Hello From New Orleans . . .

Mississippi River at New Orleans

. . . and the 2014 Conference on Ecological and Ecosystem Restoration ("CEER 2014").  The week-long conference will highlight many Mississippi River Basin and Louisiana Gulf Coast studies and remedial efforts (there are 146 citations for the "Mississippi River," 21 for the "Louisiana coast," and 71 for the "Gulf of Mexico" in the conference abstract compilation). Tuesday's opening plenary session for the conference will feature remarks by R. King Milling, CEER 2014 Honorary Chair, and Chair of Louisiana Governor’s Advisory Commission on Coastal Protection, Restoration and Conservation.  Wednesday's morning plenary session will deal with "Mississippi River Restoration," when speakers seek to frame the nature and scope of action required to sustainably manage the Mississippi River system; assuring the integrity of its natural resources and assets.  Moderated by Val Marmillion of America’s Wetland Foundation, the Wednesday session contributors include Edward E. Belk, Jr., Director of Programs, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Mississippi Valley Division; Gary LaGrange, President and CEO of the Port of New Orleans; Robert Twilley, Executive Director, LSU Sea Grant College Program; and Kirk Hanlin, Assistant Chief of USDA's Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS).  Friday morning's plenary will focus on "Gulf Coast Ecosystem Restoration – RESTORE – Deepwater Horizon," and feature a discussion of restoration plans and programs such as RESTORE, NRDA funding of projects, the Gulf Environmental Fund and the Louisiana State Master Plan. That session's speakers include Justin Ehrenwerth, Executive Director, Gulf Coast Ecosystem Restoration Council; Kyle Graham, Executive Director, Coastal Protection and Restoration Authority, Baton Rouge, Louisiana; and Tanner Johnson, Gulf Environmental Benefit Fund Director (Louisiana and Texas) (Moderator: Don Boesch, President, University of Maryland Center for Environmental Science).

Capitol Hill This Week - What to Watch For

As the clock ticks down toward the mid-term election in less than 100 days, the U.S. House is scheduled to be in session four more days this month, no days in August, ten days in September and two days in October. Today (Monday), the House is scheduled to consider H.R. 935, a bill that would allow farmers to spray pesticides near bodies of water without a permit.  That bill would bar the U.S. EPA from requiring a Clean Water Act permit for the activity, which would be considered a discharge of pesticides to a waterway.   Also scheduled for full House consideration this week is H.R. 4315, the ‘‘Endangered Species  Transparency and Reasonableness Act,’’ a controversial bill that would modify the 40-year-old Endangered Species Act.

Below are the other House and Senate activities currently scheduled for this week's four legislative days that relate to Mississippi River Basin water resources. Links are provided to the relevant committee web pages, and, where appropriate, to pieces of legislation. Many Congressional proceedings are webcast live, and these should be, as well (follow the appropriate link). All times are Eastern.  This page will be updated as warranted.

Monday

• House Rules Committee meeting to discuss the rules for full House consideration of H.R. 4315,  the "21st Century Endangered Species Transparency Act," 5:00 PM, room H-313 The Capitol.

Tuesday

• House Natural Resources Subcommittee on Public Lands and Environmental Regulation legislative hearing on several bills, including: S. 311, the “Lower Mississippi River Area Study Act,” to study the suitability and feasibility of designating sites in the Lower Mississippi River Area in Louisiana as a unit of the National Park System; H.R. 4901, the “Advancing Conservation and Education Act of 2014,” to maximize land management efficiencies, promote land conservation, and generate education funding; H.R. 4979, the “Red River Private Property Protection Act,” to provide legal certainty to property owners along the Red River in Texas; and H.R. 5086, to study the feasibility of designating the Chief Standing Bear National Historic Trail; 10:00 AM, room 1324 Longworth House Office Building.
• Senate Budget Committee hearing on "The Costs of Inaction: The Economic and Budgetary Consequences of Climate Change;" 10:00 AM, room 608 Dirksen Senate Office Building. 
• Senate Commerce, Science, and Transportation’s Subcommittee on Oceans, Atmosphere, Fisheries and Coast Guard hearing on “Revisiting the RESTORE Act: Progress and Challenges in Gulf Restoration Post-Deepwater Horizon.” 10:30 AM, room 253 Russell Senate Office Building.

Wednesday

• House Small Business Committee hearing on "Regulatory Overreach: Is EPA Meeting Its Small Business Obligations?" - to examine the EPA's compliance with the Regulatory Flexibility Act in relation to the agency's recent rule makings; 10:00 AM, room 2360 Rayburn House Office Building.
• House Natural Resources Full Committee hearing on several bills, including: S. 311, the “Lower Mississippi River Area Study Act,” to study the suitability and feasibility of designating sites in the Lower Mississippi River Area in Louisiana as a unit of the National Park System;  H.R. 5026, To prohibit closing or repurposing any propagation fish hatchery or aquatic species propagation program of the Department of the Interior unless such action is expressly authorized by an Act of Congress, and for other purposes. “the Fish Hatchery Protection Act;” and H.R. 5069, To amend the Migratory Bird Hunting and Conservation Stamp Act to increase in the price of Migratory Bird Hunting and Conservation Stamps to fund the acquisition of conservation easements for migratory birds, and for other purposes. “the Federal Duck Stamp Act;”  10:00 AM, room 1334 Longworth House Office Building.

Mississippi River Basin Water Resource Weekly News

~Virtual Newspaper for an Aquatic World~

Minnesota DNR Contractor Catches Two Asian Carp Upstream of Previous Sightings  

Mississippi River Lock and Dam System
(click to enlarge)

Minnesota Department of Natural Resources (MN DNR) contractors netted two adult non-native Asian carp, one a bighead carp and the other a silver carp, in Pool 2 of the Mississippi River in the Cottage Grove, Minnesota area on July 17. Because of the ability of Asian carp and many other non-native fish to compete with and displace native species, invasive fish are a significant threat to native biodiversity and the economy in the Mississippi River watershed. Pool 2 is formed upstream of the Army Corps of Engineers Lock and Dam 2 at Mississippi River mile 815.2 near Hastings, Minnesota.  For more details on the sighting, see this MN DNR press release and our related overview.

This Week, Next Week and Beyond
The U.S. House is scheduled to be in session just 16 more days until the November mid-term election: four more this month, no days in August, ten days in September and two days in October.  This link leads to a listing of the U.S. House and Senate activities currently scheduled for next week's four legislative days that relate to Mississippi River Basin water resources.  That activity is unlikely to include any meaningful action on spending bills.  Some time during September, the House will likely vote on a stop-gap measure to prevent a federal government shutdown on October 1, deferring most of the big spending decisions until after the midterms.  Here is a link to the abridged, one-paragraph version of the past week.

Noteworthy @UpperMiss Twitter Postings for the Week

Water Quality -

• 2014 Gulf of Mexico dead zone smaller than usual, measuring about 2,600 square miles and bearing out predictions http://ow.ly/zrs5E
• Association of State Wetland Managers: "Clean Water Act Jurisdiction, Polluters and Clean Water" http://ow.ly/zoaS7
• West Virginia Department of Environmental Protection cites mountaintop-removal mine over runoff threat to nearby stream http://ow.ly/zodpw
• Grasslands conversion to farmland may increase water pollution in Southeastern Minnesota http://ow.ly/zokz1
• USEPA awards over $11 million to Oklahoma to assist communities in improving water quality and infrastructure http://ow.ly/zrj54
• USDA delays roll-out of new water quality best management practices on National Forest System lands http://j.mp/1zYn3NN (proposed rule open for 30 days additional public comment)
• A new poll finds support in the business community for the EPA’s proposed “Waters of the United States” rule. http://j.mp/1pcz2hZ
• Legislation streamlining regulation of wastewater discharges from ships passes Senate Committee press release: http://ow.ly/zxnaX bill: http://ow.ly/zxnsc story: http://ow.ly/zxnDd
• Federal judge finds Alpha Natural Resources subsidiary liable for discharging selenium-polluted water at West Virginia mine http://ow.ly/zzxUz
• Local officials tell House committee they want more flexibility on wastewater mandates http://ow.ly/zzz5a

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

• Sen. Mary Landrieu (D-La.) pressures Federal Emergency Management Agency to finish updating U.S.  flood maps by 2017 http://ow.ly/zxmQJ
• Western Kansas will be forced to adjust to the reality of a shrinking Ogallala aquifer http://ow.ly/zuBJa
• USDA to provide $262 million for rehabilitation assistance for 150 dams in 26 states http://ow.ly/zoe1n (list of projects by state: http://ow.ly/zodVu)
• Minneapolis' "golden age of river traffic" never arrived http://ow.ly/zrt4Z (and follow-up article: http://ow.ly/zrt7W)
• Federal regulators give two Nebraska utilities more time to evaluate Missouri River flooding hazards at nuclear power plants http://ow.ly/zuEpv
• Resources for the Future discussion Paper: Floodplain Conservation as a Flood Mitigation Strategy http://ow.ly/zx0Ov (PDF file)
• Metropolitan Council (Twin Cities) outlines options for augmenting White Bear Lake with Mississippi River water http://ow.ly/zxl3x

Falling corn prices are raising fears
that many U.S. farmers will
suffer their first losses in years

Agriculture -

• Policy Matters blog (University of Illinois): “A Brief History of Farm Conservation Policy” http://ow.ly/zzBa9
• USDA Reminds Farmers of 2014 Farm Bill Conservation Compliance Changes http://ow.ly/zsn3Y
• NPR: Deploying Drones To Get An Overview Of Factory Farms http://ow.ly/zob69
• Sen. Pat Roberts (R., Kans.): "many folks believe [EPA] rules are driven by an anti-agriculture agenda" http://ow.ly/zuxcq
• Story in graphs: Agricultural economy poised to face first sustained slump in a decade http://ow.ly/zzAeB http://ow.ly/zzAgX http://ow.ly/zzAj0

Climate and Weather -

• July 22 US drought update: Widespread precipitation in River Basin, plus unseasonably cool air, lead to general drought relief http://ow.ly/wmTdv
• NOAA: On heels of May's record, June's average global temperature sets a new record at 61.2F, 1.3F higher than June's 20th Century average ow.ly/zpw2S
• NY Times: Mapping the Spread of Drought Across the U.S.; Maps and charts show changing extent of the drought http://ow.ly/zzwKL

Biodiversity, Wildlife and Invasives -

The longear sunfish, Lepomis megalotis, is a freshwater fish
in the sunfish family Centrarchidae

• Sunfish found in Mississippi River;s Iowa waters likely a rare longear sunfish http://ow.ly/zuDwy historically found in now-rare backwaters 
• NY Times: Conservation effort to protect the sage grouse has put different environmental interests at odds http://ow.ly/zoai1
• House members request USDA report on cost, feasibility of Lesser Prairie Chicken conservation measures http://ow.ly/zrikS
• La Crosse, Wis. experienced millions of mayflies from a Mississippi River hatch on Sunday; may have contributed to car crash http://ow.ly/zrtoA (and they show up on radar: http://ow.ly/zurYB)
• Two Asian Carp Species Caught by Minnesota DNR Contractor Upstream of Previous Sightings; MN DNR release: http://ow.ly/zxuuH
• Chinese subsidiary aims for big Asian carp catch near Indianola, Mississippi http://ow.ly/zxqER
• Successful pollinator habitat program in Europe is being launched in the Mississippi Delta http://ow.ly/zrtPy

In the Cities -

• Trout Brook in St. Paul’s North End to see daylight once again as part of Nature Sanctuary and Regional Trail project http://ow.ly/zoCYE
• $1 million FEMA grant to Eddyville, Iowa aimed at protecting city from Des Moines River flooding http://ow.ly/zrrAk
• Rock Island County Metropolitan Mass Transit District will receive $756,350 in DOT  funds to construct a new Mississippi River Passenger Ferryboat Terminal in Moline, Illinois http://ow.ly/zrZn3
• GreenStep Cities sprout in Minnesota promoting environmentally sustainable standard operating practices http://ow.ly/zuyTW

In the States-

• Nebraska Natural Resources Commission lays groundwork for projects intended to preserve state's long-term water supply http://ow.ly/zoBZW
• Minnesota Pollution Control Agency survey says: Minnesotans want clean water for fish http://ow.ly/zs2lU

Gulf Coastal Region-

• National Research Council Report: Gulf and Atlantic Coasts Not Prepared for Sea-Level Rise; National Geographic story http://ow.ly/zxlkU and NRC release: http://ow.ly/zxlqe

Resource Development -

• Obama administration plans to raise amount of ethanol, other biofuels that must be blended into U.S. fuel supply http://ow.ly/zzAOg (also see: http://ow.ly/zzAYu)
• How oil and gas firms gained influence and transformed North Dakota http://ow.ly/zouod
• Wisconsin frac sand facility operates two high-capacity wells without permit, faces $52,500 in fines http://ow.ly/zuyno

Federal Budget -

• House Speaker Boehner (R-Ohio) expects House will consider a stopgap funding bill in September to avoid a government shutdown http://ow.ly/zxUM8
• $34 billion spending bill for energy and water programs for fiscal year 2015 released  by Senate appropriators http://ow.ly/zzyzo

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

• 2014 National Forum on Contaminants in Fish; September 22-24,  Alexandria, Virginia http://ow.ly/zoeqb
• Public meetings will be held by the Mississippi River Commission in August at various Mississippi River locations http://ow.ly/zzv74
• Save the date: 18th International Soil Conservation Organization Conference, El Paso, Texas; May 31-June 5, 2015 http://ow.ly/zv8MQ

e-Newsletters, Publications, Journals, Multimedia  -

• Montana Watershed Coordination Council July 17 http://ow.ly/zof77 and July 24 Watershed News http://ow.ly/zzwpI
• Minnesota Pollution Control Agency Watershed Network News - July 22 http://ow.ly/zsmOI
• July 23 Tulane Institute on Water Resources Law and Policy's issue of TUWaterWays e-newsletter http://ow.ly/zxSq3

Other news-

• New rules require additional IDs to enter federal facilities for persons with a driver’s license issued by 12 states, including Kentucky, Louisiana, Minnesota, Montana and Oklahoma in the Mississippi River Basin. http://ow.ly/zx1Q2
• Department of Interior designates Mississippi Delta as a National Heritage Area http://ow.ly/zoCxK
• Louisiana and Iowa led all U.S. states in the value of industrial construction projects during 2013  http://ow.ly/zuCJO

Politics and People-

• American voters say they really, really hate Congress, unless it's their own representative, that is http://ow.ly/zzOty
• New Upper Mississippi Wildlife Refuge manager Sabrina Chandle brings "river-deep" expertise http://ow.ly/zuD8p
• Election of North Dakota's agriculture commissioner is all about oil http://ow.ly/zs2KT
• House Majority Whip Kevin McCarthy does not officially become House Majority Leader until August, but for all intents and purposes, he is already http://ow.ly/zoyad

Your Moment of Zen -

It's mating season for the millions of mayflies emerging from the Mississippi River near LaCrosse, Wisconsin. Source: NWS

What We Learned This Week - "Are You a Good Fish or a Bad Fish?"

As predicted, the 2014 Gulf of Mexico dead zone is smaller than usual, measuring about 2,600 square miles, roughly the size of Delaware.  If you're from Kentucky, Louisiana, Minnesota, Montana or Oklahoma, take more than your driver's license to gain entry into the halls of Congress and other federal facilities under new screening requirements. Most small business owners say they would support the provisions of the Obama Administration's proposed Waters of the U.S. rule.  A new study shows once more that climate models are indeed reliable.  As if to affirm that confirmation, we've broken the world temperature record in June after posting a hottest-ever May. On a related note, the Gulf of Mexico coast is ill-prepared for the inevitable sea-level rise. There is good news and bad news of the "Finding Nemo" variety: The good news - a sunfish found recently in Iowa's Mississippi River waters is likely a rare longear sunfish.  The bad news - two Asian carp species were found by a Minnesota DNR contractor well upriver from where they were previously observed.  The La Crosse, Wisconsin area has experienced millions of mayflies emerging from a Mississippi River hatch, which may have contributed to a car crash.  The happiest city in the US according to a new study is Lafayette, Louisiana.  Oh, "Minneapolis-golden-age-of-river-traffic," we hardly knew ye!  Insurers are reaping the benefits of a significant uptick in the number of earthquakes in Oklahoma (2,300 so far in 2014), but the causes of the increase there and elsewhere in the region are unclear. American voters say they really, really hate Congress, excluding their own representative, that is. This year's Kentucky Senate race is on track to be the most expensive U.S. Senate contest ever, and it has a new candidate: a "terribly frank" Gil Fulbright has entered the race, although he won't be appearing anywhere on the November ballot.  And last, but not least, the theme for this year's Annual Blessing of the Fleet and Parade of Boats in Portage des Sioux, Missouri is "Noah's Ark."  In keeping with that theme, the event had to be rescheduled from July 19 to August 9 because of Mississippi River flooding.

Capitol Hill This Week - What to Watch For

Below are the U.S. House and Senate activities currently scheduled for this week that relate to Mississippi River Basin water resources.  Links are provided to the relevant committee web pages, and, where appropriate, to pieces of legislation. Many Congressional proceedings are webcast live, and these should be, as well (follow the appropriate link).  All times are Eastern.  This page will updated as warranted.



Wednesday:

• House Energy and Commerce Subcommittee on Environment and the Economy hearing on Modernizing the Business of Environmental Regulation and Protection; 10:00 AM, room 2322 Rayburn House Office Building.
• House Natural Resources Subcommittee on Fisheries, Wildlife, Oceans and Insular Affairs hearing on several bills, including: H.R. 3409, To amend the National Wildlife Refuge System Administration Act of 1966 to require that any expansion of a national wildlife refuge must be expressly authorized by statute. “the National Wildlife Refuge Expansion Limitation Act;” H.R. 5026, To prohibit closing or repurposing any propagation fish hatchery or aquatic species propagation program of the Department of the Interior unless such action is expressly authorized by an Act of Congress, and for other purposes. “the Fish Hatchery Protection Act;” and H.R. 5069, To amend the Migratory Bird Hunting and Conservation Stamp Act to increase in the price of Migratory Bird Hunting and Conservation Stamps to fund the acquisition of conservation easements for migratory birds, and for other purposes. “the Federal Duck Stamp Act;”  10:00 AM, room 1334 Longworth House Office Building.
• Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Homeland Security hearing: “Insuring our Future: Building a Flood Insurance Program We Can Live With, Grow With, and Prosper With;”  2:30 PM, room SD-138 of the Dirksen Senate Office Building. 
• Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation Executive Session to consider several bills, including S. 2094, Vessel Incidental Discharge Act, regarding the regulation of discharges incidental to normal ship operations in navigable waterways; 2:30 PM, room 253 Russell Senate Office Building.
• Senate Energy and Natural Resources Subcommittee on National Parks hearing on several bills, including S. 2392, to amend the Wild and Scenic Rivers Act to designate certain segments of East Rosebud Creek in Carbon County, Montana, as components of the Wild and Scenic Rivers System; and S. 1641, to establish the Appalachian Forest National Heritage Area; 2:30 PM, room 366 Dirksen Senate Office Building.

Thursday:

• House Transportation and Infrastructure Subcommittee on Water Resources and Environment hearing on Integrated Planning and Permitting Framework: An Opportunity for EPA to Provide Communities with Flexibility to Make Smart Investments in Water Quality; 10:00 AM, room 2167 Rayburn House Office Building. 
• House Natural Resources Subcommittee on Public Lands and Environmental Regulation oversight hearing on "Threats, Intimidation and Bullying by Federal Land Managing Agencies, Part II;” 2:00 PM, room 1324 Longworth House Office Building.
• Senate Homeland Security Subcommittee on Emergency Management, Intergovernmental Relations, and the District of Columbia hearing on “The Path to Efficiency: Making FEMA More Effective for Streamlined Disaster Operations;” 2:30 PM, room SD-342, Dirksen Senate Office Building.
• Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee hearing to consider the nomination of Joseph L. Nimmich to be Deputy Administrator, Federal Emergency Management Agency; 3:45 PM, room SD-342, Dirksen Senate Office Building.

Two Asian Carp Species Caught by Minnesota DNR Contractor Upstream of Previous Sightings

Mississippi River Lock and Dam System
(click to enlarge)

The Minnesota Department of Natural Resources (MN DNR) has announced that its contractors netted two adult invasive (or non-native) Asian carp in Pool 2 of the Mississippi River in the Cottage Grove, Minnesota area on July 17. One of the carp was a Bighead carp weighing about 40 pounds. The second was a Silver carp that weighed about 20 pounds.    Because of the ability of Asian carp and many other non-native fish to compete with and displace native species, invasive fish are a significant threat to native biodiversity and the economy in the Mississippi River watershed.  The River's Pool 2 is formed upstream of the Army Corps of Engineers Lock and Dam 2 at Mississippi River mile 815.2 near Hastings, Minnesota (see map to the right).  The pool extends upstream to the Ford Dam, and includes the backwater lakes of Baldwin Lake, River Lake, Spring Lake, Mooers Lake and Grey Cloud Slough.

Prior to last week's catch, Bighead carp had not been detected above the mouth of the St. Croix River near Prescott, Wisconsin; and Silver carp had not been detected above Pool 5A near Winona, Wisconsin.  Pool 5A is formed by Lock and Dam 5A, located near Fountain City, Wisconsin and Goodview, Minnesota around Mississippi River mile 728.5.

Large numbers of several species of non-native, Asian carp have been progressively making their way upstream in the Mississippi River Basin for decades, since their release in the 1970s into the Lower Mississippi River from fish farming operations. Since then, Bighead, Silver and Grass carp (and less extensively Black carp) have been captured throughout much of the Mississippi River watershed from Louisiana to South Dakota, Minnesota and Ohio. Populations of both species are well-established in the Mississippi River and its tributaries downstream of Pool 16, formed by Lock and Dam 16, near Muscatine, Iowa (around river mile 457.2).

The MN DNR plans to continue its Asian carp sampling effort this week in an attempt to determine if additional and smaller carp are in the upper reaches of Pool 2.

What We Learned This Week - There Be Dragons in Kansas

A Federal appeals court upheld USEPA initiatives aimed at reducing water pollution from mountaintop removal mining, but several coal-state lawmakers didn't appreciate the ruling.  In other court water news, the Iowa Supreme Court upheld Iowa's water quality regulations.  EPA Administrator Gina McCarthy hopes to unmuddle the misunderstandings and misstatements surrounding the Administration's proposed waters of the United State rule.  There be dragons in Kansas.   And there be men in North Dakota: Thanks to vast amounts of Bakken shale oil, North Dakota has the greatest concentration of men (51%) of any state besides Alaska.  The New Madrid Seismic Zone in the Mississippi River valley may not be as hot of an earthquake hot-spot as some think.   Republican Kansas Gov. Sam Brownback is running for re-election this year, and 100 of his fellow Republicans just endorsed his Democratic challenger. The Louisiana U.S. Senate race contains one fewer Republican contestant than at the beginning of the week. The odds of a strong El Nino, which would disrupt weather worldwide, are increasingly unlikely, while the odds that the planet is warming seem to be increasing.  U.S. House Republicans continue to push through fiscal year 2015 appropriations bills, but none will be going anywhere fast, as the Democratically-controlled Senate has yet to pass one.  Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid has apparently backtracked on an earlier commitment to put spending bills on Senate floor this summer.  Speaking of partisanship, nurture may not be as powerful as nature when it comes to partisanship. And there may not much hope of that changing in the next generation: Millennials' political views are, at best, in a stage of constant metamorphosis and, at worst, "totally incoherent."  The turnouts of both fish and anglers were strong for Illinois River Asian carp bowfishing tournament. In the short-term, the bowfishers won, but don't count the carp out yet.  And last but not least, "happy 100th birthday" to the Congressional Research Service, which marked its centennial on Wednesday (the Legislative Reference Service was established in the Library of Congress in 1914).

Mississippi River Basin Water Resource Weekly News

~Virtual Newspaper for an Aquatic World~

Ecosystem Restoration Conference to Include Mississippi River Basin and Gulf Coast Focus
The biennial Conference on Ecological and Ecosystem Restoration (CEER) will be held this year in New Orleans, Louisiana from July 28 through August 1, and will include a particular focus on ecosystem restoration in the Mississippi River Basin and the Louisiana coast. CEER is a joint effort of the National Conference on Ecosystem Restoration and the Society for Ecological Restoration. To register to attend CEER 2014 visit this page.  For more details about the Conference and its agenda, see the CEER web site.

House Committee Advances Bills Restricting U.S. EPA Clean Water Activities
On Wednesday, the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee advanced three pieces of legislation during a Committee mark-up session. The bills would limit the Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA's) ability to apply Clean Water Act protections to surface waters under various situations, and would impact the proposed "Waters of the U.S." rule, mountaintop removal mining waste disposal into streams, and the EPA's ability to veto certain Army Corps of Engineers permits. For more details on the bills and their intended impacts, read this summary.

Next Week in Congress
There are quite a few hearings scheduled for next week that relate to Mississippi River Basin's water resources, including hearings on flood insurance affordability, U.S. EPA regulations, FEMA's disaster response ability, and several pieces of legislation.  You can see an overview of the week ahead here.

Noteworthy @UpperMiss Twitter Postings for the Week  

Water Quality -

• EPA: 'I'm going to get this right,' McCarthy says of muddled water rule http://ow.ly/z8gVT
• NRDC and the American Farm Bureau debate debating the Obama administration's controversial Waters of the U.S. proposal http://ow.ly/zdDtn
• American Farm Bureau Federation proposed clean water rule analysis http://ow.ly/zhkZL targets EPA acting water administrator blog post http://ow.ly/zhl3g
• National Farmers Union asks for more clarity on several issues in Administration's proposed Waters of the U.S. rule http://ow.ly/zhrOo
• Federal appeals court upholds USEPA initiatives aimed at reducing water pollution from mountaintop removal mining http://ow.ly/z8g6R (see related article, below)
• Coal-state lawmakers plan legislative response to appeals court ruling upholding Obama administration initiatives  http://ow.ly/z8Xat
• Estimated 1M gallons of saltwater leak from ND pipeline; unknown amount entered Lake Sakakawea tributary (Missouri River reservoir) http://ow.ly/z8HEh
• In fertile Missouri floodplain, farmers scratch their heads over EPA Clean Water Act proposal (Greenwire) ow.ly/zgG7a
• Mississippi River red oak bottomlands accrue significant amounts of nitrogen flowing downstream ow.ly/zg871

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

• EPA releases new Flood Resilience Checklist tool to help communities prepare for, deal with and recover from floods http://ow.ly/z81mp
• Federal Register notice: America's Marine Highway Draft Programmatic Environmental Assessment and Public Comment Period (includes Mississippi River Basin)http://ow.ly/z9738
• Middle Mississippi River floodwaters receding, but it will be some time before River is fully within its banks http://ow.ly/zaT96
• Upper Mississippi River reopened to recreational vessel traffic http://ow.ly/zaTCF locks reopen after being closed http://ow.ly/zaTNt
• Flood potential can be inferred as much as 5–11 months in advance using data from NASA's Gravity Recovery and Climate Experiment  twin satellites http://ow.ly/zaXbz
• St. Francis Levee Board votes unanimously to open up access to the Mississippi River levees in Arkansas for use as trails http://ow.ly/zdABf

Agriculture -

• Jonathan Coppess and Barrett Kirwan (University of Illinois) Policy Matters blog - “Exploring Environmental Regulation of Agriculture” http://ow.ly/zj2Bv
• House lawmakers rip USDA on farm bill progress http://ow.ly/z7QvM
• Missouri and Illinois farmers have encountered half a dozen different "superweed" species immune to glyphosate http://ow.ly/z8d1S
• Social Media, Online Resources Help a Minnesota Rancher Succeed ow.ly/zgDMy
• 'Peak soil' threatens global food security http://ow.ly/zj4cW (corn, other monocultures, lower soil fertility) http://ow.ly/zj4k8

Climate and Weather -

Click to enlarge

• American Meteorological Society's 2013 State of the Climate report (24th edition) released Thursday shows a warming planet http://ow.ly/zhcv6
• NOAA: first 6 months of 2014 coldest since 1993 in southern Mississippi River Valley, western Great Lake states http://ow.ly/zei14
• US drought update: dryness expands into Tennesee and Ohio River valleys; drought eases somewhat in Plains and Missouri River valley http://ow.ly/wmTdv
• Kansas "won’t be as affected by climate change as some states;" but effect on agriculture "too close to call" http://ow.ly/z8QkV
• Odds of a strong El Nino, which would have disrupted weather worldwide, are increasingly unlikely http://ow.ly/zaGG7

Biodiversity, Wildlife and Invasives -

• Kansas to develop lesser prairie chicken program in hopes of getting federal government to back off listing species as threatened http://ow.ly/z8ci3 and http://ow.ly/z8cBw
• Turnout "strong" for Illinois River Asian carp bowfishing tournament http://ow.ly/zaVKS (Ed. note: angler turnout and carp turnout)
• Parties moving toward consensus on short-term measures to mitigate Asian carp movement from Mississippi basin to Great Lakes http://ow.ly/zbmiz
• U.S. appeals court upholds dismissal of lawsuit seeking barriers to keep Mississippi basin Asian carp out of Great Lakes http://ow.ly/zbmY7
• University of Wisconsin-Madison scientists seek alternatives to cranberry pollination by honeybees http://ow.ly/zb1UC
• Fish and Wildlife Service releases new policy providing incentives to voluntarily conserve species soon to be at risk of extinction http://ow.ly/ziV35

In the Cities -

• Stewards of the Earth: Chattanooga churches going green as part of their faith

  

  Mississippi River at New Orleans

  http://ow.ly/z8dOQ
• Iowa City City Council discusses Iowa River restoration and future flood mitigation plans http://ow.ly/zaVto
• EPA awards $60,000 to New Orleans Sewerage and Water Board to implement a Green Infrastructure Monitoring Project http://ow.ly/zhmv4
• EPA $52K+ grant will help train public to monitor, track 8 urban wetland restoration projects near Lake Pontchartrain (New Orleans) http://ow.ly/zhobJ
• EPA and Groundwork New Orleans increase stormwater resilience in New Orleans by conducting neighborhood workshops http://ow.ly/zj38T

In the States-

• Iowa Supreme Court upholds Iowa water quality regulations http://ow.ly/z7NxN

Gulf Coastal Region-

• Massive Louisiana coastal wetland restoration project is getting its funding from a private equity firm http://ow.ly/z8duH
• Sen. Thad Cochran (R-Miss.) proposes bill amendment to define state waters 9 miles south into Gulf of Mexico http://ow.ly/zaSHm
• Final plan now available for third phase of Early Restoration following the Deepwater Horizon Gulf oil spill http://ow.ly/zbHuX
• Business-led coalition forms to advance sustainable restoration efforts in Louisiana wetlands, rivers, deltas and coastline http://ow.ly/zbINw
• EPA awards $60K to Lake Pontchartrain Basin Foundation to protect, restore New Orleans’ south shore lake front ow.ly/zh8Hy

Forestry -

• Louisville, Kentucky receives $400K USDA grant to increase nature-based recreational opportunities in Jefferson Memorial Forest http://ow.ly/yAUHr
• USDA awards funds to promote development of rural wood to energy projects http://ow.ly/zdGHw; 5 Mississippi River Basin states to benefit ow.ly/zdGyD

Resource Development -

• Expansion of hydropower in United States limited by economics and policy, not a lack of physical capacity http://ow.ly/z8Y18
• Updated summary of selected USGS products on possible impacts of energy development on water resources ow.ly/zg8px

Federal Budget -

• House last week passed its sixth fiscal 2015 appropriations bill (energy and water); Senate has yet to pass one http://ow.ly/z8bCb
• Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) backtracks on his commitment to put spending bills on Senate floor this summer http://ow.ly/z8Lrz
• House Appropriations Committee moves FY 2015 Interior and Environment Appropriations Bill on to full House http://ow.ly/zbWAO (along a party line vote of 29-19)
• House Republican appropriators pass riders aimed at EPA regulations following Interior and Environment bill mark-up http://ow.ly/zdC0l

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

• NRCS to host Midwest and Plains listening sessions in July to gather input on proposed technical changes to wetland determinations http://ow.ly/ziVOE
• EPA to hold July 22, Chicago listening session on Water Infrastructure Finance and Innovation Act of 2014 (WIFIA) loan pilot program http://ow.ly/zbSBx (signed into law earlier this year as part of the Water Resources Reform and Development Act)
• July 28-August 1 Conference on Ecological and Ecosystem Restoration to Include Mississippi River Basin and Gulf Coast focus http://ow.ly/zblgq
• Upper Mississippi River Basin Association schedules August 5-6 Upper Basin meetings in East Peoria, Illinois; details ow.ly/z7Rv5
• Mississippi River Watershed Education Symposium; National Great Rivers Research and Education Center; East Alton, Illinois, Nov. 14-15 http://ow.ly/z86yB

e-Newsletters, Publications, Journals, Multimedia  -

• Link to July 8 and 16 Tulane Institute on Water Resources Law and Policy's "TUWaterWays" e-newsletters: ow.ly/z7ONR
• Minnesota Pollution Control Agency's Waterfront Bulletin for July 2014 http://ow.ly/z7Td0
• The Wetlands Initiative’s "World of Wetlands" July newsletter http://ow.ly/z80nq
• Bi-weekly Green Lands Blue Waters update, highlighting Continuous Living Cover on Mississippi River Basin farm land ow.ly/z8RTt
• Summer edition of the Army Corps of Engineers' "Our Mississippi" magazine http://ow.ly/zaMcY
• American Farmland Trust July issue of E-news http://ow.ly/ziVg6
• Minnesota Pollution Control Agency's Feedlot Update - July 17, 2014 http://ow.ly/zj22Y

Other news-

• Bipartisan sportsmen's bill becomes another election-year casualty http://ow.ly/z7UP4 (also see: http://ow.ly/z7YMg)
• Coalition of Ohio farm, industry, government, environmental groups to roll out poll this week to assess important water issues http://ow.ly/z8G10 and http://ow.ly/z8G31
• A four-lane bridge over the St. Croix River at Stillwater, MN will ease transportation woes, but environmental impact concerns remain http://ow.ly/z8NkW
• JOB: University of Wisconsin Aquatic Sciences Center seeks an assistant director for research and student engagement http://ow.ly/ziW6Q
• New USGS earthquake hazard assessment map: New Madrid Seismic Zone in Mississippi River valley remains a "bone of contention" http://ow.ly/zj1Ek

Politics and People-

• A 'do-nothing Congress'? - current session of Congress is on track to pass historically fewer laws of substance http://ow.ly/z89qM
• State Rep. Paul Hollis, a Republican bidding for Louisiana’s competitive U.S. Senate seat, withdraws candidacy http://ow.ly/z8KIS
• Which federal agencies have gained and lost the most employees since the start of the Obama administration? http://ow.ly/z8OMN
• Union representing EPA employees responds to Administrator McCarthy's support for faster firing ability http://ow.ly/zbRVW
• Over 100 Republican politicians, former elected officials endorse Paul Davis, Democratic challenger to Kansas Gov. Sam Brownback (R) http://ow.ly/zdA03
• Bob Perciasepe, U.S. EPA's longest-serving Deputy Administrator, will leave his post next month ow.ly/zha2a
• State Sen. Chris McDaniel will challenge the Mississippi GOP Senate primary runoff results “within the next ten days” ow.ly/zgCNO
• Rep. Mike Conaway (R-Tex.) will likely run for chairman of the House Agriculture Committee in the next Congress ow.ly/zg8Pg

Last Word -
“It is critical that the House and Senate act on the Interior bill and put the brakes on the EPA’s regulatory approach that is intent on expanding the federal government’s reach and harming our economy.” – Rep. Ken Calvert (R-California) speaking on the House Interior and Environment Appropriations bill, which includes an amendment (or "rider") that would restrict the government's ability to implement a proposed "Waters of the U.S." rule.

House Committee Advances Bills Restricting U.S. EPA Clean Water Activities

On Wednesday, July 16, the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee advanced three pieces of legislation during a Committee mark-up session.  The bills would limit the Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA's) ability to apply Clean Water Act protections to surface waters under various situations. On a voice vote, the Committee passed H.R. 5078, the "Waters of the United States Regulatory Overreach Protection Act of 2014."  That bill would prohibit the EPA and Army Corps of Engineers from "developing, finalizing, adopting, implementing, applying, administering, or enforcing" a proposed rule that attempts to clarify those streams and wetlands that are subject to federal regulation under the Clean Water Act (known as the "Waters of the U.S." rule).

The Committee also approved H.R. 5077, the "Coal Jobs Protection Act of 2014" (by a vote of 28-24) - a bill that would prevent the EPA from enforcing an existing 2011 guidance on mountaintop-removal mining and streamline permitting, and defining the term "fill material" to include mining debris (that otherwise could be used to fill federally-regulated streams).  And the Committee passed H.R. 4854, the "Regulatory Certainty Act of 2014" (on a 33-22 vote), which would restrict the EPA's ability to veto Clean Water Act Section 404 Army Corps of Engineers dredge-and-fill permits to that time period within the actual Army Corps' permitting process, not before or after permitting.

While the bills may see House floor activity and passage in the near future, there is little chance that any would gain traction in the Democratically-controlled Senate.

Ecosystem Restoration Conference to Include Mississippi River Basin and Gulf Coast Focus

The biennial Conference on Ecological and Ecosystem Restoration (CEER) will be held this year in New Orleans, Louisiana from July 28 through August 1, and will include a particular focus on ecosystem restoration in the Mississippi River Basin and the Louisiana coast. CEER is a joint effort of the National Conference on Ecosystem Restoration and the Society for Ecological Restoration (SER), which are collaborating to produce the conference covering restoration topics relevant to private sector, government, and non-profit restoration constituents throughout the country. While the conference program focuses on the U.S., attendees and presenters will represent restoration projects and research occurring worldwide. 

Mississippi River Basin- and Louisiana coastal-related conference topics will include "The Mississippi River - A Strategic Resource," "Rivers, Streams, and Lakes Ecosystem Restoration," and "Gulf Coast Ecosystem Restoration." 

Blog contributor Mark Gorman, a member of the CEER 2014 Program Committee, and a pro-tem officer for the newly-formed Large Scale Ecosystem Restoration Section of SER, and Colin Wellenkamp, Director of the Mississippi River Cities and Towns Initiative, will be in attendance at the CEER 2014 event, as will many other River Basin stakeholders.

To register to attend CEER 2014 visit this page.

Capitol Hill This Week - What to Watch For

Library of Congress

Below are the U.S. House and Senate activities currently scheduled for this week that relate to Mississippi River Basin water resources. Links are provided to the relevant committee web pages, and, as appropriate, to pieces of legislation. Many Congressional proceedings are webcast live and these should be, as well (follow the appropriate committee hearing link). All times are Eastern. This page will be updated as warranted.

Tuesday

• House Appropriations Committee markup of the fiscal year 2015 Interior and Environment appropriations bill; 9:00 10:30 AM (time change), room 2359 Rayburn House Office Building.
• House Transportation Subcommittee on Water Resources and Environment hearing on "EPA’s Expanded Interpretation of its Permit Veto Authority Under the Clean Water Act;" 10:00 AM, room 2167 Rayburn House Office Building.
• Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee hearing to consider the President’s Proposed Budget for Fiscal Year 2015 for the Forest Service and to explore wildland fire preparedness; 10:30 AM, room 366 Dirksen Senate Office Building.

Wednesday

• House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee markup of several bills, including H.R. 5078 – "Waters of the United States Regulatory Overreach Protection Act of 2014" and H.R. 4854 -  "Regulatory Certainty Act of 2014: to amend the Federal Water Pollution Control Act to clarify when the Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency has the authority to prohibit the specification of a defined area or deny or restrict the use of a defined area for specification as a disposal site under section 404" of the act; 10:00 AM, room 2167 Rayburn House Office Building.
• House Budget Committee hearing on the Long-Term Budget Outlook; 10:00 AM, room 210 Cannon House Office Building.
• House Natural Resources Committee markup of several bills, including H.R. 916 (sponsored by Ron Kind (D-WI))  "to improve Federal land management, resource conservation, environmental protection, and use of Federal real property;" 10:00 AM, room 1324 Longworth House Office Building.
• House Homeland Security Subcommittee on Border and Maritime Security hearing on Port of Entry Infrastructure: How Does the Federal Government Prioritize Investments?  10:00 AM, room 311 Cannon House Office Building.
• House Science, Space, and Technology Subcommittee on Oversight and Subcommittee on Environment joint hearing on EPA's Integrated Risk Information System; 2:00 PM, room 2318 Rayburn House Office Building.
• Senate Environment and Public Works Subcommittee on Water and Wildlife hearing to consider several bills, including S. 1153, Invasive Fish and Wildlife Prevention Act; S. 1175, Infrastructure Facilitation and Habitat Conservation Act; H.R. 1300, to amend the Fish and Wildlife Act of 1956 to reauthorize the volunteer programs and community partnerships for the benefit of national wildlife refuges; S. 2225, Smart Water Resource Management Conservation and Efficiency Act; S. 2530, to prohibit the importation or exportation of mussels of certain genus; and S. 2560, United States Fish and Wildlife Service Resource Protection Act; 2:00 PM, EPW Hearing Room - 406 Dirksen Senate Office Building.

Thursday

• Senate Commerce, Science and Transportation Committee hearing on Federal Research and Development;  2:00 PM, room 253 Russell Senate Office Building.

Gone Fishing!

"Friends"
(also known as Amy and Kooper)

There will be no "Mississippi River Basin Water Resource Weekly News" edition the week of July 7, as your FNB* (and friends) travel to the remote hills and valleys of northwestern Pennsylvania for some time in and near the headwaters of the Mississippi River Basin.  The Weekly News, and other Northeast-Midwest Institute Mississippi River Basin Blog posts will return the week of July 14.

In the meantime, here is a link to the Congressional activities currently scheduled (as of the time of this posting) for the week of July 7 that relate to Mississippi River Basin water resources.

_______________________________________

* "Friendly Neighborhood Blogger"                         

Mississippi River Basin Water Resource Weekly News

~Virtual Newspaper for an Aquatic World~

This Week
If you don't care to wade through all of the news one-liners below, here is our concise, weekly, one-paragraph, summary of things that we've learned: "What We Learned This Week - Floods, Drought, Body Doubles and Jumping Frogs."

Next Week

"Friends"

There will be no "Mississippi River Basin Water Resource Weekly News" edition the week of July 7, as your FNB* (and friends) travel to the remote hills and valleys of northwestern Pennsylvania for some time in and near the headwaters of the Mississippi River Basin.  The Weekly News, and other Northeast-Midwest Institute Mississippi River Basin Blog posts will return the week of July 14.

In the meantime, the U.S. House and Senate both return next week from an eleven-day, July Fourth Holiday recess. Congress is then planning to be in session for four consecutive weeks, before recessing for the entire month of August, and the first week of September (House schedule here; Senate's here).  Here is a summary of the activities currently scheduled for next week that relate to Mississippi River Basin water resources.  They include several House hearings, and the possible Senate floor consideration of a comprehensive "Bipartisan Sportsmen's Act of 2014." (* "Friendly Neighborhood Blogger).

Noteworthy @UpperMiss Twitter Postings for the Week

Water Quality -

• Nancy Stoner, Acting Assistant Administrator for Water, USEPA: "Setting the Record Straight on Waters of the US" http://ow.ly/yGUh5
• EPA Administrator McCarthy to promote jurisdictional ("Waters of the US") rule in "heartland"  tour "into the Midwest" http://ow.ly/yGYfR
• GOP lawmakers: Waters of the US rule would "enable litigious environmental groups to jeopardize fireworks displays throughout the country" http://ow.ly/yHbSq
• U.S. Geological Survey study: emerging contaminants of concern making their way into Minnesota's shallow and deep aquifers; MPR story: http://ow.ly/ywd9W (study found here: http://ow.ly/ywdtY)
• Court rulings keep federal and state lawsuit alive against ExxonMobil Corp. over  Arkansas pipeline spill http://ow.ly/yBfND
• Ohio DNR: Monroe County fracking well fire likely sent contaminants into nearby stream, killing fish, other aquatic life, as far as 5 miles away http://ow.ly/yE5mW
• Citizens from local and statewide groups support West Virginia's Kanawha River protection proposal http://ow.ly/yHcGZ
• Bill Northey, Chair of Mississippi River/Gulf Of Mexico Hypoxia Task Force:  group making "significant progress" http://ow.ly/yGPmw
• USGS (in JSTOR): Appalachian waterways affected by mountaintop removal coal mining have fewer fish, less aquatic diversity http://ow.ly/yGZeJ
• Missouri Public Service Commission approves Ameren Missouri’s plan to build coal ash landfill in Missouri River floodplain http://ow.ly/yK1dg

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

• A rising Mississippi River is threatening towns north of St. Louis area http://ow.ly/yK2pS
• By the weekend, the Mississippi River will be at major flood stage in much of Iowa, Illinois and Missouri http://ow.ly/yH6XK
• Rising flood waters expected to make 11 mid- and upper-Mississippi Rive locks and dams impassable, forcing river closure http://ow.ly/yE4yF (The current Mississippi River lock closure status page (from the Army Corps of Engineers): http://ow.ly/yE6os)
• FEMA to assess Minnesota flood damage this week http://ow.ly/yBgdh and http://ow.ly/yBg7Z
• Environmental Finance Center: catalog of publications describing green infrastructure financing and established benefits http://ow.ly/ywq8k
• Sudden drop in Missouri River concerns anglers, and Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks ow.ly/yB0Rj
• Arkansas River Infrastructure Task Force proposes construction of four low water dams to spur development (Oklahoma) http://ow.ly/yE7gF (plan: http://ow.ly/yE7iw) - see related article, below
• Tulsa, OK city councilors and mayor make push for multi-million dollar construction project to "improve" Arkansas River http://ow.ly/yE7M2 -see related article, above

Agriculture -

• USDA interim rule published requiring farmers to adopt  conservation practices before qualifying for federal crop insurance http://ow.ly/yH0xN
• Op-ed: Risky agri-business in the face of climate change: What if one bad year just leads to more and

  

  U.S. Route 66

  increasingly bad years? http://ow.ly/yAVsJ
• Reminder: USDA-NRCS Regional Conservation Partnership Program pre-proposals are due by July 14 (Mississippi River Basin is a priority area) http://ow.ly/yAZjT
• Waterlogged fields wash out Minnesota corn, soybean crops, leaving farmers with limited options http://ow.ly/yEuPD
• USEPA wading through over 27,000 public comments on proposed registration of 'superweed' herbicide http://ow.ly/yGXI6
• @ChrisClaytonDTN explores how farming along Route 66 has changed since Steinbeck's day. http://t.co/95GPHJf8kx and http://t.co/839FIrlOd9

Climate and Weather -

Click to enlarge

• El Nino-like event likely to disrupt climate in 2014, UN World Meteorological Organization warns http://ow.ly/yBbku
• BBC's science editor visits one of the most-impacted U.S drought areas: the Oklahoma Panhandle  http://ow.ly/yJAbK
• State climatologist: preliminary data show Iowa has endured its third-wettest June on record http://ow.ly/yJEro
• Weekly US drought update: Drought condition upgrade for Iowa, Illinois, Louisiana, Nebraska, Kansas, northern Oklahoma due to plentiful rainfall http://ow.ly/wmTdv
• NOAA Climate Prediction Center July drought outlook http://ow.ly/q3yAx River Basin drought relief expected except in southern Oklahoma; northeastern Tennessee
• PLOS ONE - "Climate Exposure of U.S. National Parks in a New Era of Change" http://ow.ly/yJULB

Biodiversity, Wildlife and Invasives -

• Indiana seeks to slow spread of Asian carp in state ow.ly/yC391 

  

  Emerald ash borer larval damage to ash tree

• Emerald ash borer effects will ripple through forest ecosystems, affecting other plants, animals and water supplies http://ow.ly/yEtUU
• USGS-led study: Intersex fish found in three Pennsylvania river basin, including Ohio River Watershed http://ow.ly/yHbb1 exhibiting effects of endocrine-disrupting chemical exposure
• University of Missouri study: bisphenol A, or BPA, can alter a turtle’s reproductive system after exposure in the egg http://ow.ly/yBfgY
• U.S. honeybees have become a victim of the very food system that has come to depend on bees for a third of its output http://ow.ly/yAWoz
• PLOS Pathogens: Researchers pinpoint virus strain that causes bee deformities http://ow.ly/yBaeo
• Wisconsin's statewide 'Landing Blitz’ to educate boaters on invasive species http://ow.ly/yJBlo
• Obama administration releases final policy re: determining whether wildlife species deserve Endangered Species Act protection http://ow.ly/ywW68
• June 30 Memorandum of Understanding renews Federal Native Plant Conservation Committee to identify priority areas for native plant preservation http://ow.ly/yE0Ov

In the Cities -

• Clarksville, Missouri will no longer pay for temporary sandbag walls to protect its "quaint business district" from periodic Mississippi River flooding http://ow.ly/yK1TM
• Nuisance properties a headache for Des Moines' historic River Bend neighborhood  http://ow.ly/ywrXu
• Permeable pavement coming to Davenport, Iowa http://ow.ly/yE1QT
• Reconfiguration of I-71 through Cincinnati provided city with long-planned access to Ohio Riverfront, accelerated environmental and health-related public infrastructure improvements http://ow.ly/yE2O7

In the States -

• Minnesota Pollution Control Agency publishes first-of-its-kind report on condition of Minnesota’s rivers and streams http://ow.ly/yHvti

Forestry -

• Louisville, Kentucky receives $400K USDA grant to increase nature-based recreational opportunities in Jefferson Memorial Forest http://ow.ly/yAUHr

Resource Development -

• List of organizations opposed to St. Tammany Parish fracking (Louisiana) grows; seek denial of required wetlands permit http://ow.ly/yEvsT
• Iowa ethanol plant begins producing the Midwest's first commercial-scale quantities of cellulosic ethanol http://ow.ly/yJCnp

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

• The National Tom Sawyer Days are this week in Hannibal, Missouri (July 3-5) http://ow.ly/yE8yv - frog jumping contest on Saturday!
• National Academies meeting on Analysis of Costs and Benefits of National Flood Insurance Program Reforms, July 11 (public session), Washington, DC http://ow.ly/yECvL - preregistration requested
• Cities Alive 12th Annual Green Roof and Wall Conference Conference: Green Roofs for Healthy Cities; Nashville, Tennessee, November 12-15 http://ow.ly/yE3i0

e-Newsletters, Publications, Journals, Multimedia  -

• Association of State Floodplain Managers' June News & Views http://ow.ly/yAYRf
• Montana Watershed Coordination Council's June 26 Watershed News ow.ly/yB0bj
• The Nature Conservancy's June 2014 - Great Rivers E-news http://ow.ly/yCeDI
• Tulane Institute on Water Resources Law and Policy's July 1 TUWaterWays e-newsletter http://ow.ly/yGW2d

Other news-

• New Orleans Advocate editorial: Our Views: Together for the River http://ow.ly/yEJs2
• St. Croix Watershed Research Station announces the Summer 2014 Artists-in-Residence at Pine Needles http://ow.ly/yGOJL
• New White House plan promotes streamlined infrastructure permitting by Federal agencies http://ow.ly/yGTr8

Politics and People-

• Conservative Louisiana Rep. Vance McAllister (R-5-La.) recants his April pledge to retire http://ow.ly/yBSSE
• Conservative group files lawsuit against Mississippi Secretary of State and Republican Party over recent US Senate runoff results http://ow.ly/yHi4s
• Pew Research Center for the People and the Press: "Beyond Red vs. Blue: The Political Typology" - Polarized Wings; a Diverse Middle http://ow.ly/ywesG
• Shrinking Congressional Battleground Map: Both parties have relatively few opportunities to pick up new seats in 2014 midterm election http://ow.ly/yBiIR

Last Word -

Beer fermenting

“Global warming: Take it seriously or your beer will suck.” - St. Louis Post-Dispatch editorial, suggesting that, to get the climate change message across, we talk about beer.