~Virtual Newspaper for an Aquatic World~
EPA-Interior Should Pass Out of Committee Today
The House Appropriations Committee on Wednesday began its mark up of its version of the Ficsal Year 2013 Interior and Environment appropriations bill. The Committee will take up the bill again this morning (Thursday, June 28), when it is expected to easily pass and be sent on to the full House for consideration (possibly as early as the week of July 9). Among other things, the bill would cut the Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA's) budget by about $1.4 billion, a 17 percent reduction from the current year's approved spending level. The legislation would also cap EPA’s personnel numbers at their lowest level since 1992. The Committee's EPA budget cuts are largely targeted at environmental regulatory programs that the Republican majority has gone on record as opposing, such as greenhouse gas regulations relating to new power plants.
Among other funding cuts are those to the Fish and Wildlife Service, U.S. Geological Survey, and the Land and Water Conservation Fund. Riders to the spending bill include one that would prevent the EPA from clarifying the scope of its regulatory jurisdiction relating to "navigable waters" and the Clean Water Act. The provisions of the House bill effectively have no chance of passing the Senate, since the Democratic majority there will vote for much higher agency funding, and push for the removal of contentious riders from any final legislation.
House USDA Appropriations and Farm Bills' Scheduling Uncertain
Meanwhile it's becoming less and less clear when the full House will end up considering the House's versions of the Farm Bill and the USDA-FDA fiscal year 2013 appropriations bill. House Agriculture Committee Chair Frank Lucas (R-OK-3) has scheduled his Committee to begin mark-up of the Farm Bill on July 11 (a process that should take several days to complete). But Lucas has also said that he does not want the Farm Bill and the farm spending bill (already approved by the House Appropriations Committee) hitting the House floor at the same time. Unclear House leadership floor scheduling signals have contributed to the uncertainty, according to House Agriculture Committee Ranking Member Collin Peterson (D-MN-7), who has said that
House leadership “has not been forthcoming” about floor time for either the Farm Bill or the agriculture appropriations bill, adding, “The only thing that’s going to screw this up is if we don’t get floor time.”
A Fragmented River Reality Perpetuated
That the people, cultures and institutions connected with the Mississippi River system are fragmented cannot be argued with a straight face. For all of its greatness, the region’s waters flow through a fragmented bureaucratic and social reality, whose functions and structures are equally fragmented. Recent calls to unify our approaches to how human society lives with the River are laudable and promising, giving hope for a future of inclusion and integration. But we have a long way to go. Two upcoming September conferences, the Upper Mississippi River Conference and the America’s Great Watershed Initiative Summit, offer wonderful examples of how far we have come - and how far we have yet to go - in bridging the gaps that separate River stakeholders. Read more in this commentary.
No News Next Week!
The U.S. Congress will observe a July Fourth recess next week, and your FNB (Friendly Neighborhood Blogger) has it on good authority that no Mississippi River Basin water news will be forthcoming next week, either. So the Mississippi River Basin water resource news team will take some time off, as well. Our entire staff will spend the week in Great Britain; basking in its liquid sunshine! Our next issue will be posted on Friday, July 13.
Notable @UpperMiss Twitter Postings for the Week
Farm Bill-
House USDA Appropriations and Farm Bills' Scheduling Uncertain
Meanwhile it's becoming less and less clear when the full House will end up considering the House's versions of the Farm Bill and the USDA-FDA fiscal year 2013 appropriations bill. House Agriculture Committee Chair Frank Lucas (R-OK-3) has scheduled his Committee to begin mark-up of the Farm Bill on July 11 (a process that should take several days to complete). But Lucas has also said that he does not want the Farm Bill and the farm spending bill (already approved by the House Appropriations Committee) hitting the House floor at the same time. Unclear House leadership floor scheduling signals have contributed to the uncertainty, according to House Agriculture Committee Ranking Member Collin Peterson (D-MN-7), who has said that
House leadership “has not been forthcoming” about floor time for either the Farm Bill or the agriculture appropriations bill, adding, “The only thing that’s going to screw this up is if we don’t get floor time.”
A Fragmented River Reality Perpetuated
That the people, cultures and institutions connected with the Mississippi River system are fragmented cannot be argued with a straight face. For all of its greatness, the region’s waters flow through a fragmented bureaucratic and social reality, whose functions and structures are equally fragmented. Recent calls to unify our approaches to how human society lives with the River are laudable and promising, giving hope for a future of inclusion and integration. But we have a long way to go. Two upcoming September conferences, the Upper Mississippi River Conference and the America’s Great Watershed Initiative Summit, offer wonderful examples of how far we have come - and how far we have yet to go - in bridging the gaps that separate River stakeholders. Read more in this commentary.
No News Next Week!
The U.S. Congress will observe a July Fourth recess next week, and your FNB (Friendly Neighborhood Blogger) has it on good authority that no Mississippi River Basin water news will be forthcoming next week, either. So the Mississippi River Basin water resource news team will take some time off, as well. Our entire staff will spend the week in Great Britain; basking in its liquid sunshine! Our next issue will be posted on Friday, July 13.
Notable @UpperMiss Twitter Postings for the Week
Farm Bill-
- A full breakdown of Senate Farm Bill roll-call amendment votes can be found here (June 19-21): http://1.usa.gov/KH72ne
- NY Times: A look at the Senate Farm Bill and assessment of Farm Bill fate int he House http://nyti.ms/KDpXzP
- Conservation compliance & crop insurance Farm Bill amendments unlikely to be in final if not included in House version bit.ly/KXCj7s
- Chair of House Ag General Farm Commodities and Risk Management Subcommittee: Senate Farm Bill lacks regional balance http://bit.ly/Og8u1w
- NY Times editorial board: Senate Farm Bill version takes "disproportionate whack from environmental programs" http://nyti.ms/KXDtzL
- Statement from USDA Secretary Tom Vilsack on U.S. Senate Approval of Farm Bill http://ow.ly/bK0WB
- House Ag Committee Chair Frank Lucas discusses major differences in approach between Senate and House on Farm Bill http://bit.ly/LsflPy
- Sen. Grassley (R-IA) on why he voted against Farm Bill amendment linking conservation compliance to crop insurance: http://bit.ly/LsgzKt
- House Agriculture Committee schedule for farm bill markup uncertain; House GOP leadership signals mixed http://bit.ly/LvJ9uE
- Much of the Midwest faces a drought expanding in size & intensity, damaging crops & raising fire threat concerns on.wsj.com/KXDMuj
- July 2 EPA public info meeting for livestock producers re: concentrated animal feeding operation inspection program http://1.usa.gov/MP7iyv
- For 3rd week in a row, US corn and soybean conditions declined on USDA’s weekly Crop Progress and Condition report http://bit.ly/MPaE4y
- U.S. Midwest drought has pushed up corn prices 28 percent since June 15 http://bloom.bg/LvKotF - drought may rival 1988 "scorcher"
- U.S. corn supplies declining at fastest pace since 1996 just as a Midwest heat wave hits http://bloom.bg/LvKNw9
- Sen. Charles Grassley (R-IA) sees EPA aerial flyovers of confined animal feeding operations as "unfair to Iowa farmers" http://bit.ly/LsiQ8A
- EPA completes review of Nebraska Department of Environmental Quality’s new and revised water quality standards http://1.usa.gov/MP7IVF
- US Supreme Court decides to take up two Clean Water Act cases from Ninth Circuit http://bit.ly/KXEDvb
- Daily Comet Editorial: "(Gulf of Mexico) Dead zone an annual tragedy" http://bit.ly/MTPCDj
- Predictions differ about size of 2012 'dead zone' in Gulf of Mexico http://bit.ly/KDrG8d
- Response statement by Gulf Restoration Network to release of 2012 Gulf of Mexico dead zone size predictions: bit.ly/KDpptR
- 2012 Gulf dead zone lottery-just how big will it be? Or "how dead is dead?" http://bit.ly/MPN49k http://bit.ly/MPN4X1 http://bit.ly/MPN5u1
- EPA releases six factsheets on incorporating green infrastructure measures into NPDES wet weather programs http://1.usa.gov/MP4OQI
- EPA expands real-time monitoring of Kansas City Area streams http://1.usa.gov/MP5l5d
- WV poultry farmer sues EPA re: its authority to order farm to apply for Clean Water Act permit http://bit.ly/MPb4If
- EPA announces award of $2.7 million to 46 organizations in 32 states to help restore urban waters http://1.usa.gov/tUGclq
- OH River Valley Water Sanitation Commission tentatively approves Hg discharges from WV chlorine plant into Ohio River http://cjky.it/NMRyif
- Officials raise questions about major new segments of Army Corps of Engineers’ New Orleans area hurricane levees http://bit.ly/NrEUF0
- MO Coalition for the Environment calls for support of USACE Jameson Island Shallow Water Habitat Restoration Project http://bit.ly/MV0y3X
- National Flood Insurance Program is high on the week's US Senate agenda http://bit.ly/MmRaW0
- Senate seems set to approve new flood insurance reform bill in major victory for Sens. Tester (D-MT) and Vitter (R-LA) http://bit.ly/Kz3z5U
- Senate flood insurance reform bill delayed as GOP decides which non-germane amendments to push http://bit.ly/MzPRUO
- Center for Climate and Energy Solutions report: US flood insurance program faces "looming climate deficit" http://bit.ly/MPf7UN
- Question of whether to use federal money to raise flood-prone homes or improve drainage return in
Jefferson Parish, LA http://bit.ly/NMSwe8 - Senate marks time on flood program reform while trying to cut student loan/transportation deals behind scenes http://1.usa.gov/t7I8j. In the end, the bill to reauthorize the national flood insurance program for 5 years may be wrapped into the transportation/student loan bill fxn.ws/LvHaGF
- Minnesota Conservation Volunteer magazine releases new app featuring four treasured MN natural resources: http://ow.ly/bPtyG (via @MyMNwoods)
- Minneapolis limits access to lakes in order to fight invasive species http://bit.ly/KDrZjz
- New FWS web-based interactive endangered species map for every state. State stories, podcasts and videos http://1.usa.gov/JZKR7s
- House votes to give Gulf states billions more in offshore oil revenue http://bit.ly/KCMOvu
- U of New Orleans professor to take on new job as Water Institute of the Gulf chief scientist http://bit.ly/KXFo7v
- US Senate EPW Committee passes bill that extends the Pontchartrain Basin Restoration Act bit.ly/Kz2Y4g
- Army Corps of Engineers clears way to design/build $428 M project to restore parts of Louisiana's Gulf coastline http://bit.ly/Kz47Jd
- Study: BP oil spill hastened loss of Louisiana coastal marshes http://wapo.st/MP4ZLE
- Coal (made up largely of dead things, it should be noted) is "dying" says a West Virginia author http://bit.ly/KXGdNy
- Energy leaders defend hydraulic fracturing for gas and oil development in Ohio http://bit.ly/Kz2PxG
- Special Reuters Report: Chesapeake Energy Corp. and its top fracking rival conspired to suppress land prices http://reut.rs/L9WgTT
- EPA reviewing information from 9 oil and gas companies for its study of fracking impact on drinking water http://bit.ly/MS4fqX
- USA Today: Hiring rebounds for state, local governments http://usat.ly/N06Hfg
Federal Budget -
"I think the people have gotten dumber." - Soon-to-be-retired Rep. Gary Ackerman (D-NY), expressing frustration with the highly charged, partisan Congressional atmosphere he will be leaving behind, and with the public whom he claims is contributing to that condition by their ignorance.
- House USDA Appropriations bill unlikely to hit floor until after House Agriculture Committee of farm bill markup bit.ly/LvJ9uE
- Pessimism growing on potential for a Federal budget sequestration deal to avert deep cuts to Pentagon spending http://bit.ly/Kz3jEc
- Highway conference committee members says no money exists in land and water conservation fund for Congress to raid http://bit.ly/Kz4OSI
- House Appropriations Committee releases report accompanying FY 2103 EPA, Interior Department spending bill http://1.usa.gov/MPVga3 (PDF)
- America’s Great Watershed Initiative Summit; Sept 26-27, St. Louis, MO; info: http://bit.ly/MP6s4C $250 registeration: http://bit.ly/MP6h9r
- Upper Mississippi River Conference; September 26-28 in Moline, Illinois http://bit.ly/lp0jXH
- July 2 EPA public info meeting for livestock producers re: concentrated animal feeding operation inspection program http://1.usa.gov/MP7iyv
- Save the Date: NCER 2013 National Conference on Ecosystem Restoration in Chicago, IL; July 29 - August 2, 2013 http://bit.ly/M1odS3
- Great Mississippi River Cleanup; Dubuque, IA; July 7 http://bit.ly/M1nRed
- Exploring Potters Marsh by Canoe; Thomson, IL June 30 http://bit.ly/M1nGzm
- EPA Watershed Academy Webcast on USDA’s National Water Quality Initiative; July 10, 1-3 pm Eastern http://1.usa.gov/dCcmO0
- Latest edition of "Delta Dispatches" with news on Coastal Louisiana restoration and conservation: http://bit.ly/KDp8qN
- Old Louisville, Kentucky dump site along Ohio River to get new scrutiny by EPA http://cjky.it/KXFNH8 and http://bit.ly/MS4mma
- EPA Inspector General to probe agency's record on environmental enforcement http://bit.ly/MQmfBZ
- Ohio cities focusing on new large-scale downtown development are looking to rivers as development base http://ohne.ws/MAC4gS
- Democratic polling shows former senator Kerrey (D) down double digits to state Sen. Fischer (R) in NE US Senate race http://politi.co/KDrc1S
- IL Democrats select Bill Enyart for ballot vacancy in southern IL US House district held by retiring Rep. Costello http://bit.ly/MmXblp
- Rep. Jesse Jackson, Jr. (D-IL-2) on medical leave for exhaustion trib.in/MP8lyv
- US Rep. John Sullivan (R-OK-1) loses reelection bid in a surprise GOP primary loss to a political newcomer http://bit.ly/MzO6qQ
- New Democratic poll shows Rep. Michele Bachmann (R-MN-6) could face a competitive race to retain her seat in November http://bit.ly/L0aOtO
"I think the people have gotten dumber." - Soon-to-be-retired Rep. Gary Ackerman (D-NY), expressing frustration with the highly charged, partisan Congressional atmosphere he will be leaving behind, and with the public whom he claims is contributing to that condition by their ignorance.
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