Thursday, April 19, 2012

Mississippi River Basin Water Resource News for the Week-Early Edition

Next Week
Look for quite a bit of activity next week on Capitol Hill centered upon the Farm Bill, as both the Senate and House Agriculture Committees continue their efforts to draft and pass a Farm Bill out of their respective Committees. The Senate Committee's initial bill language (called the Chairwoman's mark) should be released tomorrow (Friday, April 20), and be considered by the Committee next week. The House Committee may then pick up on the language coming out of its Senate counterpart as a starting point (perhaps modifying language based on feedback received at recent and upcoming House Committee Farm Bill hearings). Here is a listing of currently-scheduled Farm Bill hearings and meetings for next week, including links to the specific committee and subcommittee pages, which include member contact information:



FNB Status
You're FNB (Friendly Neighborhood Blogger) and this weekly newsletter will be taking leave of Washington, DC and the internet world next week.  Luckily, I've been assured that no news will be happening next week that relates to the Mississippi River Basin, anyway, so the timing is fortuitous!  Look for a return of both the news and this weekly summary in the first week of May.

Notable @UpperMiss Twitter Postings for the Week  

Agriculture -

  • The Guardian: How cotton overuses water resources and increases greenhouse gas emissions http://bit.ly/HRk6m1
  • In Iowa, corn has won the "battle for acres" over soybeans http://dmreg.co/HTW5g2
  • Atlantic magazine: “The Exceedingly Strange World of Federal Crop Insurance Subsidies” http://bit.ly/HPi8pN
  • Much-used farm herbicide is losing its effectiveness and forcing producers to spend more and use more chemicals http://usat.ly/JwE3wK
  • Farmers Weekly: What is sustainable agriculture?  http://bit.ly/IQ6DOs
  • Study to focus on efficiency and profitability to be gained through precision agriculture use by soybean growers http://bit.ly/JhNKzI
  • >2,000 US farmers and food companies to take legal action to force feds to analyze proposed biotech crops & herbicides http://bit.ly/IW8voF

Farm Bill-

  • Senate Agriculture Committee members are looking to have Farm on Senate floor as early as summer http://bit.ly/IxLR0z
  • House Agriculture Committee must slice $33.2 B from Farm Bill programs, most likely focusing on nutrition; food stamps http://nyti.ms/IREl2A
  • Sen. Kent Conrad (D-ND) wants Senate to pass Farm Bill with $23 B in budget cuts over 10-yr period http://bit.ly/IxL2os
  • Environmental Working Group releases its Farm Bill platform document http://bit.ly/HSc3W6 (PDF file)
  • House Ag Committee to move forward with Farm Bill; announces DC hearing schedule April 25-May 18 http://1.usa.gov/Jdfm97
  • Senate Agriculture Committee leaders ready to hold meeting next week to adopt and pass new farm bill http://bit.ly/I43HJ1
  • Conservation Groups Urge Congress to Link Conservation Requirements to Farm Bill Payments http://bit.ly/HPi4pR
  • Farm Bill status update from DTN: http://bit.ly/JwCGOH (under "Congress Return" heading)
  • GOP targeting of SNAP benefits for estimated $33.2B 10-yr savings could have immediate impact on farm bill debate http://politi.co/HEKBLd
  • In precursor to farm bill budget fights, House Agriculture Committee cuts $7.7 B from federal nutrition program http://bit.ly/I0ZqYI
  • Lawmakers downplay possibility of extending current farm bill after it expires this fall http://dmreg.co/I0ZFmE
  • Des Moines Register: Environmental Working Group says next farm bill should focus on runoff water pollution http://dmreg.co/JhNf8N

Water Quality -

  • Farm belt utility in Sprinfield, IL struggles to control drinking water quality in face of herbicide pollution; erosion http://bit.ly/HZwAG9
  • EPA to conduct three hearings on agency’s objections to 36 Kentucky coal-mining water quality permits http://cjky.it/HZxu5q
  • TN Clean Water Network, USEPA & TN DEC settle with City of Memphis over sanitary sewer overflows http://bit.ly/HScwaW
  • Background on Clean Water Network, USEPA & TN DEC settlement with City of Memphis on sanitary sewer overflows http://1.usa.gov/HLr4wf
  • Monona County, IA beef cattle feedlot to pay a $10,000 penalty for violations of the federal Clean Water Act http://1.usa.gov/HCGzD5

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

  • New Senate bill would reauthorize the North American Wetlands Conservation Act http://bit.ly/HNqY4y goes to committee next week
  • US Drought Monitor: > 60 % of continental US experiencing abnormally dry conditions or drought http://usat.ly/HRkrFq

In the States -

  • EPA approves Nebraska’s list of impaired waters: removes 21 waters from old list and adds 92 new http://1.usa.gov/HPGtZK

Forestry -


Biodiversity, Wildlife and Invasives -

  • Invasive Plant Species Taxonomic & Identification: Information, Tools & Resources bit.ly/HKuSPn ~ a good resource
  • Ducks Unlimited receives Louisiana land conservation organization designation http://bit.ly/HNr4Ji
  • Discover Magazine:  Attack of the Flying Asian Carp http://bit.ly/Iy2JnV
  • Twin Cities MN metro lake associations drop legal attempt to require a centralized zebra mussel boat inspection station http://bit.ly/HZx66W
  • Army Corps releases final revised Aquatic Nuisance Control Paper for Great Lakes & Mississippi River Interbasin Study  http://bit.ly/HTuz2C
  • House Appropriations Committee Releases FY 2013 Energy and Water Appropriations Bill; Army Corps funded at $4.8B http://1.usa.gov/J3Weet

Gulf Coastal Area-


Resource Extraction -

  • Horizontal hydraulic fracturing may enable energy companies to hit "paydirt" in southern Illinois http://trib.in/HZxfHq
  • TransCanada submits new Nebraska routes for Keystone pipeline; avoids environmentally sensitive Sandhills region http://bit.ly/HW9Z2B

Federal Budget -

  • House Minority Whip Hoyer (D-MD) warns of ‘a fiscal storm’ in the post-election lame duck session http://bit.ly/HHldEs
  • Budget Committee chair Sen. Conrad (D-ND): unlikely we will reach FY 2013 budget agreement until after election http://bit.ly/I5AAIy
  • Obama threatens to veto any appropriations bill that caps agency spending at levels below 2011 bipartisan deal's http://1.usa.gov/I0ZVSS

Events-

  • Free Horinko Group Webinar - Biofuel Production: Dissecting the Water-Energy-Land Nexus; May 17, 1:30 PM http://bit.ly/Hb4nNY
  • EESI and Royal Danish Embassy Briefing: Nexus between Water, Energy and Climate; Washington DC, April 25, 4 PM http://bit.ly/J1hILI
  • 2012 Environmental Information Exchange Network National Meeting, May 30 - June 1, Philadelphia, PA http://bit.ly/J7MZMY
  • Free webinar: New Zealand approach to regulating water quality in agriculture; lessons for the US; April 20; 11 AM EDT http://bit.ly/IW73CR

e-Newsletters, Publications and Journals -

  • America's Waterway monthly Mississippi River newsletter is out: http://bit.ly/I5B5Cn
  • Tennessee Clean Water Network's weekly newsletter out; highlights Memphis water quality settlement and upcoming events http://bit.ly/HST6kT

Other news-

  • Minnesota and Louisiana counties tie for top economic development project status among Mississippi River states http://bit.ly/HR1NgG

Political Scene -

  • Poll: In TN 3rd district GOP primary race, dairy magnate Mayfield leads freshman Rep. Fleischman and entrepreneur Wamp http://bit.ly/JbTIlD
  • Blue Dog Democrats facing extinction in next election http://politi.co/HEKgbh

Last Word - "We’re not making more land. We’re making a lot more people." - Congressman Leonard Boswell (D-IA-3);  member of House Agriculture Committee, speaking at a House Agriculture Committee field hearing on the need to pass an effective Farm Bill in 2012.
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Wednesday, April 18, 2012

Conservation Groups Urge Congress to Link Conservation Requirements to Farm Bill Payments

A group of fifteen national environmental and conservation organizations on Monday urged Congress in the next Farm Bill to "renew our conservation compact with farmers by linking conservation compliance to all income support programs, including premium subsidies for crop and revenue insurance." In an April 16 letter sent to Senate and House Agriculture Committee Chairs Stabenow and Lucas, and Ranking Members Roberts and Peterson, respectively, the organizations said that "weakening or eliminating this (link) would have devastating impacts on water quality, wetlands, and grasslands," noting that renewing and extending "conservation compliance to all income support programs, including eligibility for premium subsidies for crop and revenue insurance . . . will benefit farmers and taxpayers going forward."

The letter was signed by American Farmland Trust, American Rivers, Defenders of Wildlife, Environmental and Energy Study Institute, Environmental Working Group, Izaak Walton League of America, National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition, National Wildlife Federation, Natural Resources Defense Council, Pollinator Partnership, Sierra Club, Southern Environmental Law Center, Soil and Water Conservation Society, Union of Concerned Scientists, and World Wildlife Fund.
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Monday, April 16, 2012

The Week's Congressional Hearings Especially Relevant to Mississippi River Basin Water Resource Issues

Here is a listing of the hearings and bill mark-up sessions currently scheduled for this week that are particularly relevant to Mississippi River Basin water resource issues (along with links to the relevant committee or hearing web page).  All times are Eastern, unless otherwise noted.

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Farm Bill and Agriculture Program Activity Heats Up This Week

The Senate Agriculture Committee is now very close (literally days away) from marking up a new Farm Bill, and the Committee's initial bill language should be released sometime this week, with markup being concluded during the current work session (that is, before the Senate's next scheduled recess the week of April 30).  If the bill garners a strong vote of support coming out of Committee, it should then go on to be considered by the full Senate sometime this Spring or early Summer. The Conservation Title should find strong bipartisan support in the Senate Agriculture Committee.  Finding consensus on and bipartisan support for Farm Bill Title 1 language will be more problematic, with crop insurance and direct payments being major sticking points due in large part to varying regional concerns among agricultural interests.

Positions on Farm Bill issues will be decidedly more partisan in the House than in the Senate.  House Agriculture Committee Chairman Frank Lucas (D-OK) has indicated that his Committee will also attempt to actively move on a Farm Bill relatively soon.  The House Committee may pick up on the language coming out of its Senate counterpart as a starting point (perhaps modifying language based on feedback received at recent House Committee Farm Bill field hearings).  Complicating things on the House side are the “shadow reconciliation” House Budget Resolution instructions, which direct six House committees – including Agriculture - to collectively (by April 27) come up with $261 billion in spending cuts over ten years from mandatory Federal programs.  The House Agriculture Committee is scheduled to meet this Wednesday, and it’s expected that by next Friday's deadline the committee will come up with an outline of Farm Bill cuts that total the $33.2 billion in savings over ten years (including $8.2 billion in cuts during Fiscal Year 2013) in the Paul Ryan Budget Resolution. That $33.2 billion in cuts could come from a range of Farm Bill programs and Federal agriculture accounts.  The Ryan budget plan proposed that $30 billion of the cuts could come from direct farm payments and Federal crop insurance subsidies; however, those cuts would be very unpopular among House Members from farm-heavy states. So the cuts may simply (for political expediencies' sake) be tagged primarily (or even exclusively) from nutrition programs, which some House GOP members are targeting for major cuts in any case. One Republican proposal includes converting the food stamp (or SNAP) program into a state block grant program in order to limit annual program spending.

What shallow reconciliation will mean for chances to build bipartisan support for a Farm Bill in the House is uncertain, although the clear message heard from some House Democratic Agriculture Committee members recently is that the Ryan budget proposal will make getting a Farm Bill through the House this year very difficult.

Congressional discussions on Capitol Hill over  the next Fiscal Year's funding levels for Farm Bill programs will also begin soon.  The Senate Appropriations Committee’s Agriculture Subcommittee may start working on its Fiscal Year 2013 appropriation language within the next week or two, with its House counterpart also moving quickly, but likely after the Senate.
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Friday, April 13, 2012

Mississippi River Basin Water Resource News for the Week

Farm Bill and Agriculture Appropriations Status Updates

The Senate Agriculture Committee is now very close (literally days away) from marking up a new Farm Bill, and the Committee's initial bill language should be released sometime next week, with markup being concluded during the upcoming work session (that is, before the Senate's next scheduled recess the week of April 30).  If the bill garners a strong vote of support coming out of Committee, it should then go on to be considered by the full Senate sometime this Spring or early Summer. The Conservation Title should find strong bipartisan support in the Senate Agriculture Committee.  Finding consensus on and bipartisan support for Farm Bill Title 1 language will be more problematic, with crop insurance and direct payments being major sticking points due in large part to varying regional concerns among agricultural interests.

Positions on Farm Bill issues will be decidedly more partisan in the House than in the Senate.  House Agriculture Committee Chairman Frank Lucas (D-OK) has indicated that his Committee will also attempt to actively move on a Farm Bill relatively soon.  The House Committee may pick up on the language coming out of its Senate counterpart as a starting point (perhaps modifying language based on feedback received at recent House Committee Farm Bill field hearings).  Complicating things on the House side are the “shadow reconciliation” House Budget Resolution instructions, which direct six House committees – including Agriculture - to collectively (by April 27) come up with $261 billion in spending cuts over ten years from mandatory Federal programs.  It’s expected that the House Agriculture Committee will come up with an outline of Farm Bill cuts that total the $33.2 billion in savings over ten years (including $8.2 billion in cuts during Fiscal Year 2013) in the Paul Ryan Budget Resolution. That $33.2 billion in cuts could come from a range of Farm Bill programs and Federal agriculture accounts.  The Ryan budget plan proposed that $30 billion of the cuts could come from direct farm payments and Federal crop insurance subsidies; however, those cuts would be very unpopular among House Members from farm-heavy states. So the cuts may simply (for political expediencies' sake) be tagged primarily (or even exclusively) from nutrition programs, which some House GOP members are targeting for major cuts in any case. One Republican proposal includes converting the food stamp (or SNAP) program into a state block grant program in order to limit annual program spending.

What shallow reconciliation will mean for chances to build bipartisan support for a Farm Bill in the House is uncertain, although the clear message heard from some House Democratic Agriculture Committee members recently is that the Ryan budget proposal will make getting a Farm Bill through the House this year very difficult.

Congressional discussions on Capitol Hill over  the next Fiscal Year's funding levels for Farm Bill programs will also begin soon.  The Senate Appropriations Committee’s Agriculture Subcommittee may start working on its Fiscal Year 2013 appropriation language within the next week or two, with its House counterpart also moving quickly, but likely after the Senate.


Notable @UpperMiss Twitter Postings for the Week

Agriculture -

  • EPA denies an environmental group’s (NRDC's) request to ban 2,4-D herbicide http://nyti.ms/HZRgjE
  • NRCS Chief White promotes precision conservation-"the right fix for the right acres" http://bit.ly/HDKWi3
  • Steady increase in US farmland values likely to level out in coming years; no market "bust" expected http://bit.ly/HOnBeN

Farm Bill-

  • Rep. Collin Peterson (D-MN-7) top House Ag Committee Dem: "we’ll be doing the farm bill next year in the next Congress" http://bit.ly/Hv1aMP
  • Government Accountability Office report says government could save ~$1B/yr by reducing crop insurance subsidies http://nyti.ms/Iyzw0i
  • Rep. Lucas, (R-OK) House Agriculture Committee Chair "echoes position of farmers: Leave Crop Insurance Alone" http://1.usa.gov/HA5TbT

Water Quality -

  • New American Rivers report highlighting economic benefits of green infrastructure strategies to better manage runoff http://bit.ly/IqeP7L
  • MO Dept of Conservation to finish assessment of stream after at least 1,000 fish found dead http://bit.ly/HZRYxw
  • Environmental Working Group report: "Troubled Waters:  Farm Pollution Threatens Drinking Water" link here - http://bit.ly/IyypOd
  • Environmental Working Group report reignites debate over risks to water from farm runoff http://bit.ly/HzGOCy
  • Biggest factor in Ohio water pollution is non-point source pollution, which cannot be traced back to its sources http://bit.ly/IL36PD
  • Report: AK Steel facility released > 24.3 M lbs. of chemicals into Ohio River in 2010; most of any one US facility http://bit.ly/IL3H3V
  • Ohio EPA suggests limiting fish consumption from many Ohio waterways http://bit.ly/IL4hPa
Water Resource Management (Floodplains, Dams, Navigation, Wetlands, Flooding, etc.) -

  • Taxpayers for Common Sense decries bill to codify Inland Marine Transportation Systems Capital Projects Business Model http://bit.ly/HCJVJC
  • NRDC: 29 states underprepared to deal with climate-change-induced threats to water resources http://on.wsj.com/ImAEp8
  • Farmers along Missouri River rush to fix land, levees before planting http://bit.ly/HAJIYo
  • Corps of Engineers hosting listening session April 13; 1-4 PM EDT on just-released Port and Inland Waterways Modernization bit.ly/yVIwvr

Biodiversity, Wildlife and Invasives -

  • Fed Carp official: closing Minneapolis lock and dam to stop Asian carp not a feasible long-term solution http://bit.ly/IaYHqz
  • Paddleboat cruises to stop using Minneapolis lock in effort to keep Asian carp at bay http://bit.ly/ImBgep
  • Trucks containing 1000s of invasive Asian Carp likely traveling Midwest US interstate highways toward Canada http://bit.ly/IaefYF
  • Editorial: "Biofuel Crops Make Great Invasive Species" http://bit.ly/HxYj5T
  • Invasive Asian Carp Get into Iowa's Okoboji Lake http://dmreg.co/HxYtdy

Gulf Coastal Area-


Resource Extraction -

  • NE legislators authorize DEQ to evaluate options for new Keystone XL pipeline route around sensitive Nebraska Sandhills http://lat.ms/IL0YYl

Federal Budget -

  • Senate Budget Committee preparing to mark up Fiscal Year 2013 budget next week, as early as April 17 http://bit.ly/Hv1viC
  • Senate Democrats apprehensive about holding another round of show votes on Republican budgets doomed to fail http://bit.ly/Hu9SMA

Events-

  • Association of State Floodplain Managers 2012 Conference; May 20-25; San Antonio, TX http://bit.ly/HAkCsO

Political Scene -

  • Indiana: New poll shows incumbant Sen.  Lugar (D) with 7 percent lead against state Treasurer Mourdock (R) http://bit.ly/Hs6EH4
  • Vulnerable incumbent Sen. McCaskill (D-MO) raised $2.3 million in first quarter of 2012 http://bit.ly/HAiam8

Last Word - "Over 15,000 Records Broken as March 2012 Becomes Warmest on Record."  - National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, in announcing this intriguing time-lapse video of the record temperatures playing out for the month across the US:
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Friday, April 6, 2012

Mississippi River Basin Water Resource News for the Week

It's been a quiet week in Lake Wobegon, and in Washington, DC, as well, what with the spring Congressional break in full swing.  But nonetheless, we've managed to pull together a better than average "Mississippi River Basin Water Resource News for the Week" edition, consisting of over four dozen news and research information links (with a heavy agriculture and Farm Bill emphasis) and a "final word" from Robert Redford.

Notable @UpperMiss Twitter Postings for the Week  

Agriculture -

  • IL farmers faced with "too much good weather too soon" http://bit.ly/HPJj0r
  • Rep. Ellison (D-MN) introduces bill to effectively ban use of controversial pesticide ingredient atrazine http://1.usa.gov/H0doIF
  • US farmers intend to plant 95.9 M acres of corn in 2012, up 4% from 2011; news: http://1.usa.gov/H9FV0i report: http://bit.ly/H9FQK3 (PDF)
  • Iowa City Gazette : Iowa corn farmers need the nitrogen that's impacting Gulf of Mexico http://bit.ly/HQRkBx
  • Farmers will plant this spring on acreage that was previously off-limits and protected by USDA conservation program http://reut.rs/HbrF8R
  • 30 national conservation organizations urge appropriators to oppose cuts to agricultural conservation programs; pdf: http://bit.ly/HH19Vw
  • Minneapolis Mayor Rybak expected to sign off on policy to make it easier to grow and sell fresh food in the city http://bit.ly/HH1S9f
  • US corn belt growing season off to rough start as warm, dry winter has left soil low on moisture http://bit.ly/HH2yeH
  • Loss of lands enrolled in Conservation Reserve Program threatens to wipe out 100s of 1000s of acres of wildlife habitat http://bit.ly/HlkiqK
  • Many US farmers waiting for crop insurance coverage to kick in instead of aggressively planting corn early http://reut.rs/HMAHHR
  • Louisiana rice mills, Kellogg's and LSU AgCenter developing sustainable farming program for rice growers http://bit.ly/Hh2aV9

Farm Bill-

  • US Rep. Tom Rooney (R-FL-16): Senate to take up Farm Bill in April and May, House will take it up in May and June http://bit.ly/HjtWeS
  • House Agriculture Committee's Arkansas March 30 Farm Bill field hearing ag producer testimony posted online http://1.usa.gov/H70riQ
  • Environmental Working Group op-ed: The farm bill taxpayers want http://bit.ly/HGWVxk
  • 32 senators call for a 2012 Farm Bill that will build on previous specialty crop investments; pdf of letter - http://bit.ly/HH1yaC
  • "New farm bill by September? Don’t bet on it." http://bit.ly/HlkMwP
  • Senate Agriculture Committee member Max Baucus (D-MT) wants strong crop insurance and conservation titles http://bit.ly/HZXrCl
  • National Grain & Feed Assoc urges Senate Ag Committee to implement fundamental reforms to Conservation Reserve Program http://bit.ly/HZXUV1

Water Quality -

  • Environment groups: more than 6.2 million pounds of chemicals released into Iowa’s waterways in 2010 http://bit.ly/H0BlUA
  • Memphis working with TN and federal agencies on Clean Water Act consent decree http://bit.ly/H0BA1X
  • Report says EPA’s 2010 Toxics Release Inventory places Ohio River at top of list for receiving toxic discharges http://cjky.it/HPixUL
  • Mid America CropLife Assoc’s water consultant: MN on frontline on battle over numeric nutrient water quality standards http://bit.ly/HYPbpA
  • Iowa Wetland Landscape Systems Initiative tests the ability to clean up farm runoff water http://bit.ly/Hh1Y8j
  • USGS report: Water quality improvements and best-management practices in Wisconsin agricultural watersheds http://on.doi.gov/Hh2xPj

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

  • Sens. Inhofe (R-OK) and Boxer (D-CA) introduce bill to reauthorize North American Wetland Conservation Act http://bit.ly/H7cfxC
  • Mississippi River Commission meeting: Developers must spend too much to mitigate for wetlands loss http://bit.ly/HE72Ri via @Johann3216
  • Army Corps Releases Working Draft of Port & Inland Waterways Modernization Strategy; pdf: http://bit.ly/HGUuZr & info: http://bit.ly/yVIwvr
  • Lawmakers are finding that updating US inland and coastal ports will be a heavy lift http://politi.co/HH0fsg
  • CSU climatologists confirm that 98 percent of Colorado is experiencing drought; most severe in Arkansas River basin http://bit.ly/H8qiWa
  • Draft EPA "National Water Program 2012 Strategy: Response to Climate Change" released for public comment http://1.usa.gov/Hw4u4p
  • NPR: A review of global water security and water shortages in the US http://bit.ly/I5SMPj (51 minute audio stream)
  • USGS projecting groundwater declines through 2037 in eastern Arkansas  http://on.doi.gov/HiJOSk
  • Water-use conservation scenarios in the Mississippi Delta in northwestern Mississippi http://on.doi.gov/HiKeIi
In the States -

  • MN Gov. Dayton signs bipartisan legislation streamlining environmental permitting applications for state businesses http://bit.ly/HGYGKW

Forestry -

  • IN DNR dispersing almost $250,000 in tree-themed funding to 21 cities across state http://bit.ly/H8lYos

Biodiversity, Wildlife and Invasives -


Gulf Coastal Area-

  • Poll: Louisiana voters overwhelmingly want legislators to approve state’s 2012 revision of Coastal Master Plan http://bit.ly/HPUQ2n
  • Sea-level rise along Gulf Coast-including LA-occurred at much faster rate in the past 100 years than in previous 1,000 http://bit.ly/I7lli0
  • New Orleans residents get updates from Army Corps and state on levees, coastal work http://bit.ly/I7lNwP

Resource Extraction -

  • OH geologists redraw maps highlighting where Utica shale is expected to yield most oil and gas across state http://bit.ly/H9Igsb

Federal Budget -

  • President Obama and Rep. Paul Ryan (R-WI) poised to go another round in battle over Federal budget http://bit.ly/HEoWSJ

Events-

  • EPA Webcast: "Using Clean Water Act State Revolving Fund for Nonpoint Source & National Estuary Projects” April 17 http://1.usa.gov/dCcmO0
  • National Journal forum: How Diversity is Reshaping Politics & Policy; April 19, Washington DC http://bit.ly/Hw5PYW
  • Horiniko Group Webinar: Biofuel Production-Dissecting the Water-Energy-Land Nexus; May 17 http://bit.ly/Hb4nNY
  • Farm Foundation Forum: U.S. Farm Land Values: Boom or Bust? April 11; 8 AM; Washington, DC http://bit.ly/f41Wo

Other news-

  • Accounting for nature's benefits: The dollar value of ecosystem services http://bit.ly/HhCCWl
  • NY U School of Law study "The Regulatory Red Herring, The Role of Job Impact Analyses in Environmental Policy Debates" http://bit.ly/H8rKI9

Political Scene -


Last Word -
"It's all about winning, and it's all about the egos attached to winning and what people will do and say just to win." - Robert Redford, speaking on the state of U.S. politics to the BBC.
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