals -

• EDF's March 14 issue of Delta Dispatches is now available, with latest news on Gulf of Mexico coastal restoration http://bit.ly/x6mPUo

Other news-

• Ecology and Evolution Journal article: Criteria for assessing climate change impacts on ecosystems http://bit.ly/xcmr2X
• EPA proposes EVR-Wood Treating/Evangeline Refining Co site near Jennings, Acadia Parish, LA for superfund list http://1.usa.gov/whBnOW
• EPA adds Rogersville, MO Compass Plaza Well TCE Site to superfund list http://1.usa.gov/zw4Bul
• Europe's water resources 'under pressure' - threatening Europe's economy, productivity and ecosystems http://bbc.in/xRYDD6

Political Scene - 

• Former MN state senator Tarryl Clark (D) decides to run in Dem primary in hopes of facing Rep. Chip Cravaack (R-MN-8) http://bit.ly/yi4kxN
• Moderate Sen. Richard Lugar (R-IN) faces hostile Tea Party in battle to keep Senate seat http://bit.ly/Akp8hF

Last Word

"We could have saved the Earth but we were too damned cheap." - Kurt Vonnegut, Jr.