Friday, September 26, 2014

What We Learned This Week - "Do you hear the people sing?"

The Government Accountability Office found that the Army Corps of Engineers has been unable to adequately track, and give Congress an accurate reckoning of, its backlogged water resources projects.  The Waterways Council believes that barge operators are the only waterway users who pay for the nation’s waterways infrastructure improvements. Grafton, Illinois residents don't love the smell of dead Asian carp in the morning. Already banned in Illinois, toothpaste brand Crest will no longer put polyethylene microbeads - under growing scrutiny for their potential to contaminate water - in its products.   USDA's Office of Inspector General has filed a request to purchase submachine guns in the interest of agency staff self-protection.  Environmental benefits and profitability are boosted on 95% of the farmland where cover crops are utilized.   2014 is shaping up to be one of best years ever for the ethanol business, and one of the worst years ever for passing laws: the current Congress has seen just 165 pieces of legislation enacted over nearly two years. And the odds of major legislation becoming law during the next two years are equally low, no matter the outcome of November's mid term election.  The Global Carbon Project reports that global emissions of greenhouse gases jumped 2.3 percent in 2013 to record levels: the latest indication that the world's nations are not making headway in their efforts to control climate change.  Some angry people took to the streets around the globe to protest that inaction.  But not everyone cares; polls show that while most Americans believe in climate change, many give it a low priority.  There will likely be many more people soon than we've heretofore anticipated, as global population growth is now predicted to exceed previous projections.  New Orleans made the list of top cities with "the most to lose from rising sea levels."   The American Society of Civil Engineers reports that the country has failed to adequately act upon the flood risks exposed by 2005's Hurricane Katrina, which devastated New Orleans. And last but not least, Kansans will use October to prepare for zombie apocalypses and other natural disasters.
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Mississippi River Basin Water Resource Weekly News

~Virtual Newspaper for an Aquatic World~

This Week and Next
The past seven days found the Army Corps of Engineers in GAO's proverbial doghouse, the smell of dead Asian carp wafting over the streets of Grafton, Illinois, submachine guns ordered at the USDA, and a lot of angry people taking to the streets in an effort to shift the political landscape of climate change.  You can dive into the details, below, or skip the gore, and read our pithy, one-paragraph summary here: "What We Learned This Week - 'Do you hear the people sing?'"

Next Week in Congress - Zippo.  Congress is not in session and its members are gone until November 12.

Noteworthy @UpperMiss Twitter Postings for the Week

Water Quality -
  • Already banned in Illinois, toothpaste brand Crest will no longer put polyethylene microbeads - under growing scrutiny for their potential to contaminate the environment - in its products http://ow.ly/BLC77
  • USEPA Region 7 Administrator Karl Brooks exudes calm as tensions mount in farm country over a proposed clean water rule http://ow.ly/BMCYX
  • Draft EPA Science Advisory Board report: proposed rule to clarify Clean Water Act protection is scientifically sound http://ow.ly/BUN78
  • National Farmers Union submits comments to U.S. EPA on proposed rule addressing Waters of the US http://ow.ly/BLTzG
  • USEPA will not appeal district court Clean Water Act decision that ruled in favor of large West Virginia CAFO http://ow.ly/BMDDJ
  • After EPA drops its appeal, Court of Appeals extends deadline to file briefings in West Virginia agricultural water pollution case http://ow.ly/BRdRu
  • Dairy Business Association op-ed: Don't blame Concentrated Animal Feeding Operations (CAFOs) for pollution http://ow.ly/BUWth
  • Indiana's Wabash River struggles with algae, excess nutrients http://ow.ly/BOyDB as work goes on to improve its water quality ow.ly/BMO8n
  • Saving the Minnesota River: Activists, advocates seek to reach consensus on issues and solutions http://ow.ly/BOzhR
  • World stands by as algae and dead zones ruin water; Expensive research and cleanup efforts make little headway http://ow.ly/BVCpu
Water Resource Management (Floodplains, Dams, Navigation, Wetlands, Flooding, Supplies, etc.) -
  • Taxpayers for Common Sense: FEMA flood risk reduction measure eligibility changes will lead to unwise flood plain development http://ow.ly/BLz7U
  • Reps. Quigley (D-IL), King (R-NY) introduce "Urban Flooding Awareness Act" to prompt NRC study on urban flooding http://ow.ly/BRcQO
  • GAO: Army Corps of Engineers unable to adequately track, give Congress reckoning of, backlogged water resources projects http://ow.ly/BOkDa
  • Army Corps of Engineers Vicksburg District awards contract to dredge the Mississippi River for $4.3+ Million http://ow.ly/BOAAU
  • American Society of Civil Engineers: country has failed to adequately act upon risks exposed by Hurricane Katrina. Abstract-"Flood Risk Management: Call for a National Strategy" http://ow.ly/BMEOy (news article: http://ow.ly/BMEXx)
  • Sen. Tom Harkin (D-IA) files legislation to establish new Prairie Pothole region national wildlife refuge to protect wetlands; bill: http://ow.ly/BLATI and story: http://ow.ly/BLBd5
  • Waterways Council Op-Ed: Barge industry bears the cost of modernizing waterways. Washington Post: http://wapo.st/1uLrEAt
  • DOT 12th annual state transportation statistics report: Louisiana top state in 2011 and 2012 in tons of waterborne cargo shipped http://ow.ly/BLRHp New Orleans was 14th most active port (2012) http://ow.ly/BLSeY
  • New Environmental Law Institute handbook: Improving Outcomes and Increasing Benefits Associated with Wetland and Stream Restoration and Protection Projects http://ow.ly/BUV34
Agriculture -
  • Groups call on USDA to provide details on how it plans to manage the farm bill's Conservation Reserve Program http://ow.ly/BUnUa
  • Consumer demands are prompting some of the Midwest's large-scale farms to adjust to more food-conscious markets http://ow.ly/BLLiz
  • Des Moines Register Online: Cover crops on 95% of land boost profitability as well as environmental benefits http://ow.ly/BLOJX
  • Threats of lawsuits by groups who want to block Enlist herbicide could delay Dow’s hopes to have farmers planting new GE crops next spring http://ow.ly/BLPzS
  • 2014 may be one of best years ever for ethanol business http://ow.ly/BLQjT but industry still faces uncertainties http://ow.ly/BLQqv
  • Nearly 3.5 million gallons of cellulosic biofuel produced in U.S. in August, more than all other months of 2014 combined http://ow.ly/BUnlR
  • Agriculture, conservation organizations announce three-year North American initiative to help growers facing climate impacts http://ow.ly/BRbvA
Climate and Weather -
Drought Study No 6. Grand Lake,
Oklahoma. Photo by Jesse Rieser
  • Weekly U.S. Drought Monitor: No significant change in drought/ dryness conditions over the Midwest,  central, northern Plains http://ow.ly/BVzKa
  • Global Carbon Project reports that global emissions of greenhouse gases jumped 2.3 percent in 2013 to record levels http://ow.ly/BLtSR
  • Polls show most Americans believe in climate change, but give it a low priority http://ow.ly/BOoxv
  • UN Climate Summit achieved quite a bit more than expected http://ow.ly/BUOuO
  • Photo exhibit depicts how 2012 drought altered the Arkansas River Basin landscape http://ow.ly/BOBfq
  • Flooding Risk From Climate Change, Country by Country (3.1 million at risk in U.S.) http://ow.ly/BRaD9
  • Video available from RFF forum on (climate change) Economics and the Environment, with EPA Administrator McCarthy http://ow.ly/BY8ls
Biodiversity, Wildlife and Invasives -
Kirtland's snake
  • Grafton, Illinois residents demand action over malodor from American Heartland Fish's Asian carp processing plant http://ow.ly/BOjbr
  • Center for Biological Diversity settles with U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service over Endangered Species Act protection for Kirtland’s snake (north-central Midwest) http://ow.ly/BOlut
In the Cities -
  • Two major sustainability efforts to promote Mississippi River commerce and health announced by Mississippi River mayors http://ow.ly/BUMhB
  • La Crosse, Wisconsin offers permeable pavement tax credit to reduce volume of stormwater runoff to the City's wastewater system http://ow.ly/BLFy6
  • American Society of Landscape Architects: Every city should have its own green infrastructure strategy and actionable plan to make it happen http://ow.ly/BLGah
  • Batavia, IL integrates innovative stormwater management technologies, like permeable pavement and tree cell systems, into street redevelopment http://ow.ly/BLGBi
In the States-
  • Minnesota Pollution Control Agency requests comments on water quality improvement report for Rice Creek watershed (Ramsey and Anoka counties) http://ow.ly/BMG6c
Click to enlarge
Gulf Coastal Region-
  • New Orleans makes cities with "the most to lose from rising sea levels" list http://ow.ly/BP06P
  • National Academy of Sciences will take applications soon for $500 million, 30-year research initiative in response to BP oil disaster http://ow.ly/BLMst
  • Tulane Institute on Water Resources Law and Policy:  "Community Resettlement Prospects in Southeast Louisiana" http://ow.ly/BRb2O (large PDF file)
Resource Development -
  • Pennsylvania drilling regulations come after damages, as the state's trial and error approach leaves Marcellus Shale wounds http://ow.ly/BLLG1
    • Frac sand mining impacts to Upper Midwestern water resources, air quality, property values take center stage in new report; story: http://ow.ly/BY4L7 and report: ow.ly/BY4xO
Events - Information on all past and future events listed here each week can be viewed in the on-line calendar, located above and to the right (and here as a stand-alone calendar)
  • September 26 (and every Friday): University of Illinois Weekly Friday Webinar on Farm Bill Decision Aids and Programs, 8:00-9:30 AM CDT http://ow.ly/BYaiX
  • Free Webinar: Phragmites Management in the US: 40 years of Methods and Outcomes, September 30, 1-2 pm ET http://ow.ly/BRywo
  • St. Croix River art, poetry, and stories to be featured in “Reading the River,” October 2, 7 PM, ArtReach St. Croix, Stillwater, MN http://ow.ly/BOzID
  • Save the date: Free Environmental and Energy Study Institute (EESI) briefing: Update on Cellulosic Biofuel Production, 2:30-4 pm, October 6, Capitol Hill (details will be listed here: http://ow.ly/BLvwm)
  • Society for Conservation Biology webinar: Making conservation policy through the law, scientists and legal strategies to protect biodiversity October 9, 2:30 pm ET http://ow.ly/BVKUK
  • Ohio Wetlands Summit: Wetland Restoration, November 15, 8:30-2:30, Grange Insurance Audubon Center, Columbus, OH http://ow.ly/BLwmq
  • Wisconsin Wetlands Association's 20th Anniversary Wetland Science Conference: Telling Our Stories, Madison, February 24-26, 2015 http://ow.ly/BLCX1
  • 52nd International
 Making Cities Livable Conference on Achieving Green, Healthy Cities, Bristol, United Kingdom, June 29 - July 3, 2015 http://ow.ly/BLHaa
e-Newsletters, Publications, Journals, Multimedia  -
  • Lower Mississippi River Dispatch, No 258, Tuesday, Sept 23 http://ow.ly/BOi5z
  • Tulane Institute on Water Resources Law and Policy's TUWaterWays e-newsletter for September 24 http://ow.ly/BS4vA
  • Horinko Group "Sustainabulletin" e-newsletter: September 2014 http://ow.ly/BURCD (with coverage of UMRBA summit on Upper Mississippi commercial navigation)
  • Montana Watershed Coordination Council's September 25 Watershed News http://ow.ly/BY3gq with coverage of the proposed state water plan
  • Gulf Restoration Network's bi-weekly e-newsletter Gulf Waves http://ow.ly/BY6xP
  • Farm Foundation NFP's first issue of the Soil Renaissance Newsletter (September 2014) http://ow.ly/BY7rP
  • Green Lands Blue Waters e-newsletter update, highlighting continuous living cover on Mississippi River Basin farmland http://ow.ly/BY805
Other news-
  • Kansans will use October ("Zombie Preparedness Month") to prepare for zombie apocalypses  and other natural disasters http://ow.ly/BUF4v
  • USDA's Office of Inspector General has filed a request to purchase submachine guns in the interest of staff self-protection http://ow.ly/BLxHF
  • Global population may grow to exceed previous projections; stabilization unlikely this century http://ow.ly/BOlWq
(click to enlarge)
Politics and People-
  • Tom Vilsack plans to stay on as USDA head, making him one of the last original Obama administration cabinet members http://ow.ly/BYaVh
  • Environmental groups are fearful of Republicans winning a U.S. Senate majority in November midterm election http://ow.ly/BLqpw
  • After dragging on for several weeks, Kansas' U.S. Senate race drama results in head-to-head matchup between Orman and Roberts http://ow.ly/BLs3o
  • House GOP Members who vote against John Boehner for Speaker may find themselves stripped of all committee assignments http://ow.ly/BLwW7
  • 113th Congress has seen just 165 pieces of legislation enacted - a low number relative to past Congressional sessions http://ow.ly/BOmIS
  • Early voting started Thursday in Iowa, where absentee ballots made up 43 percent of the total cast in 2012 http://ow.ly/BUCZu
Your Moment of Zen -

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Friday, September 19, 2014

What We Learned This Week - "Say 'Ah' . . . or 'Uh' or 'Um'"

Lawmakers approved a $1 trillion stopgap-spending bill to keep the government funded through December 11, and then went home to campaign.  The Army Corps of Engineers acted appropriately during the 2012-2013 drought and Missouri River 2011 flood.   The USDA awarded $15.7 million in Conservation Innovation Grants, including funding for 17 projects within the Mississippi River Basin. That Department also approved new genetically modified corn and soybeans, clearing the way for application of a new herbicide (pending USEPA approval).  Corn and oil don't mix: Shipping companies may miss out on exports from record-setting U.S. grain crop, as the Great Plains shale-oil boom clogs up rail lines to ports.  2014 was warmest summer, globally, since record collecting started in 1880.  If you say "um" quite a lot, you can thank the "Midwest Dialect" that floated down the Ohio River from Pittsburgh long ago.   Minnesota quietly released its final nutrient reduction strategy for state surface waters. Iowa has a bit further to go in that regard, and should invest more in its water quality.   Including Iowa's commissioner, a gathering of state agriculture commissioners unanimously vote to call for the Obama administration to withdraw its controversial Waters of the U.S. proposal.  Attorneys general from seven states and the District of Columbia disagreed with the agricultural commissioners, expressing support for the proposed water rule.  A new Presidential executive order requires the development of a detailed plan by February on a national antibiotic resistant bacteria strategy (Approximately 23,000 people in the United States die annually due to antibiotic-resistant infections, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention).  In a blow to Sen. Pat Roberts’ chances for reelection, the Kansas Supreme Court ruled that Democrat Chad Taylor’s name must be removed from the ballot for U.S. Senate. Farm groups are by and large sticking with Senate Republicans such as Senator Roberts, despite their past Farm Bill opposition.  And last but not least, over 800 million people worldwide do not get enough to eat, even as the world produces more than twice as much food as it needs, according to new United Nations figures.
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Mississippi River Basin Water Resource Weekly News

~Virtual Newspaper for an Aquatic World~

Government Funded through December 11; Congress Leaves Town
Congress wrapped up an eight-day work session Thursday, after the Senate passed a bill funding the government
and authorizing a narrow slice of President Obama’s strategy against Islamic State militants, each for less than three months. The stop-gap funding bill or "Continuing Resolution" (passed by the House on Wednesday) was one of Congress' last orders of business before adjourning until after the November 4 midterm elections. The bill makes very few changes to existing spending amounts, maintaining funding at an annual level of $1.02 trillion through December 11. Apart from making a few changes such as keeping NOAA's weather satellite programs funded and allowing for continued collection of national park fees, the measure keeps in place all existing policy riders.

Congress is scheduled to return on November 12, when (apart from the ongoing Middle Eastern intervention debate) two issues will largely occupy its time through the remainder of the year.  First, members will need to work out the terms of legislation to fund the government beyond December 11.  Both the Senate (Sen. Barb Mikulski) and House (Rep. Hal Rogers) Appropriation Committee chairs would like to see an omnibus spending bill incorporating the negotiated elements of the separate appropriations measures already drafted by their respective committees. Second, Congressional committee staff will be working diligently behind the scenes to lay the groundwork for any early 2015 legislative initiatives that take shape after the midterm election dust has settled.  Stay tuned.

Abridged News
If you prefer your news in a more abridged format, look no further than here: What We Learned This Week - "Say 'Ah' . . . . or 'Uh' or 'Um'"

Noteworthy @UpperMiss Twitter Postings for the Week  

Water Quality -
  • Beer battle brewing over Obama administration clean water rule defining authority to regulate bodies of water http://ow.ly/BGf0j
  • Attorneys general from seven states (NY, IL, CT, MD, DE, RI, WA), and District of Columbia express support for controversial Obama administration proposed water rule http://ow.ly/BAVO1
  • State agriculture commissioners unanimously vote to call for Obama administration to withdraw controversial Waters of the U.S. proposal http://ow.ly/BwwK2
  • Iowa's agriculture commissioner: EPA proposed Waters of the U.S. rule could reverse voluntary work to improve waterways http://ow.ly/Byiec
  • Quad City Times Op-ed: "Iowa should invest in water quality" http://ow.ly/BBAyd
  • Over 30 years, the Sauk River Chain of Lakes (Minnesota) has undergone a transformation for the good, but challenges remain http://ow.ly/BvzTB
  • Private well water nitrate testing program expands in Dakota County, Minnesota http://ow.ly/BvAqQ
  • Mankato State University research identifies chemicals that may effectively remove sediments from construction runoff http://ow.ly/BvEir
  • Metropolitan St. Louis Sewer District: main break last week in Chesterfield caused 11 million-gallon sewage discharge http://ow.ly/BB8vx
  • Study of tainted drinking water shows that contamination most likely caused by leaky wells, not  hydraulic fracturing http://ow.ly/BybQs (study abstract: http://ow.ly/BybTz)
  • EPA publishes its biennial preliminary plan for studying and possibly regulating industrial wastewater discharges http://ow.ly/BAWNF
Water Resource Management (Floodplains, Dams, Navigation, Wetlands, Flooding, Supplies, etc.) -
  • Government Accountability Office facilitated panel: Army Corps of Engineers actions during 2012-2013 drought, Missouri River 2011 flood were appropriate http://ow.ly/BwAxf
  • North Platte Natural Resources District looks to offset North Platte River impacts from groundwater well development http://ow.ly/Byu5g
  • Iowa City residents, politicians discuss Iowa River,Coralville Reservoir flooding with Army Corps of Engineers http://ow.ly/ByuyD
Agriculture -
  • USDA announces award of $15.7 million in Conservation Innovation Grants to 47 organizations http://ow.ly/ByeMg (here are the 17 USDA CIG grant awards announced within the Mississippi River Basin http://ow.ly/Byfuz) 
  • Over 800 million people worldwide do not get enough to eat, even as the world produces more than twice as much food as it needs http://ow.ly/BAXP7 
  • Iowa’s cropland values fell 3.4 percent during the last six months http://ow.ly/BErgg
  • House Agriculture Subcommittee holds hearing to examine benefits of promoting soil health in agriculture, rural America http://ow.ly/BGdj9 (see related link below)
  • National Association of Conservation Districts statement before House Agriculture Subcommittee on  benefits of promoting soil health http://ow.ly/BErWf
  • Presidential executive order requires detailed plan by February to implement national strategy on antibiotic resistant bacteria http://ow.ly/BGd2L
  • Shipping companies may miss out on exports from record U.S. grain crop as shale-oil boom clogs up rail lines to ports http://ow.ly/BGdGR
  • USDA approves genetically modified corn and soybeans, clearing path for new herbicide http://ow.ly/BGloH
Climate and Weather -
  • NOAA’s National Climatic Data Center: 2014 was warmest summer, globally, since record collections began in 1880 http://ow.ly/BGhmE (related article: http://ow.ly/BGhye)
  • US drought update: Another week of beneficial moisture led to drought improvement in Midwest and Great Plains http://ow.ly/BGe7v  trend should continue through the fall http://ow.ly/BGejx
  • AgWeb: Watch how U.S. temperatures have changed over this past century http://ow.ly/BGiJG
  • Georgetown Climate Center Releases 100 Recommendations to Improve Federal Programs to Prepare for Climate Change http://ow.ly/ByD7g
Biodiversity, Wildlife and Invasives -
  • Syngenta asks U.S. EPA to increase allowable levels of neonicotinoid pesticides amid growing bee decline concerns http://ow.ly/BvwuA
In the Cities -
  • Mississippi River Cities and Towns Initiative mayors meet  in New Orleans to discuss climate, commerce, sustainability http://ow.ly/BysKq (media release here: http://ow.ly/BGktH)
  • Mayors seek to grow new fund to provide seed money for sustainable waterfront development along the Mississippi River http://ow.ly/BGkks
In the States-
Forestry -
  • DuPont to pay $1.85 M fine to resolve alleged herbicide injures to trees in several states, including Indiana, Illinois, Minnesota, Ohio, Wisconsin http://ow.ly/ByBUG
Resource Development -
  • House passes two GOP legislative packages to approve Keystone XL oil pipeline, boost domestic energy production http://ow.ly/BGjrk (H.R. 2 http://ow.ly/BGjAo and H.R. 4 http://ow.ly/BGjHP)
  • American Petroleum Institute, renewable energy groups accuse Environmental Protection Agency of “playing politics” with nation’s ethanol mandate http://ow.ly/BvlXu
Federal Budget -
Events - Information on all past and future events listed here each week can be viewed in the on-line calendar, located above and to the right (and here as a stand-alone calendar)
  • September 25 webinar will provide overview of how information can be obtained from NOAA’s climate service offices http://ow.ly/BAXbX
  • Annual St. Croix River Association Fall Gathering, Crex Meadows Wildlife Area, Grantsburg, WI, October 4 http://ow.ly/Bye40
  • Registration Open until October 10 for December 8-12 USEPA Water Quality Standards Academy in Washington, DC http://ow.ly/BBo82
  • American Farmland Trust’s Farmland, Food and Livable Communities Conference, Lexington, Kentucky, October 20-22 http://ow.ly/BvmVM
  • Fall 2014 Mississippi River Gulf of Mexico Hypoxia Task Force Meeting (attend in person or via webcast), October 21, Godfrey, IL http://ow.ly/BAU0A
  • October 27 Webinar: accessing Upper Mississippi River Restoration-Long Term Resource Monitoring Program data using visualization tools http://ow.ly/ByheM
  • Association of State Floodplain Managers 2015 conference: Call for Presenters Open - Deadline October 31 http://ow.ly/ByCxh
  • May 6-8, 2015 Ohio Stormwater Conference - Call for Abstracts and Posters - Deadline November 10, 2014 http://ow.ly/BylXz
  • Upper Mississippi River National Wildlife and Fish Refuge annual migrating waterfowl, fall color bus tour; Nov. 15 http://ow.ly/BvDjZ
e-Newsletters, Publications, Journals, Multimedia  -
  • American Farmland Trust September e-newsletter http://ow.ly/BGkRl
  • Green Lands Blue Waters update highlighting Mississippi River Basin agricultural land Continuous Living Cover efforts http://ow.ly/BvnD2
  • EPA’s Nonpoint Source News-Notes, Issue #96 (September 2014) http://ow.ly/BAUxI
  • Tulane Institute on Water Resources Law and Policy's TUWaterWays news for September 16 http://ow.ly/BAUUH
  • "Lower Mississippi River Dispatch" No 257, Sept 18 http://ow.ly/BEnVp
  • Montana Watershed Coordination Council's September 18 Watershed News http://ow.ly/BGi6o
  • Minnesota Pollution Control Agency's Watershed Network News - Sept. 18 http://ow.ly/BGimq
Other news-
  • Nearly 18,000 rubber ducks made their way down North Platte River in annual United Way rubber duck dash fundraiser http://ow.ly/BvAGb
Politics and People-
  • Farm Groups Stick With Senate Republicans Despite Farm Bill Opposition http://ow.ly/BGerS
  • NRDC names Rhea Suh, Interior Department's assistant secretary for policy, management and budget, as new president http://ow.ly/BCoP5
  • Kansas Supreme Court rules that Democrat Chad Taylor’s name must be removed from the ballot for U.S. Senate http://ow.ly/BGeDC; a blow to Sen. Pat Roberts’ (R-Kan.) chances for reelection
  • Sen. David Vitter (R-La.) launches second phase of his investigation into the U.S. EPA http://ow.ly/BGjaH
  • Eight work-days after a five-week summer recess, U.S. House and Senate adjourn until after the midterm elections http://ow.ly/BGfdq
  • Senate sets November 12 as date for returning for post-election lame duck session http://ow.ly/Bz4S0
Your Moment of Zen -
Yellowstone National Park


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Monday, September 15, 2014

Capitol Hill This Week - What to Watch For

This week may be the last that Congress is in session before the November 4 mid-term elections. And if some Congressional leaders are to be believed, even afterward not much is going to happen legislatively before a new Congress is seated in 2015. After Congress returns in mid-November, there will really only be one key item for its members to attend to in 2014: averting a federal government shutdown after December 11: the expiration date of the proposed stop-gap Continuing Resolution that the House released last Tuesday.  Following a last-minute White House request on Wednesday to include authority to take action against the Islamic State in the bill, Congressional work on the government funding measure was delayed until this week, further condensing the tight time frame lawmakers already faced.  Although the current two-week session (scheduled to end this week) may be extended into the week of September 22, that seems to be an unlikely option at this point.

Below are the Mississippi River Basin-related Capitol Hill happenings currently on tap for the week 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.

Tuesday
Wednesday
  • House Science, Space and Technology Committee hearing on "The Administration’s Climate Plan: Failure by Design;" 10:00 AM, room 2318 Rayburn House Office Building.
  • House Natural Resources Subcommittee on Energy and Mineral Resources legislative hearing on two bills, including H.R. 5066, the  “Data Preservation Act of 2014,” that would reauthorize a USGS program that: archives geological, geophysical, and engineering data, maps, well logs, and samples, provides a national catalog of archived materials, and provides technical and financial assistance to State geological surveys and relevant Department of the Interior bureaus for archived materials; 2:00 PM, room 1324 Longworth House Office Building.
Thursday
Friday
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Friday, September 12, 2014

Mississippi River Basin Water Resource Weekly News

~Virtual Newspaper for an Aquatic World~
"Lame duck" tango move
Last Week, This Week and the Remainder of the Year
Last week, in a nod to a look back to 1984 climate news, we learned that "Ignorance is Strength," and that sometimes a political advert is really just a Jeep commercial in disguise.

Next week could be the last that Congress is in session before the November 4 mid-term elections. And if some Congressional leaders are to be believed, even afterward, during the lame duck session, not much is going to happen before a new Congress is seated in January. After Congress returns in mid-November, there will really only be one key item for its members to attend to in 2014: averting a federal government shutdown after December 11: the expiration date of the proposed stop-gap Continuing Resolution that the House released on Tuesday.  Following a last-minute White House request to include authority to take action against the Islamic State in the bill, Congressional work on the government funding measure was put off until next week. That delay further condenses the tight time frame lawmakers already faced, and the current two-week session (scheduled to end next week) may be extended into the week of September 29, as Congress struggles to reconcile the Obama Administration request for additional military spending with varying opinions regarding increased intervention in the Middle-Eastern conflict.  Here is a link to the fairly thin list of Mississippi River Basin-related Capitol Hill happenings currently on tap for next week.

Noteworthy @UpperMiss Twitter Postings for the Week

Water Quality -
"Waters of the United States Rule"
  • House easily passes H.R. 5078 (bill: http://ow.ly/Bk6Te) - Waters of the United States Regulatory Overreach Protection Act of 2014 (262-152 roll call vote breakdown: http://ow.ly/Bk6KH) articles on bill passage: http://ow.ly/Bk846 and http://ow.ly/Bk8BQ
  • Thirteen of the 35 Democrats voting for bill blocking Waters of the U.S. rule are House
    Getty Images
    Agriculture Committee members http://ow.ly/Bki6d
  • Obama Administration strongly opposes, threatens veto of House bill blocking regulations, guidance to clarify Clean Water Act jurisdiction http://ow.ly/Bh1W6 (story here: http://ow.ly/BhgFo)
  • PGA of America, National Club Association, Golf Course Superintendents Association fight Waters of the U.S. proposal http://ow.ly/Bk9fw
  • USEPA releases seven-page series of questions and answers explaining controversial Waters of the U.S. Rule http://j.mp/1xzAhBM
  • EPA official: Obama administration moving ahead with finalizing waters of the U.S. rule; won't be protecting new kinds of water bodies http://ow.ly/B9AND
Other Water Quality News
  • New USGS study spanning two decades: pesticides in many U.S. streams continue to occur at levels of concern for aquatic life - striking decline in dangers to humans  http://ow.ly/BnWFj
  • USEPA Region 7 Administrator delivers keynote address on “Bridging Troubled Waters - the Outlook for Water Quality and Agriculture”  http://ow.ly/Bktrb
  • Federal judge dismisses environmental group's lawsuit seeking to establish logging road runoff as industrial source of water pollution http://ow.ly/Bkd3e
  • Cargill rejects calls to move or close Arkansas hog farm over Buffalo River pollution concerns http://ow.ly/BhhO9
  • Heavy chlorination, extensive sampling follow in wake of of amoeba discovery in portion of St. John the Baptist Parish water system http://ow.ly/BdXyQ
  • Companion Senate and House  bills would direct EPA to release an interim health advisory for microcystin in drinking water http://ow.ly/BlhgG
  • EPA announces $140,000 settlement with mining company for Clean Water Act violations in Allegheny River Watershed http://ow.ly/Bn7GS
  • House Republicans say the Interior Department's Inspector General is withholding information re: mountaintop removal mining stream buffer zone rule http://j.mp/1CX28fm
Water Resource Management (Floodplains, Dams, Navigation, Wetlands, Flooding, Supplies, etc.) -
  • Environmental groups blast Ohio EPA over its plans to streamline wetland permits http://ow.ly/BfenK
  • Several Missouri streams and rivers at or near flood stages http://ow.ly/Bq77a
  • Number of Mississippi River barges arriving in Winona, Minnesota in August was higher than seen in over a decade http://ow.ly/Bhpdo
  • Army Corps' forecast  calls for higher fall releases from Missouri River reservoirs to enable sufficient 2015 system capacity http://ow.ly/Bhtd7
  • University of Iowa adds a second green roof (600 square feet) on campus; more green roofs planned http://ow.ly/Bhu6f
  • American Rivers op-ed in Quad-City Times: "Mississippi River has room to improve" http://ow.ly/Bk3bp
  • Pueblo Chieftain Editorial: For the "greater good" "Fountain Creek needs effective flood control desperately" (i.e., dam or dams) http://ow.ly/BkuHt (Arkansas River Basin)
  • In wake of near-record Iowa River flooding this year, levee district near Wapello, Iowa pushes to improve infrastructure http://ow.ly/BkvCV
  • Papio-Missouri River Natural Resources District officials concerned about potential catastrophic floods unless conditions change http://ow.ly/BndNZ
  • Army Corps and Upper Minnesota River Watershed District sign agreement for Marsh Lake ecosystem restoration project http://ow.ly/BndAM
  • Clarksville, Indiana officials reach out to Army Corps for help with erosion along Ohio River http://ow.ly/Bne5j
  • Legislative task force meeting to streamline diversion canal project that would reroute Comite River water to Mississippi River http://ow.ly/BnfdA
  • Indiana Corn Growers, Soybean Alliance host Ohio River Lock Tour http://ow.ly/Bq6tb
  • Cost estimate for four Tulsa-area low-head dams on Arkansas River goes up by $80 million http://ow.ly/Bq6MM
Agriculture -
  • USDA providing $328M in conservation funding to help landowners protect, restore key farmlands, grasslands and wetlands through the Agricultural Conservation Easement Program (ACEP) http://ow.ly/BfyuP (also see this AP article: http://ow.ly/Bh0Cw)
  • EPA Region 7 Administrator to Nebraska Department of Agriculture Director: EPA not a 'threat' to agricultural producers http://ow.ly/Bog5D
  • Corn has been king for almost a decade with help from Congress.  That era is set to end. http://ow.ly/BdOLu
  • USEPA is working to update herbicide labels, but says that herbicide makers need to help farmers fight resistant weeds http://ow.ly/BogX5
  • Flooding that began in late June will lead to millions of dollars in lost crop value for Arkansas farmers http://ow.ly/BdR5q
  • Pesticide drift from conventional farms is a persistent problem for organic and small farms http://ow.ly/BdWnF (Iowa case study)
  • High-tech seeds that produce big crops also create an unhealthy landscape for bees (Minnesota case study) http://ow.ly/BdWGN
  • In shadow of oil boom, North Dakota farmers fight contamination, offer test case of long-term wastewater spill effects http://ow.ly/BdX2p
  • Farm state senators sound alarm about delayed crop shipments, ruined crops at Senate committee hearing http://ow.ly/Bn8Tr
  • No crash in U.S. farm land prices seen despite tumbling grain prices http://ow.ly/Bh1iN
  • Government Accountability Office: federal government could save hundreds of millions of dollars annually by reducing crop insurance premium subsidies http://ow.ly/Bkdtp
  • Group spends $10.7m for two farms in Louisiana; one in Nebraska, totalling 2,130 acres, aiming to benefit from farm rents as well as market appreciation http://ow.ly/Bq4Nb
June-August Precipitation as a Percent of Average
(click to enlarge)
Climate and Weather -
  • Greenhouse gas levels rising at fastest rate since 1984 http://ow.ly/BgUUk (WMO report:  http://ow.ly/Bk5Yc)
  • Top United Nations official: climate summit later this month will be "major turning point" in climate change fight http://j.mp/1s50QdA
  • US weekly drought update: improvements seen in Nebraska, Kansas, northern Wisconsin, western Kentucky and adjacent Tennessee http://ow.ly/wmTdv
  • Long-term weather forecasters downgrade likelihood of a strong El Niño developing this fall http://ow.ly/BkjH7
  • Western Governors' Association announces launch of new initiative to prepare for, respond to drought impacts http://ow.ly/BpYIA
  • Nearly an inch of snow at Rapid City, ND. The earliest recorded snowfall going back to 1888. http://ow.ly/BpYZb
Biodiversity, Wildlife and Invasives -
  • Audubon Society study: 314 North American bird species at risk from climate change; many facing extinction http://ow.ly/BgV9M
  • On heels of Audubon report on birds at risk (see above), U.S. government report finds some of country's birds species in moderate to steep decline http://ow.ly/Bk55R
  • Gov. Steve Bullock releases Montana sage grouse conservation strategy: "Montana Sage
    dusky gopher frog
    Grouse Habitat Conservation Program" http://ow.ly/BkaWu
  • US FWS accepting public comment until Nov. 10 on newly-released draft recovery plan for endangered dusky gopher frog http://ow.ly/Bner1
  • House Natural Resources Committee holds hearing on six bills "aimed at updating and improving the Endangered Species Act" http://ow.ly/BkiMn
  • House passes bill to reauthorize Multinational Species Conservation Funds Semipostal Stamp http://ow.ly/BgX9x (fundraising postal stamp-previously passed by Senate)
  • Minnesota lake first in US to use product that utilizes dead bacterial cells to kill zebra mussels (Hennepin County) http://ow.ly/BhhaF
  • Officials confirm that zebra mussels have been found in another lake in the western Twin Cities (MN) area http://ow.ly/Bq7mP
  • Industry officials blast proposed Fish and Wildlife Service protections for bat species and Endangered Species Act at House field hearing http://ow.ly/Bhl1c
In the Cities -
  • City leaders nationwide are preparing for climate change without using the term, avoiding politics and partisanship http://ow.ly/Bknil
  • Memphis, Tennessee region is poised to make a huge leap forward in developing a regional greenway and trail system http://ow.ly/BkOZv
  • Orleans Parish Sewerage & Water Board: New Orleans drinking water odor coming from algae growing in the Mississippi River http://ow.ly/BnfCZ
In the States-
  • Recount vote results on Missouri "right to farm" constitutional amendment expected to be announced next Monday http://ow.ly/BnmKm
  • Projected shortfall for the next two-year Wisconsin state budget ending in mid-2017 nearly $1.8 billion http://ow.ly/BhsPq
  • Daily Iowan Editorial: Iowa needs to strengthen environmental standards http://ow.ly/BndjJ
Gulf Coastal Region-
  • NPR: For Lack Of Mississippi Silt, The Gulf Is Losing Coastal Land http://ow.ly/Be7Ye
  • First in a series of Reuters articles examines the phenomenon of rising seas, and its effects on the United States http://ow.ly/B8Q9W
  • Mother Jones: Gulf coast ecosystems were supposed to rebound after the BP oil spill. They haven't. http://ow.ly/BktYe
  • Federal magistrate judge: agreement between BP and land trust doesn't require BP to remove all oil from Gulf Coast waterfront property http://ow.ly/BhiBE
Forestry -
  • Forest Service Chief defends proposed USFS groundwater directive before skeptical House Agriculture subcommittee ow.ly/Bn82V
Resource Development -
  • Minnesota to take its time studying crude oil pipeline alternatives to route near Mississippi River headwaters http://ow.ly/Bq3Se
  • Yale and Penn State studies exploring gas drilling health and water issues paint very different potential impact pictures http://ow.ly/Bnm3u
  • With plans for a new crude oil pipeline on the table, review indicates that Iowa's pipeline safety record has been "spotty" http://ow.ly/BdVYE
  • EPA regulation setting required volumes of ethanol, biodiesel in fuel (Renewable Fuel Standard) sent to White House OMB for review http://ow.ly/Bn60H
Federal Budget -
  • House GOP offers stopgap federal funding bill to run government through Dec. 11; also reshapes future budget landscape - article: http://ow.ly/Bk3Yh; Appropriations Committee release and links: http://ow.ly/Bk4dP
  • House Republican leaders delay vote on a stopgap spending bill until next week http://ow.ly/Bn9W8
Events -  Information on all past and future events listed here each week can be viewed in the on-line calendar, located above and to the right (and here as a stand-alone calendar)
  • Farm Foundation Forum: Water quality, agriculture and Waters of the United States; Sept. 17; 9-11 AM, Washington, DC http://ow.ly/BkeoM
  • Precision Agriculture Forum, September 18, 4:30 – 5:30 PM (with reception to follow) Hyatt Regency Capitol Hill, Washington, DC ow.ly/BdZxS
  • National Academies meeting: Reinvesting in Inland Waterways: What Policy Makers Need to Know; Sept 18-19, Washington, DC http://ow.ly/B8XAD (closed to the public; closed session summary posted after the meeting)
  • National Water Quality Monitoring Council Webinar: "Continuous Monitoring for Nutrients: State of the Technology and State of the Science" Sept 24, 1 PM ET http://ow.ly/Bn6Pl
  • Lower Mississippi River Dispatch No 256 - Tennessee Williams Festival, Oct 3-4 in downtown Clarksdale, Mississippi http://ow.ly/BdQka
  • Fall Seed Harvest, Dixon Waterfowl Refuge at Hennepin & Hopper Lakes, October 4, 9 AM CT http://ow.ly/BpVQ5
  • Mississippi River Watershed Education Symposium, November 14-15, National Great Rivers Research and Education Center, East Alton, Illinois http://ow.ly/Bfdz3
  • National Working Waterfronts & Waterways Symposium; Tampa, FL on November 16-19, 2015 http://ow.ly/B9l49
e-Newsletters, Publications, Journals, Multimedia  -
  • Tulane Institute on Water Resources Law and Policy's TUWaterWays e-newsletter for September 10 http://ow.ly/BlvR5
  • University of Wisconsin Water Resources Institute and Sea Grant Institute "Aquatic Sciences Chronicle" 2014, Vol. 3 http://ow.ly/BnHwz
  • Minnesota Pollution Control Agency Waterfront Bulletin for September 2014 http://ow.ly/BoexQ
  • Montana Watershed Coordination Council's September 11 Watershed News http://ow.ly/BpXte
Other news-
  • Federal Railroad Administration proposes new rules requiring train operators to secure hazardous materials transported by rail http://j.mp/1BnDEu7
  • Interior Secretary: 2010 Gulf of Mexico oil spill prompted reorganization of Department of Interior with eye toward safety http://ow.ly/BhyG2
  • Stillwater, MN (St. Croix River) http://ow.ly/BhuVx, Parkville, MO (Missouri River) http://ow.ly/BhvFa, Franklin, TN (Harpeth River) http://ow.ly/Bhwgu, Oxford, MS (Yazoo River Basin) http://ow.ly/BhxeL named to top 20 “Best Towns for Fall Colors” in US
Politics and People-
  • Republicans are putting together an agenda for the first 100 days of 2015 in case they win control of the Senate http://ow.ly/Bq2xp
  • Mississippi Supreme Court will hear Senate candidate Chris McDaniel's legal challenge of his Republican primary defeat http://ow.ly/Bk3BE
  • Democrat Chad Taylor asks state Supreme Court to remove him from the Kansas U.S. Senate ballot http://ow.ly/Bk4LE
  • Nebraska Lt. Gov. Lavon Heidemann is stepping down from his post and out of the race for re-election http://ow.ly/BkoPq
  • Minnesota Council that recommends how to spend $100 million on game, fish, wildlife habitat selects new executive director http://ow.ly/Bof3e
  • Lawmakers are privately saying that the post-election, lame-duck work session will be completely uneventful http://ow.ly/Bk4v0
  • Gallup poll: 14% of Americans approve of how Congress is handling its job http://ow.ly/BheqS
  • Over 220 administration political appointees await Senate confirmation, including several Environmental Protection Agency political leaders http://ow.ly/BhfSV
  • 50 richest members of the U.S. Congress: All are white, women comprise 18 percent, 20 Democrats and 30 Republicans http://ow.ly/BebMo
  • Sunlight Foundation: "Women make up more than half the U.S. population, less than one fourth of U.S. House witnesses" http://bit.ly/1qGmaWb
Your Moment of Zen -
Two common kingfishers fight over a perch (Photo credit: Shams ul haq Qari)
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What We Learned This Week - "Ignorance is Strength"

The U.S. House easily passed a bill designed to prevent the Obama Administration from implementing a proposed rule to redefine the jurisdiction of the Clean Water Act. Thirty-five Democrats broke party ranks to support the measure. The U.S. EPA released a seven-page series of questions and answers explaining the controversial rule, while golfing organizations weighed in against the proposal. A new USGS study spanning two decades found that pesticides in many U.S. streams continue to be at levels of concern for aquatic life, but there was a significant decline in the human health threat from those pesticides. A House committee held a hearing on six GOP-sponsored bills "aimed at updating and improving the Endangered Species Act." Bird species are among those endangered: the National Audubon Society reported that 314 North American bird species are at risk - many from climate change.  And soon thereafter, the U.S. government described a watch list of 233 endangered bird species; many in moderate to steep decline due to habitat loss.  Corn, however, is not among the list of endangered species, having been king of Midwest crops for nearly a decade. But that era is set to end, in part because of changes in the latest farm bill.  Quite a few high-profile farm bill opponents in Congress have fallen on tough political times this election cycle. Greenhouse gas levels rose in 2013 at fastest rate since 1984; a surge that surprised scientists and raised fears of accelerated planet warming rates to come.  The 50 richest members of the U.S. Congress are all white, 92 percent male, and include 20 Democrats and 30 Republicans. Women are also under-represented on U.S. House hearing witness lists. Some lawmakers are privately saying that the post-election, lame-duck work session will live up to its designation.  Which is perhaps one reason why a Gallup poll found that just 14 percent of Americans approve of how Congress is handling its job.   And last but not least, Pennsylvania gubernatorial candidate Tom Wolf released a campaign ad that looked suspiciously like a Jeep commercial.
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Monday, September 8, 2014

Capitol Hill This Week - What to Watch For

The U.S. House and Senate return this week from an August hiatus to begin a short September work session before breaking again during the run-up to November's mid-term election.  Including the week of September 22 off, the House is scheduled to be in session through Thursday, October 2, although members will very likely forego that last week, and exit town after the upcoming two-week stint.  On the near-term agenda for Congress will be a stop-gap Continuing Resolution to keep the federal government funded beyond the September 30 end to the current fiscal year. Look for a bipartisan push for a clean (rider-free) measure that will fund the government at least into December.  The House may take up the short-term spending bill as early as this Thursday.

The House Rules Committee will meet today (Monday) to clear the way for full House consideration of H.R. 5078, the "Waters of the United States Regulatory Overreach Protection Act of 2014."  H.R. 5078 is a bill that would limit the ability of the administration to implement rules, policy or guidance redefining the jurisdictional reach of the Clean Water Act.  House Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy named House consideration of that bill one of many Republican September legislative priorities.

Below are the other House and Senate activities currently scheduled for the 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 be updated as warranted.

Monday
Tuesday
Wednesday
Thursday
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Friday, September 5, 2014

Mississippi River Basin Water Resource Weekly News

~Virtual Newspaper for an Aquatic World~
Up Next
Next week, the U.S. House and Senate return from an August hiatus to begin a short September performance before breaking again during the run-up to November's mid-term election.  The House is scheduled to be in session through Thursday, October 2, and the Senate will likely follow suit.  On the agenda for Congress during that period will be a short-term Continuing Resolution to keep the federal government funded beyond the September 30 end of the current fiscal year.  Look for a bipartisan push for a clean (rider-free) measure that will fund the government at least into December. Here is a link to the U.S. House and Senate activities currently scheduled for next week that relate to Mississippi River Basin water resources (As for the week gone by, we've distilled all of the news into this one-paragraph summary: "What We Learned This Week").

Also on the House Menu: Waters of the United States Rule
Earlier in the week, House Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy named House consideration of of H.R. 5078, the "Waters of the United States Regulatory Overreach Protection Act of 2014," as one of several Republican September legislative priorities.  The House Rules Committee will meet on Monday to clear the way for full House consideration of the bill, which would limit the Obama administration's ability to implement rules, policy or guidance redefining the jurisdictional reach of the Clean Water Act.

Noteworthy @UpperMiss Twitter Postings for the Week 
Water Quality -
  • U.S. EPA Inspector General report: EPA approach to shrinking Gulf of Mexico dead zone
    State shares of the total nutrient mass to the Gulf of Mexico
    (Source: USGS) Click to Enlarge
    has some major flaws; article: http://ow.ly/B4Q1C  (Link to full report: http://ow.ly/B4QCN and "Report at a Glance" http://ow.ly/B4QG9) (related article:  EPA Inspector General  calls for EPA to do more on Gulf of Mexico dead zone http://ow.ly/B5erN)
  • House Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy issues memo to House Republicans outlining September's legislative priorities http://ow.ly/B7PSP - including "H.R. 5078, the Waters of the United States Regulatory Overreach Protection Act"
  • Pennsylvania has released a list of drinking-water wells contaminated by oil and gas drilling http://ow.ly/AYQb4
  • Study detects high groundwater arsenic levels in wells across Barnett Shale Gas area (Trinity River Basin) http://ow.ly/AZ4bY
  • Oil and gas company to restore streams, wetlands at 15 West Virginia sites damaged by dredge or fill operations http://ow.ly/B20mt
Water Resource Management (Floodplains, Dams, Navigation, Wetlands, Flooding, Supplies, etc.) -
  • Army Corps of Engineers, New Orleans District says it created about 850 acres of wetlands in 2014 in Louisiana through the beneficial use of Mississippi River dredge materials  http://ow.ly/B6bqk
  • Coal, petroleum coke debris found in Mississippi River dredge materials piped to Plaquemines marsh restoration projects http://ow.ly/B29w2
  • USEPA opposes key Army Corps proposed coal ash landfill wetland permit, saying it would destroy 16.5 miles of high-quality streams http://ow.ly/AYUol (Kentucky)
  • Thirty Mile Canal project designed to help endangered species through the Platte River Recovery Implementation Program http://ow.ly/AZeX1
  • Missouri Valley, Iowa residents forced to evacuate because of a levee breach along the Boyer River http://ow.ly/AZfWi
  • Wet August led to higher Missouri River stages; Army Corps increases water releases from Oahe Dam http://ow.ly/B83qm
  • State Rep. Ed Schieffer (Missouri) advocates for "fair and equitable Upper Mississippi River Comprehensive Plan" before the Mississippi River Commission http://ow.ly/AZher
  • Report: Water shortages could limit shale development across globe http://ow.ly/B01y4
  • Des Moines to install flashboards on Des Moines River's Center Street dam to increase water levels, enhance recreation http://ow.ly/B2j5r
  • Several southern Illinois levee and drainage districts propose tax hike to raise funds to reline levee drainage pipes http://ow.ly/B2nXP
  • Army Corps awards contracts for two projects to repair damages to shallow water habitat caused by 2011 Missouri River flood http://ow.ly/B2oOU
  • Environmental experts kick off World Water Week conference by chastising United Nations for ignoring rainfall management needs http://ow.ly/B4YQg
Agriculture -
  • Prospects of a bin-busting crop have driven corn prices to their lowest levels in four years http://ow.ly/AYOKw
  • INFORUM National Farmers Union Letter to Editor: Rail Delays in the Dakotas Staggering, Unacceptable http://ow.ly/B1SGF
  • Kellogg, its leading corn supplier, and The Nature Conservancy seek to advance Midwest Corn Belt agricultural conservation management http://ow.ly/B2pzq
Climate and Weather -
  • Georgetown Climate Center report: Federal natural disaster policies hinder state efforts at climate adaptation http://ow.ly/B85mb
  • US drought update: improvements in drought and dry areas in Wisconsin, Iowa, Illinois, Missouri, Kansas and Nebraska http://ow.ly/wmTdv
  • NOAA Climate Prediction Center monthly drought outlook for September: drought improvement expected in the central Plains http://ow.ly/q3yAx
  • Meteorologists don't see climate conditions to indicate that Old Farmers' Almanac "record breaking winter" is coming http://ow.ly/AYHRF
  • Researchers say that Earth cannot sustain humanity's growing demand for meat and dairy products http://ow.ly/AYS6Q
  • 2050 "weather report" released by UN last Sunday to highlight urgency of its September 23 NYC climate change summit http://ow.ly/B58kr (video)
Biodiversity, Wildlife and Invasives -
  • Environmental groups file petitions with three federal courts seeking to overturn final USEPA cooling water intake rule http://ow.ly/B22iV
  • Monday was the 100th anniversary of the death of Martha, the last known passenger pigeon . . . an article of warning: ow.ly/AW5Km
  • Bald eagles continue to expand in Kentucky, extending steady increase in breeding pairs during the last decade http://ow.ly/AYSUO
  • Missouri River sandbars in South Dakota and Nebraska to be cleared of plants so least terns and piping plovers can build nests http://ow.ly/AZgoV
  • Asian carp barrier back up on Lake Decatur dam (Illinois River Basin) http://ow.ly/AZFkj
  • Pennsylvania invites project applications for State Wildlife Grants to address high-priority Ohio River Basin conservation needs http://ow.ly/B2mEP (including freshwater mussel conservation)
  • Canadian beekeepers file class-action lawsuit against neonicotinoid makers http://ow.ly/B66QJ
  • FWS suggests threatened bull trout could recover without population target http://ow.ly/B67n1 (range partly in Missouri River Basin headwaters); lawsuit possible http://ow.ly/B682V
In the Cities -
  • Video: Impervious Surface Reduction/Green Alley phase of Dubuque, Iowa's Bee Branch Watershed Flood Mitigation Project http://ow.ly/AYV5P
  • Water Environment Federation chose this Chattanooga, TN video as 1 of 4 winners of 2014 StormTV Project competition http://ow.ly/AYWlE (WEF video awards press announcement here: http://ow.ly/AYWOb)
  • Nine years after Hurricane Katrina, New Orleans aims to turn environmental weaknesses into economic strengths http://ow.ly/AZ35b
In the States-
  • Kentucky Issues New General Permits for Coal Mine Water Pollution http://ow.ly/B5dy4  (see related article, immediately below)
  • Environmental groups are suing Kentucky over key provision of state's new coal-mining, water quality protection rule http://ow.ly/B5cMQ
Gulf Coastal Region-
  • BP found grossly negligent in Deepwater Horizon disaster; Transocean, Halliburton were each negligent http://ow.ly/B69Qs - ruling could add billions more in fines to the more than $42 billion in charges taken already
  • Several chronic disasters unfolding around Gulf of Mexico compete with the Deepwater Horizon event http://ow.ly/B83R5
  • Halliburton settles majority of lawsuits filed against it for Gulf of Mexico 2010 Deepwater Horizon oil spill for about $1.1 billion http://ow.ly/AZbG1
  • BP asks federal judge to remove Patrick Juneau as administrator of damage claims from its 2010 Gulf of Mexico oil spill http://ow.ly/B2ag7
Resource Development -
  • First of three commercial-scale cellulosic ethanol plants comes online in Iowa;
    uses corncobs, leaves and husks to produce ethanol http://ow.ly/B28Gr
  • West Virginia DNR seeks bids from drillers to use fracking to extract natural gas and oil from state-owned land beneath Ohio River http://ow.ly/AZiod
  • Major oil pipeline that would carry Bakken crude oil from North Dakota to Illinois faces fight from activists in Iowa http://ow.ly/AZE6J
Federal Budget -
  • 16 hunting, fishing, conservation organizations call on Congress to fully fund the Land and Water Conservation Fund http://ow.ly/B22Yq
Events - Information on all past and future events listed here can be viewed in the on-line calendar (here as a stand-alone calendar)
  • U of Mn-hosted event: "Trapped by History: the Past and Future of the Upper Mississippi River" 7:00 pm CT, September 9 http://ow.ly/B21L5
  • Event to mark 25th anniversary of state legislation creating Lower Wisconsin State Riverway; Sept. 14, Spring Green, WI http://ow.ly/B2kOW
  • October 2-7 seminars and float: "Timeless Journey Down the River Searching for a Home" http://ow.ly/AYKyy (in the Lower Mississippi River Dispatch)
e-Newsletters, Publications, Journals, Multimedia -
  • "Vital Statistics on Congress" August 2014 update – Joint Effort from Brookings and the American Enterprise Institute http://ow.ly/B259E
  • Minnesota Pollution Control Agency's Industrial Stormwater News: September 2014 http://ow.ly/AZHu3
  • Association of State Floodplain Managers August 2014 "News and Views" (PDF file) http://ow.ly/AYKbH
  • Minnesota Pollution Control Agency's River Connections for August 2014 http://ow.ly/AYL2T
  • Tulane Institute on Water Resources Law and Policy's September 3 "TUWaterWays" e-newsletter http://ow.ly/B4ULf
  • Minnesota Pollution Control Agency's Feedlot Update - Sept. 3, 2014 http://ow.ly/B4UV3
  • Montana Watershed Coordination Council's September 4 Watershed News http://ow.ly/B7O1z
Politics and People-
  • House Oversight, Senate EPW Committees' GOP members launch investigation into NRDC relationship with U.S. EPA http://ow.ly/B23DI (related E&E article: http://ow.ly/B24dn)
  • 365 incumbents in the 435-member House;18 of 28 senators on a glide path to a November re-election and another term http://ow.ly/AYDyH
  • U.S. Rep. Vance McAllister (R-La-5) held the most August recess town hall meetings (23) of all of his Congressional peers http://ow.ly/B7ZVR
  • Iowa's US Senate race is worth an extra dash of attention because of ideological distance between the two candidates: Bruce Braley, a Democratic House member, and Joni Ernst, a Republican state senator http://ow.ly/AYXKG
  • Chad Taylor, Democratic candidate for U.S. Senate in Kansas withdraws from race against Pat Roberts, three-term Republican incumbent; move would boost the prospects of independent candidate Greg Orman http://ow.ly/B4FWp (see subsequent article below)
  • Kansas Secretary of State denies Democrat Chad Taylor’s request to be removed from Kansas U.S. Senate ballot http://ow.ly/B7Omp boosting the vulnerable Pat Roberts' (R) reelection prospects
  • Mississippi judge dismisses state Sen. Chris McDaniel’s (R) legal challenge seeking to overturn Sen. Thad Cochran’s (R) June primary win http://ow.ly/AYF4d
  • Roll Call refreshes its rankings of the top 10 most vulnerable senators, Sen. Mary Landrieu (D-La.) rises to the top http://ow.ly/AZ1Ez
  • Women who serve in office continue to be underrepresented at all levels of U.S. government — 20% of U.S. senators are women, as are 18% of House members; at the state level, only 10% of governors and 24% of state legislators are women http://ow.ly/B2cO7
Your Moment of Zen -
のせ猫 x カエルと猫　"cat and frog" (via NPR)
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