New Upper Mississippi River Profile Paints an Intriguing Economic Picture, Points Toward Future Study Opportunities

Background

Preliminary results of a 2015 Upper Mississippi River Economic Profile were unveiled on September 15 during the Mississippi River Cities and Towns Initiative’s annual organizational meeting in Dubuque, Iowa.  The study area included 60 counties bordering the River from Minneapolis-St. Paul to the Mississippi River's confluence with the Ohio River at the southern tip of Illinois (see map to the left).  Revenue and employment within nine economic sectors in that area were the focus of the analysis and of the two-page brochure  summarizing the preliminary results. The economic sectors that were evaluated were those determined by the study authors to be river-related, and included navigation, manufacturing, agriculture, tourism and outdoor recreation.

Study results indicate that the nine evaluated sectors in those 60 Upper Mississippi River counties generate over $253 billion in revenue annually, and sustain over 755,000 jobs.  The vast majority of jobs (92.3 percent) and revenue (93.2 percent) occur in the three largest industry sectors: agriculture, manufacturing and tourism (see charts, below, from the preliminary results' brochure). The results presented at the September 15 mayors' meeting are preliminary.  A complete analysis will be made available in a report expected to be completed in several months.  The economic analysis was produced through a collaboration of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, the Upper Mississippi River Basin Association and The Nature Conservancy.

Click to enlarge

A similar analysis was prepared for the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and Department of the Interior in 1999 (Industrial Economics, Inc. March 1999. Economic Profile of the Upper Mississippi River Region). That earlier analysis suggested that the same 60 Upper River counties supported an annual economy of $145 billion (in 1997 dollars) and 867,646 jobs across ten economic sectors (the 1999 profile included an "Other Natural Resource Services" economic sector not included separately in the 2015 study).

A Lower Mississippi River Economic Profile was prepared for the Lower Mississippi River Conservation Committee in 2014 using a similar methodology (Industrial Economics, Inc. and Dominika Dziegielewska-Parry. February 2014. The Economic Profile of the Lower Mississippi River: An Update).

Future River Economy Study Opportunities

The 2015 Upper River profile (and its 1999 predecessor) did not set out to evaluate the extent to which the River actually impacts the river-related economic sectors in the 60 counties that line its banks.  While there may be strong anecdotal evidence suggesting that the River influences regional economic vitality, a causal link between the River and the economic indicators (jobs and revenue) in the nine economic sectors evaluated was not analysed during these studies. And it would be unreasonable to expect that direct relationship to be evident in the study results.  The studies' methodologies do not lend themselves to evaluating a possible correlation - let alone causal link - between the River and the region's economic strength within the sectors that were analyzed. Evaluating that causative connection could be a future study opportunity that might yield results useful in supporting Upper Mississippi River stakeholder assertions that the Upper River directly contributes to a healthy regional economy.

Parties supporting the 2015 Upper River study recognize that its areal extent was limited (in part, so that the 2015 and 1999 results could be compared), and that the geographic scope of future economic analyses could be expanded.  Those organizations (including the Fish and Wildlife Service, Upper Mississippi River Conservation Committee, Mississippi River Cities and Towns Initiative, The Nature Conservancy, Missouri Department of Natural Resources and Upper Mississippi River Basin Association) are reported to be exploring opportunities to expand the study area to include the Illinois River and the portion of the Upper Mississippi River from Minneapolis-St. Paul to the River's source. They also intend to evaluate ways to better capture the economic benefits of the River farther inland from the immediate 60-county corridor.

Neither the 1999 nor the 2015 analysis was designed to assess or attribute an economic value to the services provided by the River ecosystem to the region.  Such an evaluation would be resource-intensive and ambitious in scope, yet, ecosystem services are arguably among the Upper Mississippi River region’s most valuable assets and key to attaining long-term sustainable development. Conventional economic analyses that focus only on employment, revenue or other traditional fiscal indicators by definition miss opportunities to explore the economic benefits provided by the River ecosystem to the people living in the region; benefits that could be cited in efforts to protect and restore the River system providing those services. Future River region economic analyses would plausibly be more robust if they included an assessment and valuation of those services.

Such studies, in themselves, could provide the accurate economic information needed to assess potential or actual impacts to the economy from social and ecosystem insults such as climate change, floods and environmental degradation, or to assess the improvements to the economy that might be realized through ecosystem restoration initiatives.

Capitol Hill This Week - What to Watch For

Much of the oxygen on Capitol Hill this week will be consumed by discussions of House Speaker John Boehner's pending retirement and the choice of his successor.  Also very high on the agenda will be negotiations over government spending, as the fiscal year clock ticks down to midnight on Wednesday, when the federal coffers will run dry absent the passage of spending legislation by Congress.  You can expect that a stop-gap spending bill known as a continuing resolution will ultimately be passed sometime before the Wednesday witching hour.  Stay tuned.

On the Congressional committee front, the "Waters of the United States" rule resurfaces as a popular hearing topic, following an intermission that's lasted a few weeks.  And the Endangered Species Act and pipeline safety - topical in the Midwest and Plains states - take center stage before two Senate subcommittees. Below are all of the U.S. House and Senate activities currently scheduled for the week that relate to Mississippi River Basin natural resources. Links are provided to the relevant committee web pages and appropriate pieces of legislation. Many Congressional proceedings are webcast live, and these may be, as well (follow the respective meeting or hearing link).  All times are Eastern. This information will be updated as warranted. 

Tuesday

• House Agriculture Committee Subcommittee on Biotechnology, Horticulture and Research hearing to highlight research innovations achieved by our nation’s agricultural colleges and universities; 10:00 AM, room 1300 Longworth House Office Building.
• House Natural Resources Subcommittee on Federal Land oversight hearing on Federal Forest Management; 10:30 AM, room 1334 Longworth House Office Building.
• Senate Environment and Public Works (EPW) Subcommittee on Fisheries, Water, and Wildlife briefing for all EPW Committee Members entitled, “Improving the Endangered Species Act: Perspectives from the Fish and Wildlife Service and State Governors;” 2:00 PM, room 406 Dirksen Building.
• Senate Commerce, Science and Transportation Subcommittee on Surface Transportation and Merchant Marine Infrastructure, Safety and Security hearing to examine pipeline safety, focusing on oversight of our nation's pipeline network; 2:30 PM, room 253 Russell Senate Office Building.

Wednesday

• Senate Environment and Public Works Subcommittee on Fisheries, Wildlife, and Water hearing entitled, “Oversight of the Army Corps of Engineers’ Participation in the Development of the New Regulatory Definition of “Waters of the United States;” 10:00 AM, room 406 of the Dirksen Senate Office Building.
• House Natural Resources Committee oversight hearing on "Respecting State Authority, Responsibilities and Expertise Regarding Resource Management and Energy Development;" 10:00 AM, room 1324 Longworth House Office Building (hearing will examine the role states play in managing natural resources and energy development).

Mississippi River Basin Water Resource Weekly News

~Most of the Water News - None of the Spin~

This Week . . .

It was a relatively “light” water newsweek.  Washington, DC was consumed by coverage of the papal visit and of a possible federal government shutdown. Member organizations from the Watershed Protection Network braved the DC "pope-apocalypse" crowds to gather for their annual meeting.  On Friday, the House was poised to finish debate and pass H.R. 348 - the "RAPID Act" (‘‘Responsibly And Professionally Invigorating Development Act of 2015’’). The bill would establish procedures to streamline the regulatory review, environmental decision making, and permitting process for major federal actions that are construction activities undertaken, reviewed, or funded by federal agencies.

Back in the River Basin, the Ohio River blue-green algal bloom continued to persist, was called the worst Ohio River bloom in history, and termed a “monster.” And while things were relatively quiet on the Waters of the United States rule legal front, farm groups prepared to mount a Supreme Court appeal of two Chesapeake Bay nutrient reduction blueprint rulings – in a case that would have national repercussions.  You can read details of these news pieces and more, below, or summarized in a single paragraph here: "What We Learned This Week – ‘Habemus Papam’.”

. . . and Next

Much of the oxygen on Capitol Hill next week will be consumed during discussions about House Speaker John Boehner's pending retirement (announced earlier today), over who will succeed Boehner, and about government spending, as the fiscal year clock ticks down to midnight on Wednesday, when the federal funding coffers run dry.  You can expect that a "clean" continuing resolution  (i.e., without contentious "riders") will ultimately be passed sometime before the Wednesday witching hour.  Stay tuned.

On the Congressional committee front, the Waters of the United States rule resurfaces as a popular hearing topic, following a refreshing intermission that's lasted a few weeks, and pipeline safety - a topical issue in the Midwest and Plains states - will take center stage during a Senate subcommittee.  The full list of committee activities currently scheduled for the week that relate to River Basin water resources can be found here.

Noteworthy @UpperMiss Twitter Postings for the Week  

Water Quality -

• Tennessee Riverkeeper to sue 3M, Decatur over chemicals found in Tennessee River and the Wheeler Reservoir http://ow.ly/SC4HF
• Algal bloom being called the worst in the history of the Ohio River http://ow.ly/SyWAv
• Harmful blue-green algae bloom is still plaguing the Ohio River; not expected to dissipate soon http://ow.ly/SyW6Z
• Farm groups prepare to ask Supreme Court to throw out the Chesapeake Bay Clean Water Blueprint (national implications) http://ow.ly/Su9Z0
• Congressional Budget Office: implementing a House GOP bill blocking Interior Department's new stream buffer zone rule would eventually save about $1 million a year http://ow.ly/SCLM3
• USEPA Urban Waters Small Grants Program Issues Request for Proposals (deadline November 20) http://ow.ly/SyEWr
• USEPA finalizes rule to modernize Clean Water Act reporting for municipalities, industries, and other facilities http://ow.ly/SF6rE
• Kansas Corporation Commission could decide soon whether to extend its wastewater disposal well volume reduction order http://ow.ly/SyQm9
• Over 100 people turn out at hearing to raise concerns about proposed western Nebraska wastewater disposal well http://ow.ly/SzJOL
• USEPA requests scientific views on the Aquatic Life Ambient Water Quality Criterion for selenium in freshwater http://ow.ly/SBNlT
• Chicago River testing reveals high levels of bacteria from human waste at more than a dozen locations http://ow.ly/SBSlO

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

• Water Protection Network holds annual meeting in Washington, DC http://ow.ly/SCPzk
• Ohio River navigation is experiencing major traffic delays due to maintenance work http://ow.ly/SCOOm (also see: End in sight for massive Ohio River barge traffic jam http://ow.ly/SF49F)
• Wisconsin research consortium will study how to use less water to make energy; how to use less energy to manage water http://ow.ly/Suc2I
• ECO Magazine: Who Pays for Mississippi River-Gulf  Outlet Ecosystem Restoration? (page 20) http://ow.ly/SwT9w
• Minnesota Pollution Control Agency: Minnesota wetlands are healthy overall, but suffering in some regions http://ow.ly/SC7qC

Agriculture -

• USDA ERS compiles data on the most widely adopted farm conservation practices
  
  http://ow.ly/SEZO0 (figure to the right)
• Study of U.S. farm data shows loss of crop diversity over the past 34 years http://ow.ly/SzM7e
• Water markets would pay farmers for cleaner streams http://ow.ly/SzMSZ
• USDA survey: there was a 72 percent increase in sales of organic goods since 2008; Pennsylvania, Wisconsin and Iowa in top ten in sales.  However, the number or organic farms and land devoted to organic products is shrinking: there were 14,093 organic farms in the United States in 2014, accounting for 3.6 million acres, with another 122,175 acres in the process of becoming organic.  In 2008 there were 14,540 organic farms making up 4 million acres with another 128,476 acres going through transition http://ow.ly/SoUb3
• When Big Ag swallows up Small Ag, what does that mean for reform http://ow.ly/SotRG
• Meet Holstein Hilda - Wisconsin's "cow of the year" http://ow.ly/Sp5FL
• Farm Aid at 30: decades later, America's farmers still hard-pressed - especially on mid-sized farms http://ow.ly/St2Gy
• Due to flagging state support, University of Illinois plans to reduce off-campus crop research and may shut down several agricultural centers http://ow.ly/SzHQp (related story below)
• Op-ed: closure of four agriculture research centers is another batch of sour news for Illinois agriculture http://ow.ly/SC6lO
• Farmer-owned cooperative is considering an expansion at its ethanol plant in southeastern Minnesota http://ow.ly/SERTL

Climate and Weather -

• El Niño status and anticipated impacts in the Midwest http://ow.ly/St5lV
• NOAA weekly drought update: Dry, warm weather maintained, worsened Plains dryness, caused rapidly declining conditions in Midwest and Ohio Valley http://ow.ly/SEPhd
• The Onion: "Atlantic Ocean Excited To Move Into Beautiful Beachfront Mansion Soon" http://ow.ly/St2rD
• The Associated Press declares that journalists should not use the terms "denier" or "skeptic" to describe people who disagree with the scientific consensus on climate change http://ow.ly/SyGHC

Biodiversity, Wildlife and Invasives -

Photo: Troy Walz

• Green-led coalition objects to Obama administration's proposed Endangered Species Act program reforms http://ow.ly/SoYab
• Fish and Wildlife Service proposes to continue monitoring the status of the bald eagle; public has 60 days to comment http://ow.ly/Sw52E
• Ditch the Trees to Keep the Grass: Eastern Redcedar Invasion into Nebraska’s Grasslands http://ow.ly/Swbtb
• Environmental groups threaten to sue Obama administration over threatened northern long-eared bat protections (West Virginia) http://ow.ly/SyFvu
• Obama administration officials announce that the greater sage-grouse does not need protection as an endangered species http://ow.ly/SyHpe
• Congressional GOP critics of sage grouse plans vow legislative assault on initiative; story: http://ow.ly/SBRGg (link to GOP letter: http://ow.ly/SBRz1) 
• Invasive Asian carp found in Salt Creek just below Lake Monroe dam (Indiana; Wabash River Basin) http://ow.ly/SBQZK
• Weed resistance to popular herbicide glyphosate is increasing rapidly in Kansas; Congressional briefing set for December http://ow.ly/SBSFs
• Natural Resources Board makes walleye limits permanent in Wisconsin's Ceded Territory http://ow.ly/SDe5I

In the Cities -

• Delta Queen Steamboat Co. picks small River town, Kimmswick, Missouri, for its headquarters and homeport http://ow.ly/SyEfC
• Covington, Kentucky receives $3.9M for construction of portion of walking and biking path, other upgrades along Ohio River http://ow.ly/SyWjN
• White House announces national campaign to boost systems to support smart cities and the Internet of Things; tackle energy, water and waste issues; includes city-university collaborations in Mississippi River Basin in Madison, Memphis, Minneapolis-St. Paul, and Pittsburgh http://ow.ly/SBQbR

In the States-

• The Pennsylvania state budget standoff - who wants what http://ow.ly/St2YW
• Pennsylvania House expected to pass two GOP bills to provide short-term funding during nearly 3-month-old budget stalemate http://ow.ly/SyLWK
• Illinois and Pennsylvania are stuck in budget impasses at the expense of state programs, with no end in sight http://ow.ly/SCK2E
• Alabama's environmental management funding slashed in 2016 budget; fee increases loom http://ow.ly/St2hc

Gulf Coastal Region-

• Southern Media and Opinion Research poll: large majority of likely Louisiana voters would consider a candidate’s coastal restoration platform when voting http://ow.ly/Sw0LL
• NOAA-funded research to study how changes in the Mississippi River can impact the Gulf of Mexico http://ow.ly/Sw1d4
• Rep. Garret Graves (R-La-6) introduces bill to reauthorize Sport Fish Restoration Fund through 2020 http://ow.ly/Sw2gP (funds coastal restoration); story: http://ow.ly/Sw2yk
• Study projects that Gulf and Atlantic coastal flooding could increase several hundredfold by 2100 http://ow.ly/Swabk (study: http://ow.ly/Swafj)
• Trustees approve Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill: Final Phase IV Early Restoration Plan and Environmental Assessments http://ow.ly/SyKtX

Forestry -

• US Forest Service budget going up in flames as fire borrowing continues http://ow.ly/St4EP
• Pennsylvania DCNR Sets 12 Public Meetings To Review Draft State Forest Management Plan http://ow.ly/SDetV

Resource Development -

• Judge will allow lyrics from John Prine's "Paradise" to stay as part of a federal lawsuit against Peabody Energy http://ow.ly/SzJ1v
• A group of Appalachian coal mines (West Virginia) recently sold for zero dollars http://ow.ly/SwTya
• The number of operating U.S. coal mines has hit its lowest point on record http://ow.ly/SCMGq (records date back to at least 1923)
• Federal advisory panel urges Obama administration to withdraw, cancel Lewis and Clark National Forest natural gas drilling leases (Montana) http://ow.ly/SyL3j
• Advocates in Ohio are praising the state Supreme Court for placing an anti-fracking initiative back on Nov. 3 ballots http://ow.ly/SF7MU
• Judge dismisses lawsuit seeking to end opposition to fracking near Southwestern Pennsylvania http://ow.ly/SF8c9

Federal Budget (You can follow the status of all of the fiscal year 2016 appropriation bills on this Congress.gov web page) -

• U.S. Senate moves to prevent end-of-month government shutdown http://ow.ly/Sx6j1

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)

• USEPA Webinar: Stormwater Standards for the future: How modeled pollution load reductions can result in adoption of up-to-date stormwater standards. October 1, noon ET http://ow.ly/SCKIa
• Annual public meeting of Federal Interagency Steering Committee on Multimedia Environmental Modeling, October 27–28, Davis, CA and via the Internet  http://ow.ly/SyJXz
• 1st Annual Midwest Environmental Compliance Conference, October 29-30, Chicago, IL (RCRA, air and wastewater compliance issues) http://ow.ly/SwCo1
• Registration Open for December 7-11 USEPA Water Quality Standards Academy in Washington, DC http://ow.ly/St7a2
• Save the dates: Association of State Wetland Managers Annual State/Tribal/Federal Coordination Meeting: "Managing Change – Wetland Protection and Restoration in an Era of Changing Water and Energy Demands;" March 29-31, 2016, Shepherdstown, WV http://ow.ly/SuiyU
• State of the Coast Conference, June 1-3, 2016, Ernest N. Morial Convention CenterNew Orleans, LA http://ow.ly/SwQRr

e-Newsletters, Publications, Journals, Multimedia  -

• Fall 2015 issue of Missouri Resources magazine (includes article on the Missouri River Watershed) http://ow.ly/SoMOG
• Lower Mississippi River Dispatch No. 306, September 22 http://ow.ly/SwAGP
• Tulane Institute on Water Resources Law and Policy September 22 TUWaterWays e-newsletter http://ow.ly/SBTyl
• Journal of Applied Ecology Virtual Issue: Ecological Restoration (August 2015) http://ow.ly/SyN70
• September 29 Green Lands Blue Waters update http://ow.ly/SzCLT
• Montana Watershed Coordination Council September 24 Watershed News http://ow.ly/SCIFB
• Gulf Restoration Network's September 24 GulfWaves e-newsletter http://ow.ly/SF2Uo
• St. Croix River Association September 24 e-newsletter http://ow.ly/SF5QJ
• A three-minute drones-eye view of AEP River Operations bulk commodities barge operations on the inland waterways system (headquartered in St. Louis) http://ow.ly/SF5qG

Other news-

• 30 House Republicans urge Speaker Boehner to extend Land and Water Conservation Fund http://ow.ly/SDbVW
• Preliminary results of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service’s 2015 Upper Mississippi River Economic Profile released http://ow.ly/SCO02
• McKnight Foundation blog: "Mississippi River Program Navigates New Currents" by Mark Muller http://ow.ly/SDdv4
• Obama administration unveils package of new initiatives aimed at speeding up federal government review of infrastructure projects http://ow.ly/SwSIf
• American Rivers surveying partners in Upper Mississippi River Basin region to help assess basins conservation needs http://ow.ly/Sw5uf
• GAO report: EPA has only fully met two of 17 performance goals laid out in its 2009-13 grants management plan http://ow.ly/SoTsB
• Nuisance Flooding: Communities working to overcome a worsening symptom of sea level rise http://ow.ly/St3u2

Politics and People-

• US House Speaker John Boehner told GOP lawmakers on Friday he will resign at the end of October http://ow.ly/SFer5
• No Man's Land: The Last Tribes of the Plains. As industry closes in, Native Americans fight for dignity and natural resources http://ow.ly/SyRGR
• Wes Jackson, Land Institute founder, who envisions food from prairie grass, prepares to retire

  

  Wes Jackson

  http://ow.ly/SujUh
• Minnesota lawmakers question whether Gov. Mark Dayton has "quietly supported" environmental groups looking to block Bakken Pipeline http://ow.ly/SoICs  Dayton denies claim http://ow.ly/SoIUR
• Clark Bunting stepping down as CEO and president of the National Parks Conservation Association http://ow.ly/Sudv3
• Hillary Clinton comes out against Keystone XL pipeline following years of pressure from environmental groups http://ow.ly/SBTiw
• Center for Biological Diversity hires former top FWS official Loyal Mehrhoff as Endangered Species Recovery Director http://ow.ly/Sue8H
• GOP Presidential candidate Jeb Bush threatens to repeal EPA's controversial power plant, clean water and coal ash rules http://ow.ly/SyIZt
• Former state Sen. John Howe (R) enters race for Minnesota 2nd District U.S. House seat http://ow.ly/SzKGc

Your Moment of Zen -

90-year-old icon and St. Louis native, Lawrence Peter "Yogi" Berra died this week. 69 years to the day of his major league debut.

What We Learned This Week - "Habemus Papam"

In a case with national implications, the American Farm Bureau Federation plans to ask the U.S.  Supreme Court to overturn two lower court decisions regarding the Chesapeake Bay Clean Water Blueprint.  The 500-mile long Ohio River algal bloom was called the worst in the River's history.  Chicago River testing revealed very high levels of bacteria from human waste. Pope Francis visited the nation's capital, asked the country to "do unto others" and prayed that "God bless America."  The Associated Press style book no longer allows use of the terms "denier" or "skeptic" to describe people who disagree with the scientific consensus on climate change.   Weed resistance to the popular herbicide glyphosate is increasing rapidly throughout the Midwest.   Asian carp were found in the upper reaches of the Wabash River Basin. The Obama administration announced that the greater sage-grouse does not need protection as an endangered species.   The small Mississippi River town of Kimmswick, Missouri will be the corporate headquarters and home port for the Delta Queen Steamboat Company. Pennsylvania's three-month-old budget stalemate is still stale.  Hilda was named Wisconsin's "cow of the year."  Gulf coastal flooding could increase several hundredfold by 2100.  Land Institute founder Wes Jackson, is preparing to retire.  Since 2008, there was a large increase in U.S. sales of organic goods, but the number or organic farms and land devoted to organic farming shrank.   "Farm Aid"  celebrated its 30th anniversary.  Environmental groups want greater Federal protections for the threatened northern long-eared bat near two West Virginia coal mines.  A group of West Virginia coal mines recently sold for nothing.   The number of operating U.S. coal mines has hit its lowest point on record.  And last but not least, a judge allowed lyrics from John Prine's coal mining protest song "Paradise" to remain part of a lawsuit against Peabody Energy.

Capitol Hill This Week - What to Watch For

There are only a handful of Congressional workdays left between now and the end of the month, when federal government authority to spend money lapses. And with a papal visit in between, chances are growing that a House Republican conservative effort to defund Planned Parenthood in a government spending bill will falter, and Congress will pass a "clean" Continuing Resolution (or CR) to allow the government to function beyond September 30 for some limited number of weeks, likely stretching into December.  However, the details and the length of that “clean” CR are still being negotiated behind closed doors.


On Thursday, Pope Francis will make history as the first Pope to ever address a joint meeting of Congress. A link will be posted on this House Speaker web page to watch the papal address - a talk that among other things will stress the need for action on climate change.

The House is effectively in recess through Wednesday. On Thursday and Friday, that chamber will attend to several bills, including H.R.348 - the "RAPID Act" (‘‘Responsibly And Professionally Invigorating Development Act of 2015’’). The bill would establish procedures to streamline the regulatory review, environmental decision making, and permitting process for major federal actions that are construction activities undertaken, reviewed, or funded by federal agencies.

Between the attention being paid to the CR and the pope's visit, there are only a limited number of Senate committee activities scheduled for the week - only one that relates to Mississippi River Basin natural resources (regarding agency use of guidance rather than publicly-vetted regulations).  That hearing information is posted below.  Many Congressional proceedings are webcast live, and this should be, as well (follow the hearing link). Times are Eastern. This information will be updated as warranted. 

Wednesday

• Senate Homeland Security and Government Oversight Subcommittee on Regulatory Affairs and Federal Management hearing to examine the use of agency regulatory guidance without publication in the Federal Register or notice and comment.; 11:00 AM, room 342 Dirksen Senate Office Building.

Thursday

• Pope Francis address to a joint meeting of Congress; 10:00 AM

What We Learned This Week - "Risky Business"

Forty-seven senators want to try to kill the Obama administration's controversial clean water rule via a rarely-used legislative approach created under the Congressional Review Act, while some states' attorneys general continued their legal push before two federal appeals courts to block the rule.  Some coal industry officials don't like the Interior Department's stream protection rule (and some really don't like it).  EPA's Office of Inspector General found little evidence that costly sewer upgrades required in cities across the country are improving water quality.  Flushing the toilets in those cities has "never been riskier," but the internet of things may help cities manage their fresh, waste and storm water resources better.  The mayors of many Mississippi River cities met in Dubuque to plan a sustainable River future.  Minnesota has a long way to go to clean its lakes, rivers and streams, but it has a plan for how to get there.  There's no Congressional plan for avoiding a federal government shutdown at the end of the month, and Pennsylvania seems to be following a similar planless path. The White Fringeless Orchid - found in wet areas in Tennessee, Mississippi and Kentucky - was proposed for Endangered Species Act protection.  The Interior Department secretary hopes that the sage grouse won’t need similar federal protections. This summer was the hottest on record and 2015 is headed that way, too.  And last but not least, federal subsidies for Powder River Basin coal (in the upper Missouri River Basin) amounts to $8 a ton.  Eight dollars will purchase about 27 watts worth of crystalline silicon solar cells.

Mississippi River Basin Water Resource Weekly News

~Most of the Water News - None of the Spin~

Two Groups, Two Meetings, One Future

This week two groups working toward realizing a more sustainable Mississippi River met over three days in two different River Basin cities to discuss their respective visions for the River region and its people.  The Mississippi River Cities and Towns Initiative, a group of 68 mayors from towns along the River's length, held its annual organizational meeting in Dubuque, Iowa.  Seventy-five miles to the northeast, representatives of the Mississippi River Collaborative along with supporting national partners, gathered in Madison, Wisconsin.

The Initiative mayors discussed their priorities and agenda for the upcoming year - focused in part on addressing the impacts of nutrient-laden runoff on River and Gulf of Mexico water quality. The mayors acknowledge that nutrient loading to the Mississippi River - nitrogen and phosphorus; primarily from agricultural operations - has degraded local and Gulf coastal waters, and believe that the greatest opportunities for success in reducing those impacts lie in forging solutions in cooperation with the farming sector.  The mayors also elected Chris Coleman, mayor of St. Paul, Minnesota, and Hyram Copeland, mayor of Vidalia, Louisiana, to co-chair the group over the next year.

The Collaborative met to review its recent progress and to plan future initiatives designed to advance Mississippi River water quality improvements, and wetland restoration and protection. Funded by the McKnight Foundation, the Collaborative's goals in the ten-state Mississippi River corridor are to leverage its members' respective capabilities to restore the water quality and resilience of the Mississippi River, restore and protect floodplains and wetlands, achieve cross-boundary and interagency coordination among government agencies, and reduce agricultural pollution (particularly within the northern River region).

Water, nutrients, restoration, sustainability, agriculture, people, health.  The issues coincide.  The visions overlap.  A common future seems assured.

Noteworthy @UpperMiss Twitter Postings for the Week

Water Quality -

Waters of the United States Rule

• States appeal Judge Lisa Wood's August WOTUS decision; suit now goes to U.S. Court of
  
  Appeals for the 11th Circuit http://ow.ly/S61be
• States continue legal push before two federal appeals courts to block WOTUS rule implementation http://ow.ly/S6hrd
• EPA and farmers continue to spar on Clean Water rule http://ow.ly/SciXi
• Natural Resources Conservation Service Chief Jason Weller downplays NRCS involvement with new clean water rule http://ow.ly/ShgFU
• 47 senators file resolution to kill the Obama administration's controversial clean water rule using the Congressional Review Act http://ow.ly/SnAYF (CRA allows measures to pass on only a simple majority vote-see this GAO web page for more information)

Other Water Quality News

• Iowa Environmental Council op-ed (Des Moines Register): "Time to act on Iowans’ water quality concerns" http://ow.ly/SlNhH
• Opposing sides sound off at Pittsburgh hearing on new federal stream protection rule http://ow.ly/S6fsx
• Ohio coal executive: new Interior Department stream protection rule is "the single greatest threat" to the industry http://ow.ly/SbKpm
• Illinois coal miners fret over new round of federal regulations (Interior Department stream protection rule) http://ow.ly/SbMaT
• New Online USGS Pesticide Mapper—Predicting Pesticides in Streams and Rivers: Where is

  

  Source: USGS

  Water-Quality at Risk? http://ow.ly/SkkzS
• EPA's Office of Inspector General: scant evidence that costly sewer upgrades required by combined sewer overflow consent decrees are improving water quality http://ow.ly/SlLh8
• The Atlantic: Some of today’s sewers were built before bathrooms as we know them existed. It’s time to upgrade http://ow.ly/So94m
• Long way to go on cleaning Minnesota lakes, rivers and streams http://ow.ly/SbYAI
• EQB approves 2015 Water Policy Report that proposes solutions to Minnesota's pressing water challenges http://ow.ly/Sofgc
• Troubled waters: Is Minnesota at a turning point for water quality? http://ow.ly/Scgbm
• Minnesota stream buffer provision draws over 200 people to Kandiyohi County informational meeting http://ow.ly/ScgOG
• Allegheny River water quality holds steady despite Marcellus shale drilling waste water and other river contamination http://ow.ly/Scc5I
• EPA Report: "Managing Water Quality in the Face of Uncertainty" - a "Robust Decision Making Demonstration for EPA's National Water Program" http://ow.ly/Scksh
• Murray Energy agrees to pay Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission $2.5 million to settle damages related to massive 2009 Dunkard Creek fish kill (Ohio River Basin) http://ow.ly/Sedex
• Illinois EPA refers Vermilion County cattle farm operator to Attorney General for enforcement (water pollution) http://ow.ly/SkgXk
• U.S. EPA agrees to timeline for updating stormwater regulations under terms of settlement with environmental groups http://ow.ly/SkhIk
• USDA and USEPA announce new water quality trading resources http://ow.ly/SlS2y

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

• Will a controversial plan restore Illinois wetlands or ruin them (re: Emiquon Preserve)? http://ow.ly/SehI9
• Land parcels in Minnesota, Wisconsin added to St. Croix River wild and scenic river conservation efforts http://ow.ly/Scgzo
• Record amount of sediment dredged from Lower Mississippi River, helping restore marshland http://ow.ly/Scian
• Army Corps plans to prepare Integrated Draft Feasibility Report and Environmental Impact Statement to investigate hydrologic and hydraulic problems threatening navigation, aquatic ecosystem habitat, recreation, flood damage reduction and existing infrastructure at the Three Rivers Study Site (Arkansas River Basin, Southeastern Arkansas) http://ow.ly/SclkY
• Agencies announce availability of draft National Wetland Plant List 2015 and web site to solicit public comments http://ow.ly/SclXi
• Kansas State University to create 'Living Laboratories' for green infrastructure stormwater and training project http://ow.ly/Sh8vl
• Study: Water demand from fracking less than 1 percent of US total industrial water use http://ow.ly/Sht3D

Agriculture -

• House and Senate appropriators asked to restore farm conservation program budget cuts http://ow.ly/Sodzf and http://ow.ly/SoeOx (letter here: http://ow.ly/SoeYg)
• USDA awards $20.5 Million in Conservation Innovation Grants to advance "next generation of natural resources conservation" http://ow.ly/Shf6s
• Iowa Department of Natural Resources and Iowa Citizens for Community Improvement disagree on the extent of the state's manure management progress http://ow.ly/Seet2
• Dwindling U.S. bat population could be devastating for crops and farmers; story: http://ow.ly/SeruM (PNAS article: http://ow.ly/SerXQ)
• Des Moines Register: Wall Street investors are gobbling up farm land http://dmreg.co/1KOBzjo

Climate and Weather -

• This summer was the hottest on record and 2015 is likely to win the same title when the year is over http://ow.ly/SodVT
• NOAA weekly drought report: dryness expanded in northwest Kansas; drought active in southern Arkansas, northern Louisiana, western Mississippi http://ow.ly/So4PT
• New Orleans sees limits to climate adaptation efforts as sea level rises http://ow.ly/S65VK
• Human-induced global warming is set to produce exceptionally high average temperatures this year and next http://ow.ly/Sc3BL
• Rural Nebraska poll shows changing attitudes on climate change http://ow.ly/SevuB

Photo: Dick Schoenberger for MPR

Biodiversity, Wildlife and Invasives -

• State's loon population gets a helping hand in southern Minnesota  http://ow.ly/Scace
• USDA: U.S. EPA's proposal to protect bees from pesticide exposure in farm fields is unrealistically restrictive; news article: http://ow.ly/ScxLi and USDA letter: http://ow.ly/Sceft
• Minnesota DNR chief: No guarantees for Mille Lacs winter walleye season http://ow.ly/ScjkY
• White Fringeless Orchid - found in wet soils of bogs, marshes, fens and swamps - proposed for Endangered Species Act protection in five states, including Tennessee, Mississippi and Kentucky http://ow.ly/Sel5C (Federal Register notice: http://ow.ly/SeKqe)
• Interior secretary hopes sage grouse won’t need federal protection http://ow.ly/Shalq
• Fish and Wildlife Service to further review the need for protection of 23 species under the Endangered Species Act (links to list of species and petitions here: http://ow.ly/Socy6)

In the Cities -

• Sixty-eight mayors from 10 states are meeting in Dubuque this week at Mississippi River Cities and Towns Initiative meeting http://ow.ly/Sh85h
• Mississippi River mayors home in on water quality, climate to protect economies http://ow.ly/Skiqc
• The Atlantic: Why Doesn’t New Orleans Look More Like Amsterdam? http://ow.ly/SciuQ
• PRI Living on Earth: New Orleans is still vulnerable to another big storm http://ow.ly/SecxB
• Wichita, Kansas will soon see 93 acres of urban wetlands become public park land with stormwater management elements http://ow.ly/Sh7KJ
• Missouri Botanical Garden Rainscaping Guide highlights BiodiverseCity St. Louis community initiative http://ow.ly/Sh8Pi
• Bakken oil boom turned into a money loser for most cities and counties in the North Dakota and Montana prairie region http://ow.ly/S5WR8
• Internet of things helping U.S. cities manage water resources http://ow.ly/Sklo5

In the States-

• Pennsylvania Senate Republicans proceeding this week with their plans to develop possible stopgap budget http://ow.ly/Sheyl
• Pennsylvania Republican stopgap state budget package moves forward in the face of a Gov. Wolf veto threat http://ow.ly/SlKnd
• Final version of Wisconsin's "Wetland Screening and Delineation Procedures" is now available http://ow.ly/SlKOD

Gulf Coastal Region-

• $52 million in restoration, river projects to be discussed this week at Gulf Coast Ecosystem Restoration Council meetings http://ow.ly/Sh74J
• Move mouth of Mississippi River, abandon communities part of experts’ new, startling recommendations for Louisiana’s future http://ow.ly/Skg6w

Resource Development -

• Local antifracking movement may stifle new drilling in Allegheny County, Pennsylvania http://ow.ly/SeUhO
• Ohio and Pennsylvania try to block court approval of Patriot Coal's reorganization plan over cleanup concerns http://ow.ly/S6ibZ
• Iowa regulators will hold hearings in November on allowing eminent domain for the Bakken Pipeline project http://ow.ly/SkYnN
• Assessed value of West Virginia's coal reserves and mining infrastructure has fallen more than $1 billion since 2013 http://ow.ly/SeUDS
• New report finds federal subsidies for Powder River Basin coal amount to $8 per ton http://ow.ly/Skmra
• Minnesota appeals court: environmental impact statement must be completed for controversial Sandpiper oil pipeline before it can be approved http://ow.ly/Se8Mh
• Minnesota Appeals Court sides with "essentially all" of the arguments environmental groups made in halting the Sandpiper project while an environmental review is done http://ow.ly/Shxtc
• A Texas company is idling its frac sand operation in Marshfield, Wisconsin due to plunging oil prices http://ow.ly/Seyme

Federal Budget (You can follow the status of all of the fiscal year 2016 appropriation bills on this Congress.gov web page)

• Federal shutdown news: there's no Congressional plan-the only thing clear two weeks from the deadline is it will go down to the wire http://ow.ly/SnOOp
• Mega fiscal cliff looms as debt ceiling, and government and transportation spending all converge over next three months http://ow.ly/Sknkr
• House leaders expect the Senate will wait until House passes a continuing resolution before scheduling a Senate vote http://ow.ly/ShglT
• Prospect of a second government shutdown in two years is growing as House conservatives fight Planned Parenthood funding http://ow.ly/SchrE

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) 

• Webinar: Environmental Restoration Projects that Support Stormwater Management  September 22, 2-3:15 pm ET http://ow.ly/Sh9wB
• Wisconsin Natural Resources Board to discuss changes to safe drinking water rules, walleye management, and Fish, Wildlife, and Habitat Management Plan and Wildlife Action Plan at September 23 meeting in Bowler http://ow.ly/ShdiD
• Informational Webinars for EPA Water Quality Standards Regulatory Revisions Final Rule; September 28 and 30, 1 PM ET http://ow.ly/SlMpq
• Public meetings of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Assumable Waters Subcommittee re: Clean Water Act permit program for the discharge of dredge and fill materials; Washington, DC area; October 6-7 and December 1-2 http://ow.ly/SeIDB
• 17th Annual EPA Region 6 Stormwater Conference; Hot Springs, AR, October 18-22 http://ow.ly/Sh95X
• 3rd North America Congress for Conservation Biology, July 17-20, 2016 in Madison, Wisconsin http://ow.ly/SkqPk

e-Newsletters, Publications, Journals, Multimedia  -

• Lower Mississippi River Dispatch; No. 305, September 14; Missing: 120,000 gallons of Clarified Slurry Oil in Mississippi River near Columbus, KY http://ow.ly/SbZkq
• Minnesota Pollution Control Agency's Waterfront Bulletin for September 2015 http://ow.ly/ScfUZ
• Tulane Institute on Water Resources Law and Policy, September 15 TUWaterWays e-newsletter http://ow.ly/SkwE8

Other news-

• Expert witness criticism at Senate hearing surprises sponsors of bipartisan regulatory reform bills http://ow.ly/SkoDk (hearing web page http://ow.ly/Skqtj)
• GAO to Congress: federal agencies failing to track risks posed by thousands of abandoned mines they oversee http://ow.ly/S6hRN
• WV PR: Farming could offer jobs for struggling families in West Virginia's coalfields, but it won't be easy http://ow.ly/SbLeE
• Purdue University Department of Forestry and Natural Resources seeks applicants for an assistant professor of ecological/resource/environmental economics http://ow.ly/Sc2Dz
• Interior Secretary urges Congressional reauthorization of Land and Water Conservation Fund http://ow.ly/ShdMG
• Washington Post: Congress is about to let the Land and Water Conservation Fund lapse. Here’s why you should care. http://ow.ly/SlPKQ
• 57 senators urge leaders to pass a short-term extension of the Land and Water Conservation Fund before the end of September http://ow.ly/SnBog
• New map highlights national parks preserved using Land and Water Conservation Fund and those at risk if Fund lapses http://ow.ly/SlLNv

Politics and People-

• Braddock, Pennsylvania Mayor John Fetterman announces candidacy for U.S.  Democratic Senate nomination http://ow.ly/ShefY
• All of the candidates for Kentucky governor blast EPA and back state environmental funding cuts http://ow.ly/SkjCL
• Washington Post-ABC News poll: 72% of Americans believe politicians cannot be trusted; 64% think political system is dysfunctional http://ow.ly/Sc4Xs
• Fort Wayne Journal Gazette editorial: "Hoosiers who believe climate change is imperiling lives, health and economic well-being are at a disadvantage" under Gov. Mike Pence administration http://ow.ly/SeBmE
• Partnership for Public Service study blasts Congressional dysfunction and partisanship for disrupting federal agencies' operations http://ow.ly/SkodK (PDF file)

Your Moment of Zen - 

From: The Atlas of True Names by Kalimedia

Capitol Hill This Week - What to Watch For - UPDATED

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 appropriate pieces of legislation. Many Congressional proceedings are webcast live, and these may be, as well (follow the respective meeting or hearing link).  All times are Eastern. This information will be updated as warranted.

Tuesday

• House Natural Resources Committee field hearing on "the Impacts of Federal Policies on Energy Production and Economic Growth in the Gulf;" 10:00 AM ET (9:00 AM CT); Louisiana Supreme Court, 400 Royal Street, New Orleans.
• House Agriculture Committee hearing "to review USDA organization and program administration," 1:30 PM, room 1300 Longworth House Office Building (Part I - to be continued on Wednesday at 10:00 AM).

Wednesday

• House Agriculture Committee hearing "to review USDA organization and program administration," 10:00 AM, room 1300 Longworth House Office Building (Part II - continued from Tuesday hearing).
• NEW - Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee hearing to consider several pieces of regulatory reform legislation, including S. 1817, the "Smarter Regulations Through Advance Planning and Review Act;" S. 1820, the "Early Participation in Regulations Act;" S. 1818, the "Principled Rulemaking Act;" S. 1607, the "Independent Agency Regulatory Analysis Act;" and S. 708 the "Regulatory Improvement Act;" 10:00 AM, room 342 Dirksen Senate Office Building.

Thursday

• Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee hearing on reauthorization of and potential reforms to the Federal Land Recreation Enhancement Act (The Act applies to Federal recreation lands under the jurisdiction of the National Park Service; U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service; Bureau of Land Management;  Bureau of Reclamation and U.S. Forest Service.); 10:00 AM, room 366 Dirksen Senate Office Building.

Friday

• House Science, Space and Technology Subcommittee on Research and Technology and Subcommittee on Oversight hearing entitled "NEON Warning Signs: Examining the Management of the National Ecological Observatory Network" (the National Ecological Observatory Network is a continental-scale observation system for examining ecological change over time); 9:00 AM, room 2318 Rayburn House Office Building.
• Senate Commerce, Science and Transportation Subcommittee on Surface Transportation and Merchant Marine Infrastructure, Safety, and Security field hearing entitled “Pipeline Safety: State and Local Perspectives;" noon ET/10:00 AM MT; Montana State University, Billings Library, Room 148, Billings Montana.

What We Learned This Week - "Walleye World"

Attorneys General from Texas, Mississippi and Louisiana sought an injunction to block implementation of Obama Administration Clean Water (WOTUS) Rule in those states. Rep. Paul Gosar sought to impeach U.S. EPA Administrator Gina McCarthy over WOTUS statements made to Congress. The Obama Administration asked the U.S. Supreme Court to decide an Army Corps of Engineers, Clean Water Act jurisdictional determination case. Walleye are Minnesota's "holy grail of fish," but with walleye in decline, the Minnesota DNR has become the political prey. A bill that would block implementation of the Department of Interior's proposed stream protection rule passed out of a House committee. The EPA plans to set the first federal limits on toxic metals (mostly from coal ash) in power plant wastewater discharges; though the rule's potential reach is seen as limited. States often fail to penalize companies for oil development industry wastewater spills. Increasing nitrate levels in Minnesota drinking water are a costly challenge for homeowners. The Fish and Wildlife Service settled with the Center for Biological Diversity; agreeing on deadlines for determining whether ten snail, insect, bird, mussel and fish species warrant federal protections (including aquatic species in several Mississippi River Basin states). A federal appeals court panel ruled that the U.S. EPA erred in allowing the use of an insecticide linked to pollinator decline. And last but not least, it's official - marijuana is not considered to be a part of Missouri's agriculture.

Mississippi River Basin Water Resource Weekly News

~Most of the Water News - None of the Spin~

This Week . . .

The Waters of the United States (also known as the "Clean Water") rule continued to make headlines this past week. On Tuesday (September 8) the Attorneys General for Texas, Mississippi and Louisiana filed paperwork with the United States District Court for the Southern District Of Texas seeking a preliminary injunction to block implementation of the rule in those states. The states contended in their brief that the arguments made by Judge Ralph Erikson of the U.S. District Court for the District of North Dakota (in his August 27 ruling blocking the rule from taking effect in 13 states) applies to them, as well.

In a related matter (also on Tuesday), the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers filed a petition with the U.S. Supreme Court, asking the Court to decide whether a jurisdictional determination made by the Army Corps under the Clean Water Act constitutes a final agency action, and can thus be challenged in court. Specifically, the Corps is seeking a review of an April 2015 decision by the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 8th Circuit that a Minnesota peat mine property owner could challenge in federal court a finding by the Army Corps that a waterway was subject to federal permitting.

Previously, the U.S. Supreme Court declined to review a related case, finding that the Army Corps "jurisdictional determination" is not a final action subject to judicial review. However, subsequently, the 8th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals ruled that an Army Corps jurisdictional determination may be a final action, subject to judicial review. If the administration is not successful in its appeal of that 8th Circuit decision (in U.S. Army Corps of Engineers v. Hawkes Co., Inc., et al.), it would create a split in opinions by lower courts and could open the door for landowners to seek judicial review of findings by the government that a waterbody is subject to federal permitting. While the Hawkes suit was brought under the old jurisdiction rule, any Supreme Court decision would apply to jurisdictional decisions made under the new Waters of the United States rule, as well.

. . . and Next
Several Congressional hearings are already scheduled for next week that relate to the River Basin and

Gulf Coast's water resources. The House Agriculture Committee will be evaluating Farm Bill programs over two days of hearings, and a field hearing in New Orleans, Louisiana will take up the topic of "Impacts of Federal Policies on Energy Production and Economic Growth in the Gulf."  Almost certainly, the need for a Continuing Resolution to fund the Federal government beginning on October 1 will  be considered by Congress next week, as well, given that the House will have only six working days left starting next Tuesday before the current fiscal year ends.  Absent the Continuing Resolution, the government faces the perennial  specter of a midnight shutdown on September 30. You can find the latest listing of these and any newly-scheduled River-relevant Congressional activities here, updated throughout the upcoming week "on-the-fly."

Noteworthy @UpperMiss Twitter Postings for the Week

Water Quality -

Waters of the United States Rule

• Texas, Mississippi and Louisiana Attorneys General seek injunction to block implementation of Obama Administration Clean Water (WOTUS) Rule in those states http://bit.ly/1K7aUvZ
• North Dakota U.S. District Court Judge Ralph Erickson rules that there are “significant prudential reasons to limit the scope” of water rule injunction to 13 states http://ow.ly/RVE2o
• Rep. Paul Gosar (R-Ariz.) seeks to impeach U.S. EPA Administrator Gina McCarthy over WOTUS statements made to Congress http://ow.ly/S1MWw
• Obama Administration asks Supreme Court to decide Army Corps Clean Water Act jurisdictional determination case http://ow.ly/S2DQu  (link to petition: http://ow.ly/S2D9L)

Other Water Quality News

• H.R. 1644, “STREAM Act," that would block implementation of the Department of Interior's proposed stream protection rule, passes out of House Natural Resources Committee by a vote of 23-12 http://ow.ly/S39pC
• EPA plans to set the first federal limits on toxic metals (mostly from coal ash) in power plant wastewater discharges http://ow.ly/RVgok (see related story below)
• As EPA prepares to release a new rule governing coal ash (applying to wastewater), the rule's potential reach is seen as limited http://ow.ly/S2mKU
• States rarely punish companies for oil development industry wastewater spills http://ow.ly/RVvZe
• 17-mile stretch of Mississippi River near Paducah, Kentucky fully reopens as Coast Guard continues to respond to oil spill http://ow.ly/RYpGa
• Increasing nitrate levels in Minnesota drinking water are a costly challenge for homeowners http://ow.ly/RZ44C
• Interior Department Office of Surface Mining Reclamation and Enforcement extends proposed stream protection rule comment period until October 26 http://ow.ly/S1Sl1

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

• Ohio FreshWater Accountability Project to appeal U.S. District Court ruling in Army Corps Freedom of Information Act case http://ow.ly/S1QjI

Agriculture -

• National Corn Growers Association President's main request for lawmakers: Leave the farm bill nutrition title where it is http://ow.ly/S2B6M
• Petition period opens for 2016 Wisconsin Department of Agriculture's Agriculture Enterprise Areas http://ow.ly/RYqUS
• USDA Agricultural Research Service: researching the use of gypsum to help reduce phosphorus runoff http://ow.ly/S51Ax

Source: NOAA (click to enlarge)

Climate and Weather -

• US drought update: abnormally dry swath develops in Central Plains; dryness eases in Minnesota and Wisconsin but expands in Mississippi and Louisiana http://ow.ly/wmTdv
• Climate change continues delivering warmer temperatures and heavier rains to Minnesota lakes and their inhabitants http://ow.ly/S4XQW

Biodiversity, Wildlife and Invasives -

• Fish and Wildlife Service settlement with the Center for Biological Diversity sets deadlines for deciding if 10 snails, insects, birds, mussels and fish warrant federal protection, including aquatic species in Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, Tennessee, and West Virginia http://ow.ly/S1LXY (Press release: http://ow.ly/S1Mjs)
• Invasive spiny waterflea drives troubling trend in Minnesota lakes for native zooplankton and
  
  fish http://ow.ly/RYtqM
• Minnesota updates its list of lakes and rivers infested with aquatic invasive species http://ow.ly/S1UKO
• Excavation begins at Eagle Marsh, Indiana for a berm reconstruction project designed to halt the spread of aquatic invasive species between Mississippi and Great Lakes basins http://ow.ly/RWgkg
• Three-judge federal appeals court panel finds that U.S. EPA erred in allowing use of insecticide linked to pollinator decline http://ow.ly/S39Xk
• White House OMB reviewing rule that would expand definition of what activities constitute "destruction or adverse modification" of critical habitat http://ow.ly/RNOlv (news story: http://ow.ly/RNOI9)
• Frogs in suburban lakes are mostly female, raising questions of whether endocrine-disrupting chemicals are to blame http://ow.ly/S1Tpz
• Why walleye is Minnesota's 'holy grail of fish' http://ow.ly/RVsw1
• Minnesota Governor Dayton will insist that the Department of Natural Resources allow ice fishing on Lake Mille Lacs http://ow.ly/S4V7u
• Fish and Wildlife Service announces availability of final recovery plan for endangered dusky gopher frog (Mississippi) http://ow.ly/RYwVz (FWS species profile http://ow.ly/RYxfP)

In the Cities -

• Researchers evaluate Indianapolis-based effort to reconnect people to waterways through invasive species management http://ow.ly/S1IG7 (paper: http://ow.ly/S1IRI)
• In thriving Nashville, a very negative race for Mayor http://ow.ly/S34G0 (see related story, below, under "Politics and People")

In the States-

• With walleye in decline, the Minnesota DNR becomes the prey http://ow.ly/S1Pf5
• No breakthroughs in quiet talks mean it's on to a stopgap Pennsylvania state budget http://ow.ly/RVCBX
• Ramifications of budget indecision in Illinois highlighted in message from Moody's Investor Services http://ow.ly/S4YBW
• North Dakota lawmakers hear about the ongoing concerns in the oil patch, particularly related to roads, bridges, water, sewer and social needs http://ow.ly/RNcmb

Photo: Louisiana State U School of Architecture

Gulf Coastal Region-

• Rising sea levels make access to Louisiana's Highway 1 increasingly difficult http://ow.ly/RZ8Ep

Resource Development -

• Dane County, Wisconsin backs off attempt to require Enbridge to set up a cleanup fund in case of a pipeline spill http://ow.ly/S2sNR
• Oil-waste disposal regulations that seem to have limited earthquakes in southern Kansas are set to expire in two weeks http://ow.ly/RYvKI
• After County prosecutor sides with anti-fracking advocates in Youngstown, Ohio, elections board hires outside counsel to defend its referendum decision http://ow.ly/RYWp6
• Cleanup of 2013 North Dakota pipeline spill moving slowly due to a lack of natural gas to power equipment http://ow.ly/RZ7JF
• Wyoming strikes deal with bankrupt Alpha Natural Resources over mine cleanup financial assurance requirements  http://ow.ly/S1T31
• U.S. Energy Information Administration slashes coal production forecast to a near three-decade low http://ow.ly/S2soL

Federal Budget (You can follow the status of all of the fiscal year 2016 appropriation bills on this Congress.gov web page)

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) 

• Legislative-Citizen Commission on Minnesota Resources will review Environment and Natural Resources Trust Fund proposals; new state buffer law; September 16-17, St. Paul, MN http://ow.ly/RNZSz
• Missouri Water Protection Forum, Water Quality Standards Workgroup meeting, October 5, 1-3 PM, Lewis & Clark State Office Bld, 1101 Riverside Dr, Jefferson City http://ow.ly/RYq8p

Photo: courtesy of Overburden film

e-Newsletters, Publications, Journals, Multimedia  -

• Minnesota Pollution Control Agency September 2015 Industrial Stormwater News http://ow.ly/RW6aF
• Tulane Institute on Water Resources Law and Policy's September 8 TUWaterWays e-newsletter http://ow.ly/RWy7X
• New documentary, "Overburden," captures the impact of the coal industry on Appalachian communities http://ow.ly/RZ9nJ
• Green Lands Blue Waters Update, September 9 http://ow.ly/S1Rq4
• Minnesota Pollution Control Agency Feedlot Update - September 2015 http://ow.ly/S1U0t
• Montana Watershed Coordination Council's September 10 "Watershed News" http://ow.ly/S2S3c

Other news-

• USDA: Mississippi, Arkansas, Louisiana and Kentucky top the nation's list for food insecurity http://ow.ly/S2EJd
• Op-ed: While the clock is ticking on the Land and Water Conservation Fund, Congress has a chance to save it http://ow.ly/S1TKU
• Wisconsin groups plan event to discuss the "energy-water nexus" and how the two issues are interrelated http://ow.ly/RNcRX
• Indiana Parks Alliance supports reauthorization of Land and Water Conservation Fund http://ow.ly/RVAxH
• Broad coalition of hunting and fishing interests call on Congress to reauthorize the Land and Water Conservation Fund http://ow.ly/S4U6g
• Amidst concern over his skepticism of climate change, Rupert Murdoch’s 21st Century Fox will gain control of National Geographic assets http://ow.ly/S1OBk

Politics and People (Days until the 2016 election: 424) -

• Indiana farmer Kip Tom enters crowded Republican Third District U.S. congressional race http://ow.ly/RYS5M
• Former U.S. Attorney Conner Eldridge (D) announces run for U.S. Senate against incumbent Sen. John Boozman (R-Arkansas) http://ow.ly/S1KEV
• Congressional conservatives agitating for a government shutdown taken to task on Wall Street Journal's editorial page http://ow.ly/RYHYB
• North Dakota Sen. Heidi Heitkamp (D) announces that she will not run for governor in 2016 http://ow.ly/S1Nvu
• Republican Darin LaHood projected to win special election to replace former Illinois 18th district Rep. Aaron Schock, who resigned in March http://ow.ly/S4S85
• Nashville, Tennessee elects its first female mayor, Democrat Megan Barry, in a Thursday runoff vote http://ow.ly/S4WnQ

Your Moment of Zen - 

Photograph: Carlos Perez Naval