~Virtual Newspaper for an Aquatic World~
NOAA Scientists Measure Small Gulf Hypoxic Zone; Link Size Reduction to Drought Conditions
The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's ("NOAA's") National Centers for Coastal Ocean Science (or NCCOS) announced on July 27 that its scientists had observed the fourth smallest hypoxic or oxygen-free zone in the northern Gulf of Mexico since record-keeping began in 1985. Drought conditions in the country's midsection are largely believed to have directly resulted in the "dead zone's" smaller than average size (2,889 square miles). Read more related articles under "Water Quality," below, and in this earlier blog article.
Showcase, Short-term Farm Disaster Aid Package Passes House - Going Nowhere Fast
While the worst U.S. drought in 56 years intensified, late yesterday afternoon, House Republicans pushed through a largely showcase, short-term $383 million package of loans and grants for livestock producers and a limited number of farmers. The House disaster relief bill (HR 6233) focuses on providing loans and grants to producers of livestock and fruit trees impacted by the drought during the current (2012) Fiscal Year, and would pay for its $383 million price tag by capping the Conservation Stewardship Program and Environmental Quality Incentives Program during Fiscal Year 2013. While the bill will give farm state House Republicans political cover when they go home to face drought-stricken farmers, the prospects for its consideration by the Senate are slim and its likelihood of enactment into law effectively non-existent. To read details of the House bill, its prospects, and its relation to the comprehensive farm bill, see this article.
Notable @UpperMiss Twitter Postings for the Week
Drought-
Conditions
- Drought intensifies in most-parched areas of U.S. http://wapo.st/OtA9vu
- Worst US drought in 56 years intensified over the past week bit.ly/M1wuGd
- USDA designates 98 Illinois counties disaster areas; no drought relief predicted through October http://trib.in/N0NmM2
- USDA's addition of 218 counties yesterday means >half of all US counties are designated disaster areas http://bit.ly/RfpF0x
- Where Things Stand - Drought, Heat, Crop Futures and Groceries http://bit.ly/OEaIZd
- Drought and soaring temperatures are leading to unprecedented warmth in U.S. Midwest lakes, streams and rivers http://usat.ly/Rf7cRv
- South-central US likely to see triple-digit heat throughout this weekend and into first full week of August http://bit.ly/T3aXMQ
- About 2/3 of Nebraska now in extreme to exceptional drought; a week ago number was 5%; Iowa goes from 0 to 25% http://bit.ly/NMBMCN
- First significant rainfall in more than a month drops about a half-inch across most of Iowa; state still "parched" http://dmreg.co/QKplqa
- Scientists warn it’s the "new norm" after worst drought in 800 years http://soc.li/CpcRcCf
Impacts
- Drought Forces Livestock On To Conservation Lands http://on.wqad.com/ASVlEsV
- Scientific American: Drought Devastates U.S. Corn and Soy Crops ~ http://bit.ly/MPUzOM
- Drought forces Mississippi River barges to lighten loads for fear of getting stuck http://reut.rs/NMyPSU
- Corn prices raced to record high Monday as heat relentlessly pounded crops across much of US http://bit.ly/PkSPcN
- Widespread use of crop insurance and record corn and soybean prices have cushioned US drought's impact on growers http://on.wsj.com/OCAahI
- Downriver Mississippi River low water is economic concern for up-river shippers http://bit.ly/T3aKt1
- Survey confirms drought impact on Midwest economy http://minnpo.st/Op9Zat
- Drought contributes to drying of Midwest economy; ripple effects may not be fully felt for six months http://dmreg.co/RfbloD
- Record heat contributing to multiple reports of early July fish kills across MI, MN, WI, IN and IL http://bit.ly/OGtQ7p
Federal Policy
- USDA announces two new pieces of disaster assistance for farmers; ranchers impacted by worsening drought http://1.usa.gov/No0u9y
- DTN: Drought Disaster Becomes a Can-Kicking Game for Congress http://dld.bz/bEcnF
- Two conservation programs will be capped to pay for farm disaster aid bill - CBO "score" details cuts and costs: tl.gd/il12k2
- Environmental Working Group opposes drought disaster package proposed by U.S. House as shortsighted; counter-productive http://bit.ly/McFIK6
- DTN: Disaster Aid Package Finds Few Friends http://bit.ly/RaJ8nk
- House Floor statements Ag Committee Chair http://1.usa.gov/NMquBt & Ranking Member http://bit.ly/NMqG3N on Agricultural Disaster Assistance
- Heritage Action for America op-ed urges breaking massive farm bill "into manageable, understandable pieces" http://on.wsj.com/No0bM0
- Ag Committee Chair Lucas "riding herd" on GOP effort to produce House Farm Bill nyti.ms/NnZH8B
- Iowa Congressmen urge quick vote on the farm bill: http://bit.ly/PHpMno
- Rep. Braley (D-IA) will seek to force House vote on five-year Farm Bill package using "discharge petition" process http://dmreg.co/NnZMJv
- Dan Glickman and Jim Moseley Op-ed: Decades of farmland conservation gains at risk http://bit.ly/OFlKKe
- Church, social service foster urban farming in Des Moines, Iowa http://bit.ly/QKStxr
- U of WI researchers & companies receive $7M fed grant to evaluate ethanol production from cow manure; Manitowoc Co, WI http://bit.ly/QWAN6z
- Global grains powerhouse Cargill urges U.S. government to temporarily curb its ethanol quotas as corn supply drops http://reut.rs/Pmr5ok
- No-Till Travels Better than a Farm Bill Extension http://bit.ly/OntqjO (via @ChrisClaytonDTN)
- MN Supreme Court reverses appeals court decision: says drifting pesticides from farm don't constitute trespassing http://bit.ly/NbcFHH
- Environmental groups question EPA on withdrawal of livestock information-gathering rule http://bit.ly/Rf2K5j
- Federal judge throws out new EPA guidance aimed at reducing water pollution from coal mining operations http://bit.ly/T3a7Qc and http://bit.ly/T3aryt
- Unlined wet coal ash dump in Ohio River valley (in PA and WV) to close on heals of PADEP complaint filing http://bit.ly/T1PiEF
- EPA awards $11.4 M to OK Water Resources Board to support Clean Water State Revolving Fund program http://1.usa.gov/LV6o1S
- Duke and Baylor universities ' researchers: WV mountaintop removal is harming water quality far downstream of mining http://bit.ly/LVac3n
- Decades of mountaintop-removal mining may have harmed aquatic life along >1700 miles of southern WV streams http://bit.ly/OmJ6WF
- EPA to drop permit requirement for CAFOs that propose surface water discharges http://bit.ly/NMzwLT (PDF file)
- Sand County Foundation comes out in support of EPA approval of Wisconsin's phosphorus rule bit.ly/PHpeOu
- Gulf of Mexico Dead Zone Down After Drought; 4 articles http://fxn.ws/QKrHoX http://sacb.ee/QKrIJL http://bit.ly/QKrLFi http://bit.ly/QKrSk7
- Researcher says big drought resulted in a smaller dead zone in Gulf of Mexico http://bit.ly/QKqDSd
- House T&I Committee Passes Three Controversial Bills Limiting EPA Powers http://bit.ly/NnUhKS
- Sen. Mike Johanns (R-NE) introduces bill to ban US EPA from conducting "aerial surveillance" for one year http://bit.ly/No0Pcp
- Army Corps warns of dredging on falling Mississippi River and tributaries without a permit http://bit.ly/MSn0bv
- Awards "roll in" for Greater New Orleans Hurricane and Storm Damage Risk Reduction System http://bit.ly/LV7xGM (PDF file)
- Over prolonged period, water consumption in Minneapolis and St. Paul (MN) has been declining steeply and steadily http://bit.ly/LVccZa
- Army Corps will continue to release water from upstream KS reservoirs to provide navigation support on Missouri River http://bit.ly/NMyH5R
- Missouri River drought impacts diluted by releasing northern reservoir water reserves, while Mississippi River hit hard http://bit.ly/MVD2Vq
- Des Moines Water Works ended July with record high water usage amid historic drought and water conservation plan http://dmreg.co/RfcsVv
- Army Corps of Engineers presents plans for West Bank (LA) wetland restoration projects to mitigate levee-caused losses http://bit.ly/RfdEbd
- New WV appeals board decision is demanding tougher mining permit reviews and tightening water quality limits http://bit.ly/Rf9EYv
- MO DNR to hold public meeting on permitting for coal ash landfill at Ameren Missouri's Rush Island power plant http://bit.ly/RfaBQv
- USDA Blog: Secretary's Column: Managing our Forests to Drive Job Growth http://ow.ly/cylCG
- MN DNR confirms zebra mussels in Lake Minnewaska near Glenwood, MN http://bit.ly/QnD7y
- Army Corps: no action should be taken on $2.9B Mississippi River-Gulf Outlet restoration plan because LA won't pay 35% http://bit.ly/MVDNxI
- Mississippi River Delta Restoration Campaign's "Delta Dispatches" July 30 issue http://bit.ly/MVOXCJ
- Appellate court rules for towns in PA fracking suit; overturns key parts of state's new natural gas development law http://lat.ms/LV9zqv
- Nationwide Insurance announces it won't offer coverage for property damage caused by hydraulic fracturing http://bit.ly/MVCHlF
- WI business group urges Mining Association not to discuss mining bill with Dems/environmentalists until after election http://bit.ly/SWtryk
- WI iron mining areas extend into Mississippi River Basin; map here: http://bit.ly/LVbhrS
- IL DNR denies permit for 600-acre coal mine in Illinois River floodplain and near town and wildlife area http://cbsn.ws/NbaEex
- Senate Majority Leader Reid announces 6-month deal to fund federal government through March 2013; averting 9/30 shutdown http://politi.co/PjjS80 and http://bit.ly/MhsW2W
- Republican & Democratic leaders agree to extend current government funding levels through first 6 months of FY2013 http://on.wsj.com/OCBjpD
- Congress set to punt on taxes, cuts -"looks like it is gearing up to do what it does best: stall" http://politi.co/RfhdhP
- Volunteers pluck trash from low Cedar River during 25th Annual River Cleanup bit.ly/MOme4z
- Pathways to Success conference: Integrating Human Dimensions into Fish & Wildlife Management; Breckenridge, CO; 9/24-27 http://bit.ly/y3WUzz
- Upper Mississippi River Basin Association meetings scheduled for August 28-30; La Crosse, WI http://bit.ly/d1ksBR (open to public)
- NRC meeting on Levees & the National Flood Insurance Program: Improving Policies & Practices; August 15; St. Louis, MO http://bit.ly/Psqx02
- Celebrate National Farmers Market Week! — August 5-11 http://bit.ly/OEhfTQ
- 32nd International Symposium of the North American Lake Management Society; Nov 7-9 Madison, WI http://bit.ly/OFkoPA
- American Farmland Trust's July e-newsletter, including MN and WI farm conservation coverage http://bit.ly/Og2xhK
- Mississippi River Delta Restoration Campaign's "Delta Dispatches" July 30 issue http://bit.ly/MVOXCJ
- Tennessee Clean Water Network July 31 e-newsletter with special nutrients and fracking coverage http://bit.ly/QfwLEo
- From the Council for Agricultural Science & Technology: "Water & Land Issues Associated with Animal Agriculture: A U.S. Perspective" abstract; free download: http://bit.ly/OIWogt
- "Heat in the Heartland: 60 Years of Warming in the Midwest" looks at five major Midwest urban areas bit.ly/OTxd7j
- Senators introduce revised version of legislation to preempt U.S. EPA regulation of coal ash disposal http://bit.ly/OFn9R8
- Poll finds Sen. McCaskill (D-MO) down in Missouri's US Senate race; trailing all 3 possible GOP opponents http://bit.ly/Qy7fHU
- Rep. Geoff Davis (R-KY-4) resigns from Congress, effective immediately http://politi.co/OCLeLE
- Former WI Governor Thompson locked in a three-way fight for Wisconsin’s GOP US Senate nomination http://wapo.st/RffYPz
- August primaries can end careers of some US Reps; possibles include Akin, Clay, Carnahan (MO); Black (TN) http://bit.ly/RfnF8g
- Chuck Fleischmann (R-TN-3) wins U.S. House seat primary in redrawn Tennessee district http://bit.ly/OFmwqF
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