Washington, DC will be showcasing its reactive best this week, as five congressional hearings are scheduled related to the Gulf of Mexico BP oil rig disaster. For those interested in following the hearings, here they are (all times are Eastern):
Today (Senate):
Hearing on oil spill response
Homeland Security
02:30 PM, 342 Dirksen
Tuesday (Senate):
Hearing on offshore drilling
Energy and Natural Resources
11:00 AM, 325 Dirksen
Hearing on oil spill response
Commerce
02:30 PM, 253 Russell
Hearing on Gulf oil spill
Environment and Public Works
02:30 PM, 406 Dirksen
Wednesday (House):
Hearing on Gulf oil spill
Transportation and Infrastructure
10:00 AM, 2167 Rayburn
Monday, May 17, 2010
Friday, May 14, 2010
"King Corn" and "Big River"
For our followers in the Washington DC metro area, there will be exclusive screenings of two thought-provoking and entertaining documentaries exploring the environmental, health, economic and social implications of corn-based agriculture. The films will be shown on the evening of Friday, June 11 (7:00 PM) at the Mount Vernon Unitarian Church, Alexandria, VA (directions here). The screenings include the 2007 film, "King Corn," and the area premier of the follow-up film, "Big River." Here are the descriptions of the films provided by the producers (with links to the film websites, where you can find more information and view movie trailers). We hope to see you there!
“King Corn” (http://www.kingcorn.net/)
The Peabody Award-winning King Corn is a 2007 feature documentary about two friends, one acre of corn, and the subsidized crop that drives our fast-food nation. In King Corn, Ian Cheney and Curt Ellis, best friends from college on the east coast, move to the heartland to learn where their food comes from. With the help of friendly neighbors, genetically modified seeds, and powerful herbicides, they plant and grow a bumper crop of America’s most-productive, most-subsidized grain on one acre of Iowa soil. But when they try to follow their pile of corn into the food system, what they find raises troubling questions about how we eat—and how we farm. Run-time 50 minutes.
“Big River” (http://www.bigriverfilm.com/)
Following up on their Peabody winning documentary, the King Corn boys are back. For Big River (2009), best friends Ian Cheney and Curt Ellis have returned to Iowa with a new mission: to investigate the environmental impact their acre of corn has sent to the people and places downstream. In a journey that spans from the heartland to the Gulf of Mexico, Ian and Curt trade their combine for a canoe––and set out to see the big world their little acre of corn has touched. On their trip, flashbacks to the pesticides they sprayed, the fertilizers they injected, and the soil they plowed now lead to new questions, explored by new experts in new places. Half of Iowa’s topsoil, they learn, has been washed out to sea. Fertilizer runoff has spawned a hypoxic “dead zone” in the Gulf. And back at their acre, the herbicides they used are blamed for a cancer cluster that reaches all too close to home. This will be the DC area premier of Big River (Run-time: 27 minutes).
“King Corn” (http://www.kingcorn.net/)
The Peabody Award-winning King Corn is a 2007 feature documentary about two friends, one acre of corn, and the subsidized crop that drives our fast-food nation. In King Corn, Ian Cheney and Curt Ellis, best friends from college on the east coast, move to the heartland to learn where their food comes from. With the help of friendly neighbors, genetically modified seeds, and powerful herbicides, they plant and grow a bumper crop of America’s most-productive, most-subsidized grain on one acre of Iowa soil. But when they try to follow their pile of corn into the food system, what they find raises troubling questions about how we eat—and how we farm. Run-time 50 minutes.
“Big River” (http://www.bigriverfilm.com/)
Following up on their Peabody winning documentary, the King Corn boys are back. For Big River (2009), best friends Ian Cheney and Curt Ellis have returned to Iowa with a new mission: to investigate the environmental impact their acre of corn has sent to the people and places downstream. In a journey that spans from the heartland to the Gulf of Mexico, Ian and Curt trade their combine for a canoe––and set out to see the big world their little acre of corn has touched. On their trip, flashbacks to the pesticides they sprayed, the fertilizers they injected, and the soil they plowed now lead to new questions, explored by new experts in new places. Half of Iowa’s topsoil, they learn, has been washed out to sea. Fertilizer runoff has spawned a hypoxic “dead zone” in the Gulf. And back at their acre, the herbicides they used are blamed for a cancer cluster that reaches all too close to home. This will be the DC area premier of Big River (Run-time: 27 minutes).
Mississippi River Water Resource News for the Week
The biannual National Conference on Ecosystem Restoration (NCER) 2011 will be held in Baltimore, MD at the Marriott Waterfront hotel on August 1-5, 2011. The NCER 2011 Program Committee invites members of the ecosystem restoration community to assist with developing the conference program agenda by proposing and organizing sessions. Proposers should not feel limited to the preliminary topical categories listed on the NCER 2011 web site. Each proposal will be assessed according to individual content, structure and overall relevance. Proposal acceptance will be primarily based on an evaluation of the session's potential for generating useful results, relevance and expected level of interest in the topic. The Northeast-Midwest Institute (Mark Gorman) is on the NCER 2011 Planning Committee. Please feel free to contact Mark (mgorman@nemw.org) with any questions or ideas.
The House Agriculture Committee held the next in a series of hearings on agriculture policy leading up to discussion and debate on the 2012 Farm Bill, on Thursday, May 13. This hearing focused on the testimony and opinions of agriculture economists and academics. For more information on this hearing and on the Farm Bill-related hearing schedule throughout the remainder of May, visit this Committee web site.
The House Agriculture Committee held the next in a series of hearings on agriculture policy leading up to discussion and debate on the 2012 Farm Bill, on Thursday, May 13. This hearing focused on the testimony and opinions of agriculture economists and academics. For more information on this hearing and on the Farm Bill-related hearing schedule throughout the remainder of May, visit this Committee web site.
On May 7, Rep. Barney Frank (MA-4th) introduced the Stable Flood Insurance Authorization Act of 2010, to reauthorize the National Flood Insurance Program. The wording of the legislation recognizes that “long-term authorization and significant reforms are needed to further improve the financial outlook of the National Flood Insurance Program,” and states that the bill’s intent is to provide “reliable, annual authorization of the program” “while such comprehensive reforms are considered.” The measure currently has three cosponsors. The bill has been referred to the House Committee on Financial Services. The text of the bill and related information can be viewed here.
According to results summarized in a TNC and Army Corps of Engineers-sponsored study, greater cooperation is essential to addressing economic and ecological issues currently impacting the Mississippi River basin. Under direction from TNC ("The Nature Conservancy"), through the Great Rivers Partnership, and the Mississippi Valley Division of the Army Corps of Engineers, the Meridian Institute conducted a series of interviews designed to gather input from key stakeholders representing "regional and sector diversity" in the Mississippi River Basin. Meridian Intsitute's final summary of interviews, findings and recommendations is available here (PDF file).
The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has announced the availability of USDA's Conservation Stewardship Program (CSP) funds that producers can apply for in 2010. CSP offers payments to producers who maintain a high level of conservation on their land and who agree to adopt higher levels of stewardship. Eligible lands include cropland, pastureland, rangeland and non-industrial forestland. The deadline to be considered for the next ranking and funding period is June 11, 2010. The CSP was authorized in the 2008 Farm Bill. Producers can find more information about the CSP, and links to the program application here.
On Monday, May 17, Rep. Henry A. Waxman (CA-30th), Chairman of the Committee on Energy and Commerce, and Rep. Edward J. Markey (MA-7th), Chairman of the Subcommittee on Energy and Environment, introduced legislation that would reauthorize and increase funding for the drinking water state revolving fund (SRF) under the Safe Drinking Water Act. Among other things, the bill would gradually increase funding for the drinking water SRF from $1.5 billion in Fiscal Year 2011 to $6 billion in Fiscal Year 2015. The Energy and Environment Subcommittee of the Energy and Commerce Committee held a hearing on the legislation this past Thursday, May 13, in which some Subcommittee members questioned the ability to implement the increased activities proposed within the bill. A press release, and links to the bill and bill summaries can be found here.
Friday, May 7, 2010
Mississippi River Water Resource News for the Week
An Iowa State University study released on March 30 concludes that if Midwest farmers switched from producing corn to growing produce that is eaten in the Midwest (i.e., fruits and vegetables), they could generate thousands of new jobs and millions of dollars. AP coverage of the story can be seen here, and a summary of the study, with links to the study and a media release, here.
The Society for Wetland Scientists, Restore America’s Estuaries, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, and the Environmental Law Institute are co-hosting a Panel Discussion entitled "Resilient Wetlands = Prosperous Economies; How Restoring and Conserving Wetlands Supports Economic Productivity," on Wednesday, May 19; from 4:00 - 5:30 p.m., in the U.S. Capitol Visitor Center, Room HVC-215. RSVP by May 14 to yoder@eli.org or (202) 939-3829. For more information, and for a Flyer on the panel, see here (pdf file). Following the panel discussions, the National Wetlands Awards Ceremony will be held at the same location, from 6-8 p.m. There, the panel hosts "will honor a diverse group of individuals for their extraordinary commitment to conserving wetlands" ( for more information, see http://www.nationalwetlandsawards.org).
The House Committee on Agriculture has scheduled several new hearings through the remainder of May to discuss issues surrounding the development and discussions of the 2101 Farm Bill (schedule can be found here). Here is a FarmPolicy.com recap of House Agriculture Committee 2012 Farm Bill hearings to date.
In a May 4 media release, the USDA announced that Secretary Tom Vilsack will host a "Summit of Rural America: A Dialogue for Renewing Promise," on June 3 in Hillsboro, Missouri. The purpose of the day-long Summit will be to dialogue with stakeholders and gather information, ideas and opinions that the USDA can use to inform program and policy development and implementation. Read the full media release here.
The National Park Service has announced that it is the recipient of a 2010 America’s Best Idea grant from the National Park Foundation for "In a New Light: Connecting At-Risk Teens to the St. Croix National Scenic Riverway through Nature Photography," an innovative partnership project between the Riverway, Northwest Passage, and local arts and educational organizations. The St. Croix National Scenic Riverway, a unit of the National Park System, was established by the Wild and Scenic Rivers Act in 1968. It is one of a group of eight rivers in the country that first received this recognition. For 255 miles, the St. Croix River and its tributary, the Namekagon, flow through some of the most scenic and least developed country in the Upper Midwest. Read more here.
EPA is hosting a webinar entitled "EPA's Role in Water Resources Management for a Changing Climate" on May 11, from 1:00 - 3:00 p.m. EDT. According to the agency, the webinar is intended to "provide an overview of EPA climate change activities in water resources management with an emphasis on adaptation. It is designed to give participants an overview of U.S. regulatory and policy development in the climate change field. Featured speakers include: Joseph Siegel, Attorney and Alternative Dispute Resolution Specialist, Office of Regional Council, U.S. EPA, Region 2; Karen Metchis, Senior Climate Advisor, U.S. EPA's Office of Water; James Goodrich, Senior Environmental Scientist, U.S. EPA's Office of Research and Development." EPA's Climate Change home page is here. To register for the webinar, visit this page.
The Society for Wetland Scientists, Restore America’s Estuaries, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, and the Environmental Law Institute are co-hosting a Panel Discussion entitled "Resilient Wetlands = Prosperous Economies; How Restoring and Conserving Wetlands Supports Economic Productivity," on Wednesday, May 19; from 4:00 - 5:30 p.m., in the U.S. Capitol Visitor Center, Room HVC-215. RSVP by May 14 to yoder@eli.org or (202) 939-3829. For more information, and for a Flyer on the panel, see here (pdf file). Following the panel discussions, the National Wetlands Awards Ceremony will be held at the same location, from 6-8 p.m. There, the panel hosts "will honor a diverse group of individuals for their extraordinary commitment to conserving wetlands" ( for more information, see http://www.nationalwetlandsawards.org).
The House Committee on Agriculture has scheduled several new hearings through the remainder of May to discuss issues surrounding the development and discussions of the 2101 Farm Bill (schedule can be found here). Here is a FarmPolicy.com recap of House Agriculture Committee 2012 Farm Bill hearings to date.
In a May 4 media release, the USDA announced that Secretary Tom Vilsack will host a "Summit of Rural America: A Dialogue for Renewing Promise," on June 3 in Hillsboro, Missouri. The purpose of the day-long Summit will be to dialogue with stakeholders and gather information, ideas and opinions that the USDA can use to inform program and policy development and implementation. Read the full media release here.
The National Park Service has announced that it is the recipient of a 2010 America’s Best Idea grant from the National Park Foundation for "In a New Light: Connecting At-Risk Teens to the St. Croix National Scenic Riverway through Nature Photography," an innovative partnership project between the Riverway, Northwest Passage, and local arts and educational organizations. The St. Croix National Scenic Riverway, a unit of the National Park System, was established by the Wild and Scenic Rivers Act in 1968. It is one of a group of eight rivers in the country that first received this recognition. For 255 miles, the St. Croix River and its tributary, the Namekagon, flow through some of the most scenic and least developed country in the Upper Midwest. Read more here.
EPA is hosting a webinar entitled "EPA's Role in Water Resources Management for a Changing Climate" on May 11, from 1:00 - 3:00 p.m. EDT. According to the agency, the webinar is intended to "provide an overview of EPA climate change activities in water resources management with an emphasis on adaptation. It is designed to give participants an overview of U.S. regulatory and policy development in the climate change field. Featured speakers include: Joseph Siegel, Attorney and Alternative Dispute Resolution Specialist, Office of Regional Council, U.S. EPA, Region 2; Karen Metchis, Senior Climate Advisor, U.S. EPA's Office of Water; James Goodrich, Senior Environmental Scientist, U.S. EPA's Office of Research and Development." EPA's Climate Change home page is here. To register for the webinar, visit this page.
Wednesday, May 5, 2010
Irony du Jour
Great Lakes states battle to keep one aquatic invasive species out of the lakes (Asian Carp), and routinely introduce another (Coho Salmon).
Mississippi River Basin News Blurbs of the Day (along with keyboard reactions)
Recent news items posted via our Twitter feed:
Wisconsin Rep. and Appropriation Committee Chair Dave Obey retires. And the battle begins for his soon-to-be-empty chair.
Senate Majority Leader Reid to colleagues: Senate might have to shorten August recess to deal with pressing issues. The August heat in DC can be a mighty strong impetus for getting things done.
Kansas asks US Supreme Court to settle long-running Republican River water withdrawal case vs CO & NE. Kansas says it isn't getting the water it deserves from upstream; a portent of things to come?
Army Corps reports that Mississippi River will double its flow over the next two weeks from upstream storms. Tennessee waters recede and move downstream.
Bloomington MN trying to manage water quality in its storm water ponds. Green and algae-choked now (I'll be in Bloomington in two weeks for an UMRBA meeting and will check it out).
EPA has issued new water infrastructure guidelines. Designed to dissuade sprawl and promote smart growth. Promoting smartness is smart.
EWG report: Most US farm subsidies go to only 10% of recipients; Reaction to the report here. The debate continues . . . the point-counterpoint deliberations over who should get how much of limited federal funds is like the song that never ends.
USDA Secretary Vilsack to host Summit of Rural America to inform program and policy discussions: Hillsboro, MO, June 3. Listening well is the first rule of wise governing.
Water, conservation programs, bark beetles & dairy topped the agenda at Tuesday's House Ag Committee Farm Bill hearing. The Farm Bill is immense, and so will be the number of topics discussed in the lead-up to its 2012 reprise.
Des Moines Iowa not slowing down livability efforts - after being named best for business and careers. There are some good restaurants there based on my limited experience.
Cumberland River Begins to Recede in Tennessee. And the water moves on toward the Gulf (see above), which could use some extra River dilution assistance about now.
Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid: Gulf Coast spill could help Senate pass energy bill. Hope springs eternal . . . as does leaking crude.
Wisconsin Rep. and Appropriation Committee Chair Dave Obey retires. And the battle begins for his soon-to-be-empty chair.
Senate Majority Leader Reid to colleagues: Senate might have to shorten August recess to deal with pressing issues. The August heat in DC can be a mighty strong impetus for getting things done.
Kansas asks US Supreme Court to settle long-running Republican River water withdrawal case vs CO & NE. Kansas says it isn't getting the water it deserves from upstream; a portent of things to come?
Army Corps reports that Mississippi River will double its flow over the next two weeks from upstream storms. Tennessee waters recede and move downstream.
Bloomington MN trying to manage water quality in its storm water ponds. Green and algae-choked now (I'll be in Bloomington in two weeks for an UMRBA meeting and will check it out).
EPA has issued new water infrastructure guidelines. Designed to dissuade sprawl and promote smart growth. Promoting smartness is smart.
EWG report: Most US farm subsidies go to only 10% of recipients; Reaction to the report here. The debate continues . . . the point-counterpoint deliberations over who should get how much of limited federal funds is like the song that never ends.
USDA Secretary Vilsack to host Summit of Rural America to inform program and policy discussions: Hillsboro, MO, June 3. Listening well is the first rule of wise governing.
Water, conservation programs, bark beetles & dairy topped the agenda at Tuesday's House Ag Committee Farm Bill hearing. The Farm Bill is immense, and so will be the number of topics discussed in the lead-up to its 2012 reprise.
Des Moines Iowa not slowing down livability efforts - after being named best for business and careers. There are some good restaurants there based on my limited experience.
Cumberland River Begins to Recede in Tennessee. And the water moves on toward the Gulf (see above), which could use some extra River dilution assistance about now.
Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid: Gulf Coast spill could help Senate pass energy bill. Hope springs eternal . . . as does leaking crude.
Tuesday, May 4, 2010
Irony du Jour
Federal agencies located in Washington, DC contend that they shouldn't be required to pay fees associated with new federally-mandated DC environmental stormwater regulations designed to help restore the Anacostia River. The dispute apparently hinges on whether the Impervious Area Charge is defined legally as a tax or a fee. The legal argument actually has national implications, as disputes over stormwater fees are not limited to Washington, DC. Read more on this story here and here.
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