Mississippi River Basin Water Resource News of the Week

~Virtual Newspaper for an Aquatic World~

Shutdown Ends But Budget Negotiations Continue; Amendment Authorizes Ohio River Locks and Dam Funding
Late Wednesday night Congress approved and the President signed a budget agreement that ends a 16-day government shutdown and allows the government to borrow money through February 7, 2014 (PDF file version of the bill can be found here).  Known as the "Continuing Appropriations Act, 2014," the bill passed 81-18 in the Senate and 285-144 in the House, with all of the "no" votes coming from Republicans.  The measure funds the government at Fiscal Year 2103 levels through January 15 and authorizes back pay for furloughed federal workers.  It also forms a conference committee tasked to work out a long-term budget agreement and avoid across-the-board "sequestration" cuts scheduled to take place on January 1.

Olmsted Lock and Dam in 2012

From a Mississippi River Basin perspective, the bill also includes a $2 billion increase in the construction funding authorization for an Ohio River Army Corps of Engineers project; an amendment reportedly engineered by Kentucky Republican Senator Mitch McConnell that adds funds to complete a river navigation structure known as the Olmsted lock and dam in Illinois and Kentucky. That amendment raises the amount authorized for the Army Corps of Engineers' Olmsted Lock and Dam project to $2.9 billion from $775 million. 

To read more budget settlement and Olmsted project details, you can see our summary article, here.

Notable @UpperMiss Twitter Postings for the Week

Water Quality -

• U of MN study: cutting phosphorus in lakes reduces algae, but can lead to unintended nitrogen increases ow.ly/pKZNX
• Comments accepted by Minnesota Pollution Control Agency on draft Minnesota Nutrient Reduction Strategy through Dec 18 http://ow.ly/pRCa6
• Seven more Kentucky lakes believed to have excessive toxic algae but officials haven't identified them yet ow.ly/pMUAK
• Nebraska environment quality agency says flooded Platte River no longer a public health risk ow.ly/pMW8K
• Over 50 WV and PA property owners sue FirstEnergy over groundwater pollution blamed on coal ash impoundment, pipeline http://ow.ly/pPRTK
• PA DEP: 160+ problems with plan to close Little Blue Run coal ash pond on Pennsylvania-West Virginia border http://ow.ly/pWENT
• Environmental regulators in Ohio want to set limits on algal-feeding pollution in state's streams and lakes http://ow.ly/pPSov
• Ohio seeks to set limits on phosphorus in streams http://ow.ly/pU8FE
• Iowa Environmental Protection Commission won’t require numerical standards for nutrients in lakes http://ow.ly/pPTbQ and http://ow.ly/pPTwy
• Researchers report that Central Illinois river otters are exposed to polychlorinated biphenyls  and pesticides http://ow.ly/pPUeO
• Wisconsin Public Radio: Minnesota’s water monitoring system may be more extensive and comprehensive than Wisconsin’s http://ow.ly/pPWfX
• Industry concerned that EPA draft study of small waters' clean water act jurisdiction determination includes groundwater http://ow.ly/pRzOJ
• Three federal appeals courts set to consider whether EPA Clean Water Act waterbody jurisdiction determinations are reviewable http://ow.ly/pRAe2
• Critics accelerate push to limit EPA's authority to override Army Corps' permits http://ow.ly/pU9RC

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

• House will bring Water Resources Reform and Development Act bill to boost U.S. ports and waterways to floor next week http://ow.ly/pU7Ls
• House Republicans plan to follow up vote to end the government shutdown with a water resources bill vote next week http://ow.ly/pWrSo
• T and I Committee Chairman Shuster says House will take up water resources bill next week http://ow.ly/pUd9K
• New York Times: Sharp increases in federal flood insurance rates are distressing homeowners nationwide ow.ly/pLARQ
• Group accuses Sen. McConnell (R-KY) of putting 'Kentucky Kickback' lock and dam spending authority into debt bill http://ow.ly/pU7su
• Beleaguered Ohio River locks and dam become headache for McConnell http://ow.ly/pUbpw
• Water project advocates defend inclusion of an increase in funding for Ohio River dam project in Kentucky http://ow.ly/pWrss

Farm Bill-

• A full House-Senate farm bill conference could begin the last week of October http://ow.ly/pU0m7
• Lawmakers turn attention once more to plowing ahead on farm bill http://ow.ly/pUbGr
• House of Representatives appoints members to farm bill conference committee. 17 GOP: ow.ly/pKXvU 12 Dems: ow.ly/pKXxW
• Many see farm bill as one of the only major measures that could be approved by divided Congress during 2013 http://ow.ly/pWqT4
• The Hill’s Floor Action Blog: “The House on Friday voted to go to conference with the Senate on a farm bill" ow.ly/pKG80
• House votes down two motions to instruct House conferees when they meet with Senate to negotiate final farm bill ow.ly/pLCW5
• National Farmers Union letter to members of farm bill conference committee outlines NFU final bill priorities http://ow.ly/pRDxK (PDF file)
• American Farm Bureau Federation lays out farm bill priorities for House-Senate conferees about to begin negotiations http://ow.ly/pRDKv
• Editorial: Heritage Foundation comparison of House and Senate farm bills, with that organization's recommendations http://ow.ly/pWs5b

Agriculture -

• Ag Professional editorial: more fertilizer, nutrient management regulations likely coming for US ag retailers ow.ly/pKZfT
• Early blizzard has ravaged South Dakota's livestock industry ow.ly/pKZu3
• Weed-resistance experts warn that herbicide-resistant weeds aggressively taking hold in many areas http://t.co/GB37n0mh7J

Climate and Weather

October 15 Drought Monitor Map
(click to enlarge)

• Heavy to excessive Midwest and Plains precipitation prompts another round of broad-scale drought improvements http://ow.ly/pI1AX

Biodiversity, Wildlife and Invasives -

• USGS researches use of biological weapons for targeted control of Asian carp http://ow.ly/pPjyn
• Cottonwood trees that once dominated forests along the Missouri River are in danger of disappearing http://ow.ly/pPjLQ
• Ducks Unlimited restoring and enhancing several tracts along the Platte River in Nebraska http://ow.ly/pPk2m

In the Cities -

Mississippi River Cities and Towns Initiative Economic Summit

• Mississippi River mayors and Delta Regional Authority announce agreement at Mississippi River economic summit  http://ow.ly/pWInj
• Mississippi River mayors call on Congress to increase funding for infrastructure improvements, dredging http://ow.ly/pWJd7
• Mississippi River mayors present river developments at Memphis economic summit http://ow.ly/pWKEi
• Mayors of towns and cities along the Mississippi River recently hold summit to discuss river based economy and safety http://ow.ly/pWLxi
• Mississippi River mayors pitch container traffic, more in Memphis meeting http://ow.ly/pWKPr
• Mayors from Mississippi River cities meet on ways to grow the economy along the river, and prepare, plan for flooding http://ow.ly/pWK8C
• Natchez Mayor Brown talks Mississippi River economics, River Delta at Memphis meetings http://ow.ly/pRBHT
• St. Cloud, MN mayor attending Memphis conference of mayors on Mississippi River cities' economic progress http://ow.ly/pRC1p
• Cape Girardeau Mayor Harry Rediger attends Mississippi River community economic summit http://ow.ly/pUdYx

Other News

• Lakeland, MN will allow St. Croix River house that breaks setback rule over Minnesota DNR objections http://ow.ly/pUeel
• Local Lakeland zoning change could test Minnesota's ability to regulate development along the scenic St. Croix River http://ow.ly/pWL6A
• Construction begins on Wisconsin River riverfront restoration and redevelopment in Wausau http://ow.ly/pRCtz
• Project to create green space along Mississippi River in Davenport awarded $300,000 state grant ow.ly/pMVEG
• Mississippi River levee bicycle and pedestrian path opens in Algiers Point, La. http://ow.ly/pUeSe

In the States-

• States say federal government shutdown is forcing them to furlough staff, scale back key environmental programs http://ow.ly/pRzyY
• Jon Hagler abruptly replaced as director of Missouri's agriculture agency  dlvr.it/47ST55

Resource Extraction -

• Environmental groups appeal ruling allowing Peabody Energy to operate Indiana coal mine they contend fouls waterways ow.ly/pKZZt
• Ohio Department of Natural Resources writing new rules for construction of lagoons that hold fracking water ow.ly/pMUnB

Federal Budget -

• Congress votes to end shutdown and raise debt ceiling, both on a short term basis ow.ly/pU073
• EPA and other environmental agencies will need time to resume their lapsed activities after shutdown hiatus http://ow.ly/pU9xW
• Senate Environment and Public Works Committee Republicans: "Top Ten Reasons The Government Shutdown Isn't All Bad" http://ow.ly/pRAxP

Events -  Information on all past and future events listed here can be viewed in the on-line calendar (here as a stand-alone calendar)

• Oct 18 10:55–11:55 AM ET: The World Food Prize: leaders in sustainable agriculture speak in panel streamed live at: ow.ly/pVfTK
• Platte River ecosystem will be focus of Crane Trust's second annual research symposium; Oct 18; Wood River, NE http://ow.ly/pPkeW
• Webinar: The Wetland Institute Big Bureau Creek wetland and water quality trading markets project; Oct 22; 1 PM CT http://ow.ly/pRCRH
• New Mississippi River book- "Old Man River;" Meet the author at 1 Mississippi Campaign's Barge Bash Party Oct 28, Grafton, IL http://ow.ly/pRMuW
• Webinar to help local governments reduce flooding, sewer overflows using green stormwater infrastructure; October 31, 2:30 PM http://ow.ly/pWCAn
• 2013 World Wildlife Fund Fuller Science for Nature Symposium; November 13, National Geographic Society, Washington, DC http://ow.ly/pWya0
• Ohio Stormwater Conference - Call for Abstracts Now Open; June 4-6, 2014; Akron, Ohio http://ow.ly/pU8Qe
• Pathways Conference: Common Futures, Integrating Human Dimensions into Fish and Wildlife Management, Estes Park, CO, Oct 5-9, 2014 http://ow.ly/pU8he

e-Newsletters, Publications, Journals, Multimedia  -

• E-newsletter from the Institute for Agriculture and Trade Policy, October, 2013 http://ow.ly/pPZXv
• Minnesota Pollution Control Agency's Watershed Network News-October 17, news on cover crops, nutrient management plan ow.ly/pUIe3

Other news-

• One of five authentic steamboats left on the Mississippi River may be back in service on River in 2014 http://ow.ly/pUdnN

  

  The Julia Belle Swain is one of five authentic steamboats
  left on the Mississippi River

• Residents sue Plaquemines Parish, La., seeking review of building permit approval for Mississippi River oil terminal http://ow.ly/pPVcm
• Environmentalist supporters of EPA's renewable fuel standard see 2014 policy to revise RFS as alternative to a bill ow.ly/pMUVy
• House bill to revise EPA's renewable fuel standard unlikely to propose major reforms but may increase EPA flexibility ow.ly/pMV9V
• Shutdown or not, Memphis hosts Mississippi River economic summit ow.ly/pMVUs
• Study links warmer water temperatures to greater levels of mercury in fish ow.ly/pPiRN
• Winona soon may be the first Minnesota city to monitor frac sand levels in ambient air http://ow.ly/pPSUq
• "Paddle Forward" canoe expedition passes through Twin Cities; documenting trip downriver to New Orleans http://t.co/3NdlElnFgq
• Why Residents of Disaster-Prone Areas Don't Move-And a few ideas for how to ensure more resilient communities http://ow.ly/pWtsz

Politics and People -

• Rep. Bruce Braley (D-Iowa) seeks to position himself in the center as he runs for Iowa’'s open Senate seat ow.ly/pLDwb
• 14-candidate field from both sides of aisle battle for two spots in Oct 19 Louisiana 5th House district runoff election http://ow.ly/pPskQ
• New poll numbers are in for three key Mississippi River Basin states' U.S.  Senate races of the 2014 cycle: AR, LA and WV http://ow.ly/pPsTP
• Democrat Amar Kaleka will try to unseat GOP Rep. Paul Ryan in 2014 (Wisconsin 1st Congressional District) http://ow.ly/pPtyI
• Mississippi state Sen. McDaniel announces plans to challenge six-term US Sen. Thad Cochran in 2014 GOP primary http://ow.ly/pWtQc

Last Word-

Jumping Asian Carp

"Fish are doing things here that they haven't in their native distribution, which frankly scares me." -- Dr. Reuben Goforth, Purdue University assistant professor, while discussing his recent studies of Asian carp in Indiana's Wabash River