~Most of the Water News - None of the Spin~
The Fiscal Year 2015 Spending Package and the Mississippi River Basin
By a vote of 219 - 206 on Thursday, the House passed a 1,603-page spending package to fund most of the government through next September and the Department of Homeland Security through |
| "Cromnibus" spending legislation package |
Noteworthy @UpperMiss Twitter Postings for the Week
Water Quality -
- Senate passes algae water quality bill (S.2785 - Safe and Secure Drinking Water Protection Act of 2014) but House doesn't consider its version before adjourning; bill: ow.ly/FMSCH (article: ow.ly/FMSCI)
- EPA fighting U.S District judge ruling that it decide on Gulf of Mexico 'dead zone' rulemaking
http://ow.ly/Fq8U9
2008 Mississippi River spill from train derailment - Des Moines Water Works left with no alternative but to activate nitrate removal facility in face of record high concentrations http://ow.ly/FqbGk
- Local Ohio group takes on toxic algae in Little Miami River Basin head on http://ow.ly/FBlZS
- Exxon Mobil Corp. works to clean up release of unidentified substance on the Des Plaines River in Illinois http://ow.ly/FCJpZ
- Report on Missouri River basin in Minnesota: Few water bodies meet swimmable and fishable standards http://ow.ly/FFUeu
- West Virginia Department of Environmental Protection commits $1 million to Coal River stream restoration project http://ow.ly/FGvDZ
- Environmental groups threaten to sue Patriot Coal Corp. over alleged Clean Water Act violations at Hobet mine, W.Va. http://ow.ly/FKwM3
- Subsidiary of Canadian Pacific Railroad settles Mississippi River 2008 oil spill claim (Iowa and Wisconsin) http://ow.ly/FJPiY
Water Resource Management (Floodplains, Dams, Navigation, Wetlands, Flooding, Supplies, etc.) -
- Reps. Bill Cassidy (R-La.) and Steven Palazzo (R-Miss.) press appropriators to block funding for new flood risk standard development http://ow.ly/FB1iW
- Army Corps of Engineers' commander general: U.S. can no longer rely on Congress to repair failing infrastructure http://ow.ly/FKvZq
- Colorado Gov. John Hickenlooper (D) on Wednesday unveiled the first draft of a new state plan http://ow.ly/FKuMO
- The Ogallala Aquifer: The Nation's Precarious Underground Water Supply http://ow.ly/FJK2U
Agriculture -
- USDA allowing North Dakota landowners to enroll 82,800 more acres into two Conservation Reserve Program projects http://ow.ly/FByyz
- USDA seeks public comment on new Environmental Quality Incentives Program rule; press release http://ow.ly/FJRre December 12 Federal Register notice: http://ow.ly/FMGI6
- A busy year lies ahead as USDA implements the new farm bill; here is a list of staffers who will be instrumental in that effort http://ow.ly/Fr8NW
- New Iowa study points to greater need for policy support of cover crops; news story: http://ow.ly/FBnPj (study: http://ow.ly/FBo2F)
- University of Illinois study: Crop insurance likely adds 4 to 9 percent to farmland values http://ow.ly/FIV7m
- 2014 oil slump may have come too late to benefit U.S. farmers; prices need to remain lower for months to reduce next season's costs http://ow.ly/FBxMe
- Indiana Supreme Court to decide which county court will hear lawsuit filed to stop construction of large scale hog farm http://ow.ly/FF5U9
- Agriculture Committee Chairman Mike Conaway (R-Tex) announces creation of six new subcommittees for 2015, including Conservation and Forestry panel http://ow.ly/FEV81
- Organic crops could become more attractive to farmers who are faced with low corn and soybean prices http://ow.ly/FEVBl
- Organic farming boom stretches the U.S. Agriculture Department’s ability to monitor the system http://ow.ly/FJNtg
- Wisconsin-based group says organic regulations are not being enforced; files legal complaints against 14 industrial livestock operations http://ow.ly/FMPR0
- The number of Christmas tree farms has dwindled in Nebraska and elsewhere across the nation http://ow.ly/FF6s3
- EPA is accepting nominations for Science Advisory Board Agricultural Science Committee candidates; Nominations due January 30, 2015 http://ow.ly/FG1xO
- Senate passes Coast Guard Reauthorization, with amendment extending permit exemption for small commercial, fishing vessels' discharges http://ow.ly/FH8oe (the House cleared the amended version of the reauthorization Wednesday afternoon, sending the bill on to the President)
- NPR: The roles and number of women working on farms continue to grow, but USDA doesn't always count them http://ow.ly/FMN75
Climate and Weather -
- White House releases new water and ecosystems data sets for private sector to use in response to climate change impacts http://ow.ly/FCI1F
- U.S. Drought Update: abnormal dryness and drought in southern portions of both Louisiana and Mississippi, Southern Plains remain dry http://ow.ly/FKyOs
- Contiguous U.S. drought coverage declined to 29.13 percent by the beginning of December, the lowest level in three years http://ow.ly/Fr3Yr
- Scientists look to model how organisms will cope with climate changes' faster, less predictable environmental variation http://ow.ly/FB9yB
Biodiversity, Wildlife and Invasives -
- Wisconsin officials shut down the state's wolf hunt after hunters exceed the 150 wolf quota http://ow.ly/Fr9h1
- More Minnesota landowners are committing to restoring prairie grasslands on their land http://ow.ly/FGvfN
- Dixon Waterfowl Refuge (Hennepin, Illinois) area expanding to more than 3,000 acres with new parcel purchase http://ow.ly/FMU8e
In the Cities -
- New York Times Op-ed: High Rises vs. Honky Tonks: Gentrification is Threatening Nashville's Soul http://ow.ly/FIMru
In the States-
- In Kentucky, where coal is king, both Democrats and Republicans are blocking green policies http://ow.ly/FMOBA
- Courier-Journal Editorial (Louisville, Kentucky): "Starving the beast" - continued state energy and environment cuts are counterproductive http://ow.ly/FqWP5
- Wisconsin Assembly Republican lawmakers hope to shield land stewardship program from next round of state budget cuts http://ow.ly/FB41f
- Illinois Gov.-elect Bruce Rauner prepares voters for what he says will be a painful two years sorting out state's financial woes http://ow.ly/FBGI4
- House-passed Ohio water-quality bill stalls in state senate; story: http://ow.ly/FCeal (bill here: http://ow.ly/FCeG2) (related story below)
- Heavily amended, Ohio bill dealing with environmental, agricultural and fracking appears to be mired in committee http://ow.ly/FIUzY
- Missouri bill would help low-income seniors access farmers markets http://ow.ly/FITSS
Gulf Coastal Region-
- Louisiana is trying to restore its coastline with a "a 50-year, $50 billion plan based on science
that's never been tested and money it doesn't have" http://ow.ly/FBka8Click to enlarge - Reporting From the Youngest Land in the World http://ow.ly/FBmCZ
- BP's failed U.S. Supreme Court appeal sends 'clear signal,' sets tone for future Gulf oil spill disputes http://ow.ly/FBDVL
- Jefferson Parish Council (Louisiana) to ask Treasury Department for $400,000 to develop Restore Act project plan http://ow.ly/FBEAy
- Environmental groups: Louisiana restoration projects should get top priority with BP oil spill fine money http://ow.ly/FGuIw (also see related links, below)
- Environmental groups release two reports describing Gulf coastal restoration projects that could bring biggest benefits http://ow.ly/FFbBR and http://ow.ly/FFc4N
- East bank levee authority, energy firms argue in court over Louisiana law passed to kill wetlands lawsuit http://ow.ly/FJPQA
Forestry -
- Experts fear that U.S. forest health will degrade as forest landowners' ages increase while size of parcels shrink http://ow.ly/FB36A
Resource Development -
- Companies in drought areas look at liquefied petroleum gas gel for hydraulic fracturing to reduce dependence on scarce water supplies http://ow.ly/Fq88j
- Congressional investigation into the way states regulate fracking waste disposal expands to Ohio and West Virginia http://ow.ly/FGuba
- Montana regulators seek public comments on the proposed Otter Creek coal mine http://ow.ly/FGQqB and http://ow.ly/FGQvq
- Lawmakers vent their frustration at Environmental Protection Agency's repeated delays of the annual ethanol mandate http://ow.ly/FIZRs
Federal Budget -
- House press release with summary and highlights of FY 2015 budget agreement http://ow.ly/FERkl
- Summary – Agriculture Appropriations (includes USDA) http://ow.ly/FESeG
- Summary – Commerce, Justice, Science Appropriations (includes NOAA) http://ow.ly/FESnX
- Summary – Energy and Water Appropriations (includes Army Corps of Engineers) http://ow.ly/FEStE
- Summary – Interior and Environment Appropriations (includes USEPA and Interior Department) http://ow.ly/FESEJ
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)
- Wetland Mapping Consortium webinar: State Offsite Methods for Prairie Pothole Region wetland determinations December 17, 3 PM ET http://ow.ly/FJ5lA
e-Newsletters, Publications, Journals, Multimedia -
- Minnesota Pollution Control Agency December 8 "BALMM Currents" (Basin Alliance for the Lower Mississippi in Minnesota) http://ow.ly/FBniT
- Minnesota Pollution Control Agency's Waterfront Bulletin for December 2014 ow.ly/FFTcm
- Lower Mississippi River Dispatch, No 268, Saturday, December 6 http://ow.ly/FBz4C
- December 9 Green Lands Blue Waters Update, highlighting efforts to advance Mississippi River Basin agricultural land Continuous Living Cover http://ow.ly/FCvVu
- America's Waterway December 2014 "River Currents" e-newsletter http://ow.ly/FFdlG
- Tulane Institute on Water Resources Law and Policy's December 9, TUWaterWays e-newsletter http://ow.ly/FGVkW
- Montana Watershed Coordination Council December 11 Watershed News http://ow.ly/FKu0e
Other news-
- House passes bill directing study on the feasibility of incorporating Chief Standing Bear National Historic Trail into National Trail System (Nebraska, Kansas) http://ow.ly/FB60V
- Senate unanimously approves FOIA Improvement Act, sending information transparency bill to the House http://ow.ly/FBgIv (bill here: http://ow.ly/FBgWa)
- House Energy and Commerce Committee releases policy paper addressing coal ash disposal http://ow.ly/FJOtT (article: http://ow.ly/FJOCh)
- Closing in on ALS? Link between lethal disease and blue-green algae being explored http://ow.ly/FJMIM
Politics and People-
- Associated Press-GfK poll: most of the public thinks America's political leaders are incapable of cooperation http://ow.ly/FIPUj
- Joseph Glauber, head of U.S. Agriculture Department's economics office, announces his retirement http://ow.ly/FKvuf
- Rep. Bill Cassidy (R-La.) easily ousted incumbent Sen. Mary Landrieu (D-La.) in their Senate runoff on Saturday http://ow.ly/Fuj09
- POLITICO: "Greens to Landrieu: Good riddance" http://ow.ly/FBp82
- Incoming House Agriculture Committee chairman announces committee's eight new Republican members http://ow.ly/FB0nB, including Reps. Mike Bost of Illinois, Tom Emmer of Minnesota
- Republican candidates in Louisiana claim easy Saturday runoff wins in two open-seat House races (Baton Rouge-based 6th District http://ow.ly/FB87V; northeastern 5th District http://ow.ly/FB8lx)
- Rep. Rodney Davis (R., Il.) named Chairman of House Agriculture Subcommittee on Biotechnology, Horticulture, and Research for the 114th Congress http://ow.ly/FJ2p5
- Montana Gov. Steve Bullock will be new chair of the Democratic Governors Association, breaking run of four straight coastal state chairmen http://ow.ly/FBC6T
- Transportation and Infrastructure Committee Chairman Bill Shuster (R-PA) names 12 new Republican Committee members for 2015, including Garret Graves of Louisiana and Todd Rokita of Indiana http://ow.ly/FGPpR
Your Moment of Zen -
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| Photograph: Jonathan Need/Rex Features |
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