Mississippi River Basin Water Resource News for the Week

~Virtual Newspaper for an Aquatic World~

Farm Bill Resources

The House and Senate Agriculture Committees will be holding mark-up sessions next week on their respective versions of the farm bill (Here is the Senate bill; and here, the House bill).  The Senate Committee will consider its bill during a May 14, 10 AM meeting, and the House Committee in a May 15 session.  This is only the beginning of a lengthy legislative process of crafting and passing a comprehensive farm bill. Here is a link to a compendium of on-line resources you may find useful during the farm bill considerations over the next days, weeks and months, including links to bills, hearings, legislator's contacts and more.  You can see many more related news links below, under "Farm Bill."

Notable @UpperMiss Twitter Postings for the Week 

Water Quality -

• EPA committed to study and development of Total Maximum Daily Load of nutrients in Illinois River watershed http://ow.ly/kSvC7
• Fathead minnow acquires an outsized importance for researchers studying endocrine disruption http://ow.ly/kFZej
• Environmental groups petition EPA to set numeric conductivity standard for waters near mountaintop mines ow.ly/kNv8T
• Conservation, citizen groups to file lawsuit to halt hog farm construction in Arkansas' Buffalo National River basin ow.ly/kMJbK
• Media coverage on Kentucky Waterways Alliance, others' petition to the EPA to adopt a conductivity standard http://t.co/ON4ttONbYs
• EPA approves Pennsylvania’s 2012 list of impaired waters under Clean Water Act; 263 are newly added to list of 7,009 http://ow.ly/kSgDH
• Operator of uncertified West Virginia coal slurry dam has until June 3 to certify structure as sound ow.ly/kMIlN
• City of Grand Island, Nebraska wastewater plant accused of polluting surface water; lawsuit threatened ow.ly/kMDET
• $120 million facility will treat mercury-contaminated water at Oak Ridge (TN; head of East Fork Poplar Creek) ow.ly/kMBfM
• House lawmakers support funding of EPA pilot projects to integrate wastewater and stormwater infrastructure planning http://ow.ly/kP0Yl
• Supporters step up efforts to save EPA clean water and drinking water state revolving funds from spending cuts http://ow.ly/kP0xo
• Rep. Ed Markey (D-MA) asks Exxon CEO to explain contradictory statements on 210,000 gallon Arkansas oil spill http://ow.ly/kPinc
• How mussel farming could help to clean polluted surface waters http://ow.ly/kRCGC

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

Water Resources Development Act

• Senate approves four Water Resources Development Act amendments; final vote could be next week http://ow.ly/kTEJi
• Senate takes up Water Resources Development Act but it faces high level opposition ow.ly/kMvxw
• Obama administration objects to Vitter-Boxer Water Resources Development Act proposal ow.ly/kMKwC
• White House releases statement on Senate WRDA - "is deeply concerned with the project permitting provisions" http://ow.ly/kQ1dm
• Proposed Senate Water Resources Development Act provisions to speed water projects riles critics ow.ly/kMGpG
• Boxer defends her deal with Vitter to streamline environmental oversight of Army Corps of Engineers in WRDA bill http://ow.ly/kPj3S

Other Water Resource News

• Despite a wet April, snowmelt lags and the amount of water flowing into the Missouri River remains below average http://ow.ly/kTJ23
• House Members push Army Corps in letter to use port taxes to improve US harbors; not fill funding gaps http://ow.ly/kTFaV
• Coast Guard has closes portion of Mississippi River near its confluence with Missouri River after barges break free http://ow.ly/kGsPx
• As climate drives US breadbasket northward, farm commodity transportation shifts away from Mississippi River options http://ow.ly/kLat3
• Representatives from 14 Louisiana parishes head to Washington, DC to rally for flood insurance cost relief http://ow.ly/kPiKN
• Government leaders from across South Louisiana working to build flood insurance coalition to change federal policy http://ow.ly/kREDZ
• Widening of Panama Canal prompts calls for US port expansions; but not all are enamored by the urban side effects ow.ly/kMFlM
• Reminder: May 28 deadline to comment on federal water resource Principles & Guidelines; Draft Interagency Guidelines ow.ly/kNyCQ
• Army Corps of Engineers approves start of latest construction for rebuilding of New Orleans levee system ow.ly/kMJKh
• Army Corps of Engineers announces plans to restore Missouri River shallow water habitat north of Atchison, KS http://ow.ly/kPrms
• $20 million from USDA Wetlands Reserve Program set for AR, KY, LA, MS, MO and TN landowners ow.ly/kMnob ow.ly/kMnuv
• Senate energy committee passes four hydropower bills, including two that have passed House http://ow.ly/kRwZ5 and http://ow.ly/kRx49
• Sen. Alexander (R-TN) threatens to restrict Army Corps' funding transfers over "unreasonable" fishing restrictions  http://ow.ly/kRBJi
• Articles on the high Mississippi and Illinois water levels this past week: http://ow.ly/kGg96 http://ow.ly/kGfny ow.ly/kMn22 ow.ly/kMnHB
• Chillicothe, Missouri residents clearing debris and assessing Illinois River flood damage as FEMA prepares to come in http://ow.ly/kGtXf

Farm Bill-

Senate

• Members of Senate Agriculture Committee have received a draft of the farm bill; link here: http://www.ag.senate.gov/issues/farm-bill
• Senate Agriculture Committee Chairwoman Debbie Stabenow's summary of the Senate farm bill: http://ow.ly/kTBU3
• Senate Agriculture Committee schedules farm bill markup session for Tuesday, May 14, 10 AM EDT; room 328A Russell SOB ow.ly/kNtpX 
• National Farmers Union encouraged by initial farm bill draft circulated to Senate Agriculture Committee members http://ow.ly/kSuuv
• Rep. Collin Peterson (ranking House Agriculture Committee Democrat) confident on prospects for passing a farm bill http://ow.ly/kRfPM
• Sen. Harkin (D-IA) on Senate farm bill: “very happy about conservation provisions . . . conservation compliance" http://ow.ly/kTD60
• Unlikely there will be a farm bill vote by full Senate before the Memorial Day recess http://ow.ly/kOTIH
• For the most part, the Senate draft farm bill resembles the one passed by full Senate last year http://ow.ly/kTCJJ
• Senate Farm Bill Released; Would Expand Insurance Programs, Drop Direct Payments ow.ly/kTCoc
• Draft Senate farm bill courts Southern GOP votes with target prices for rice and peanut producers http://ow.ly/kTFQg
• Groups largely praise Senate farm bill draft http://ow.ly/kU7DG

House

• Discussion Draft - Federal Agriculture Reform and Risk Management Act of 2013: http://ow.ly/kUkpE (PDF file)
• Federal Agriculture Reform and Risk Management Act committee summary: http://ow.ly/kUkwo
• House Ag Committee Chair Lucas retools farm bill; sets goal of $38 billion in 10-year savings; cuts from food stamps ow.ly/kMoYV
• Lucas: farm bill will pass, after possibly 100 farm bill amendments in committee; at least that many on House floor ow.ly/kMrxU
• Democratic House members to introduce bill Wednesday to reform USDA conservation programs; influence farm bill debate http://ow.ly/kPknW
• Rep. Blumenauer (D-OR); twelve other House Members, introduce bill to "modernize conservation priorities" http://ow.ly/kSfAJ
• House Majority Leader to House Republicans: "we will consider a farm bill produced by the Agriculture Committee" http://ow.ly/kL6F5
• House Agriculture Committee Chair opposes plan to link crop insurance premium subsidies to conservation compliance http://ow.ly/kRgA1

Other Farm Bill News

• Ag, conservation groups offer conservation compliance proposal: Would avoid means testing for crop insurance http://ow.ly/kP5oL
• Agricultural groups agree to farm bill compromise plan to tie conservation compliance to crop insurance subsidies ow.ly/kMsXl
• American Farm Bureau Senior Director of Congressional Relations discusses farm bill conservation compliance prospects ow.ly/kMsCS
• Farm, conservation groups ink 'historic' farm bill language deal linking stewardship to crop insurance ow.ly/kMw0r
• Former USDA officials, watchdog environmental group say conservation should be crop insurance subsidy prerequisite ow.ly/kNvEU
• Calls mount for deeper farm subsidy and food stamp spending cuts in farm bill  http://ow.ly/kOSWg
• Environmental Working Group launches campaign to underscore "need for federal farm bill reform" ow.ly/kNBJH

Agriculture - 

• Corn belt farmers whipsawed by drought, then rain across region ow.ly/kMINU
• Montana farmers are adapting to climate change by shifting planting schedules and selecting different crops ow.ly/kMA7K
• Federal Reserve’s Board of Governors' advisers: "Agricultural land prices are veering further from what makes sense" http://ow.ly/kOVDF
• Agriculture groups have a keen interest in this week's Senate consideration of the Water Resources Development Act http://ow.ly/kOW5r

Climate and Weather -

Click to enlarge

• US Plains drought persists; wet, cool weather "definitely dented or eliminated the drought in much of the Midwest" http://ow.ly/kROQy
• Farmers and ranchers in parts of US West and Plains pondering prospect of another year of drought ow.ly/kMCQD
• NASA climate study predicts that, worldwide, "wet areas will get wetter and dry areas will get drier" ow.ly/kMAuh

In the Cities -

• Louisville, Kentucky tree commission wants developers to save or plant more trees to replace those lost when building http://ow.ly/kFZE9
• Alternate methods for dealing with New Orleans area stormwater are the focus of workshop series ow.ly/kMBwy
• U.S. Conference of Mayors report documents increasing spending on, challenges of water-wastewater infrastructure http://ow.ly/kSrk5

Forestry -

• 2.4 million trees planted on 4000 acres in Arkansas, Mississippi, Louisiana, and Illinois in Mississippi River valley http://ow.ly/kPH0l

Biodiversity, Wildlife and Invasives -

• Studies: Midwestern frogs decline and mammal populations altered due to invasive European buckthorn plant http://ow.ly/kPuwW
• Asian carp serve as visible icon for invasive species http://ow.ly/kGub5
• Monitoring for Asian carp to increase in Illinois this year http://ow.ly/kSvmp
• 1 °C temperature rise would shift painted turtle population to 100% female and earmark species for extinction ow.ly/kMARY
• Three Minnesota dogs now specially trained to work with MN DNR; sniff out invasive zebra mussels http://ow.ly/kPi2p
• University of Wisconsin research: Shrinking North American snow cover puts invertebrates and amphibians at risk http://ow.ly/kRE2a

Gulf Coastal Region-

• Environmental groups criticize use of BP oil spill Gulf recovery money to fund Gulf State Park convention center ow.ly/kNxlS
• Mississippi Secretary of State: proposed Louisiana levee may pose flood risk for low-lying south Mississippi areas ow.ly/kMK9j

Resource Extraction -

• 13 energy-producing states tell EPA it should not provide "back-door entry for federal oversight of fracking" ow.ly/kML0m
• Southern Illinois region braces for oil rush as Illinois Legislature considers fracking regulations ow.ly/kMGOC
• Forest Service mulls proposed coal lease in southeast Ohio in Wayne National Forest; seeks public comment http://ow.ly/kPQDO
• Republicans; energy representatives criticize pending DOI hydraulic fracturing rules as burdensome; expensive http://ow.ly/kRHU1

Federal Budget -

• U.S. House and Senate reach impasse over how to move forward on their respective budget proposals http://ow.ly/kL5ER
• CBO plans a May 14 release of updated 10-year baseline projections of federal spending, revenues and budget deficits http://ow.ly/kRgV3
• House GOP will wait until June to begin the process of passing annual (fiscal year 2014) appropriations bills http://ow.ly/kTFrV

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

• National C-FAR Capitol Hill seminar: Organization of Agricultural and Natural Resource Markets; May 13; noon RSVP: http://ow.ly/kRuBB
• Save the date: National Roundtable on New Tools for Water Quality: Trading and Beyond; July 18; Cincinnati, OH http://ow.ly/kSqRE
• Those interested in designating St. Croix River region as National Heritage Area encouraged to attend May 16 event http://ow.ly/kSw4l
• May 14 webinar will discuss effects of nanomaterials on soil health and the food chain; 11:00 AM EDT; register: http://ow.ly/kTGkq

e-Newsletters, Publications and Journals -

• Weekly "Water Headlines" Newsletter from U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's Office of Water ow.ly/kNws9
• Peer-reviewed science journal Nature publishes a special edition on genetically modified crops http://ow.ly/kP2in
• Tulane Institute on Water Resources Law and Policy's May 8 and archived WaterWays e-newsletter links here: ow.ly/klTzd
• Green Lands Blue Waters bi-weekly update re: Mississippi River Basin Continuous Living Cover advancement on agricultural land http://ow.ly/kPIqZ
• Here is the "1 Mississippi" Campaign's May newsletter http://t.co/J7T5eft3mT

Other news-

• Director of USEPA Criminal Investigation Division: "There are significant geographic regions we can no longer cover" ow.ly/kMHWC
• Globe and Mail reporter: "What I found on my road trip along the Keystone pipeline route" ow.ly/kMG5b
• Mississippi Water Walkers arrive in Louisiana with water from river's source after two month trek to raise awareness ow.ly/kMBI4

Political Scene -

• And now for something completely different - a Congressional "Hotdish Off" featuring Minnesotan "delicacies" ow.ly/kGskd
• Republican Rep. Steve King (R-IA) announces that he will not run for US Senate http://ow.ly/kL5Yp
• GOP prospects will start announcing US Iowa Senate intentions soon in 2014 race against Democratic Rep. Bruce Braley ow.ly/kMqAZ
• Louisiana in top five of Roll Call's "Clout Index" - index of potential influence each state has on national affairs ow.ly/kNA3v
• Former Madison County Chief to challenge freshman Rep. Davis in Illinois 13th House district - announcement today ow.ly/kMqg7
• Longtime Kentucky environmental lawyer eyes underdog challenge to McConnell for US Senate seat ow.ly/kMpvj

Last Word -

"We thought that we had the answers, it was the questions we had wrong." - U2 band member, Bono, whose birthday is today.

UPDATED: Capitol Hill This Week - What to Watch For

This week may see the release of draft U.S. Senate and House farm bills, with mark-ups possibly occurring in the Senate Agriculture Committee early next week, and in the House Agriculture Committee on May 15.  The Senate will consider a motion to proceed with consideration of the Water Resources Development Act on Tuesday afternoon.  That motion is expected to easily pass, and then the Senate will take up full consideration of the bill (S 601).

Below are the other activities currently scheduled for the week in the House and Senate that bear watching, as they may relate to the sustainability of the Mississippi River Basin's natural and built resources. Where available, links are provided to the relevant Committee and legislation pages on the Internet. Many of the proceedings will be webcast live (follow the appropriate link).  All times are Eastern.

Tuesday

• House Appropriations Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies Subcommittee hearing on the  Bureau of Land Management's proposed fiscal year 2014 budget; 9:30 AM; room B-308 Rayburn House Office Building
• House Science, Space and Technology Subcommittee on Environment, Subcommittee on Energy hearing on the Keystone XL Pipeline: Examination of Scientific and Environmental Issues (Joint Hearing - Energy and Environment Subcommittees); 10:00 AM; room 2318 Rayburn House Office Building
• House Natural Resources Subcommittee on Public Lands and Environmental Regulation oversight hearing on "Impediments to Public Recreation on Public Lands;" 2:00 PM; room 1334 Longworth House Office Building

Wednesday

• House Natural Resources Committee oversight hearing on "DOI Hydraulic Fracturing Rule: A Recipe for Government Waste, Duplication and Delay;" 10:00 AM; room 1324 Longworth House Office Building Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee business meeting to consider several bills relating to hydropower development; 11:30 AM; room SD-366 Dirksen Senate Office Building 
• House Appropriations Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies Subcommittee hearing on the Environmental Protection Agency proposed fiscal year 2014 budget; 1:00 PM; room 2359 Rayburn House Office Building 
• Homeland Security Subcommittee on Emergency Management hearing to examine how the private sector can be leveraged to support community preparedness and response to natural and man-made disasters; 2:30PM; room SD-342, Dirksen Senate Office Building 

Thursday

• Environment and Public Works Committee business meeting to consider the nomination of Gina McCarthy  to be Administrator of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency; 9:15 AM; room 406 Dirksen Senate Office Building

And now for something completely different - A Congressional "Hotdish Off" Featuring Minnesotan "Delicacies"

Senators Amy Klobuchar and Al Franken at "Hotdish Off"

On April 10, Senator Al Franken (D-MN) hosted Senator Amy Klobuchar and Representatives  Michele Bachmann, Keith Ellison, Betty McCollum, Rick Nolan, Erik Paulsen, Collin Peterson, and Tim Walz for a bipartisan and bicameral Minnesota Congressional delegation "Hotdish Off."  Sen.  Franken has since posted a cookbook online that includes each of the recipes served at the event, including Rep. Walz's contest winner, “Hermann the German Hotdish,” featuring brats, beer and tater tots.  Beside Walz’s winning creation, other recipes in the cookbook include:

• Rep. Rick Nolan’s ‘Real Deal’ Ranger Hot Dish
• Rep. Collin Peterson’s Easter Ham and Cheese Hotdish
• Rep. Michele Bachmann’s Southwest Metro Hotdish
• Sen. Amy Klobuchar’s Hormel “I Can’t Believe It’s Not SPAM” Pepperoni Pizza Hotdish
• Rep. Keith Ellison’s Juicy Lucy Hotdish
• Sen. Al Franken’s Willmar Stew
• Rep. Erik Paulsen’s Taco Hotdish
• Rep. Betty McCollum’s Beef, Beer & Biscuits Hotdish

Mississippi River Basin Water Resource News for the Week

~Virtual Newspaper for an Aquatic World~

Up Next
Next week may see the release of a Senate farm bill and it's mark-up in the Senate Agriculture Committee, while on the House side, all signs continue to point to a May 15 Agriculture Committee farm bill mark up (see related articles below under "Farm Bill").  News regarding scheduling of Congressional activity on the Water Resources Development Act has been scarce, with the last indication being Senate Majority Leader Reid's (D-NV) desire to move it through the Senate before it leaves town on May 27 for the Memorial Day recess.  To see an overview of Mississippi River Basin-relevant Congressional committee activity scheduled for next week, follow this link.

New North American Asian Carp Distribution Maps Released

Bighead Carp

Late last month, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Illinois Department of Natural Resources and U.S. Geological Survey released new maps depicting "Asian Carp Distribution in North America" for bighead carp and silver carp. The maps display current information on the presence of those invasive Asian carp species at all of their life stages in the Mississippi River, Ohio River and Great Lakes.

Briefing Highlights Lessons Learned from Ongoing Agriculture Conservation Projects

Project Locations (click to enlarge)

On April 26, a North Carolina State University researcher briefed Congressional staff, and policy and agriculture professionals on the results of a synthesis and multi-year evaluation of the effects of cropland and pastureland conservation practices on spatial and temporal trends in water quality at the watershed scale.  The briefing summarized findings first released last November, concurrent with the publication of "Synthesis Report: CEAP-NIFA Competitive Grant Watershed Studies" (link to the report and related resources here).  To see a summary of the briefing and study findings, you can follow this link.

Notable @UpperMiss Twitter Postings for the Week
Water Quality -

• EPA approves Iowa DNR’s 2012 list of impaired waters under the Clean Water Act (removes 73; adds 78 water bodies) http://ow.ly/kxgds
• 12 SE Wisconsin municipalities released nearly 53 million gallons of sewage into streams in April via sewer overflows http://ow.ly/kxq6b
• EPA's Clean Water Act Section 319 Program "Success Spotlight" on Choteau Creek in South Dakota re: sediment loading http://ow.ly/kzzDC
• Aquatic Dead Zones: Pollution and mismanagement strain the ecosystems of the world’s ocean and freshwater bodies http://ow.ly/kBISc

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

• New Center for American Progress report: Hurricanes, floods, droughts put increasingly large strain on federal budget http://ow.ly/kzRTV 
• Army Corps re-opens closed Mississippi River Lock 24 near Clarksville; Lock 25 near Winfield (Missouri) http://ow.ly/kxCwC 
• Vitter-Boxer WRDA (water resources development act) bill drawing opposition after unanimous committee approval http://ow.ly/ksrzw 
• Senate EPW Committee Chair Boxer at odds with some environmental groups over WRDA project approval "streamlining" http://ow.ly/kxh8M 
• U.S. Reps. Loebsack and Braley talk about need to upgrade Mississippi River lock and dams at public meeting http://ow.ly/kBJJt 
• Association of State Floodplain Managers publishes "Flood Insurance Affordability: Recommendations for NFIP Reform" http://ow.ly/kxhIu 
• KC Business Journal: "Missouri River could become a maritime highway" http://ow.ly/kxCMl 
• U.S. Rep. Candice Miller (R-MI) calls for reevaluation of Lake Michigan to Mississippi basin water diversion pact http://ow.ly/kzBVS 
• Rising Mississippi River prompts Army Corps to activate its flood-fighting program: added levee inspections and restrictions http://ow.ly/kzBtJ 
• TNC's new Floodplains by Design video "illustrates ways of harnessing these ecosystems for humans and wildlife" http://ow.ly/kzRu0 
• Forecasters predict minor to moderate central and eastern Missouri flooding as heavy rains cause Missouri River rise http://ow.ly/kBIBZ 
• Mississippi River crests not expected to cause Louisiana and Mississippi flooding http://ow.ly/kBJ57
• Army Corps closes three Mississippi River locks in Twin Cities area to recreational boats due to high flows ow.ly/kEeDN
• Iowa corn, soybean farmers express concern about recent Army Corps of Engineers projects on Missouri River http://ow.ly/kFPcn

Farm Bill-

• Here's a nicely detailed article on the farm bill and its possible Congressional fate from Agriculture.com: http://ow.ly/kFHqU
• Conservation groups send farm bill proposal to Congress; seeking to stem agriculture's habitat, water quality effects http://ow.ly/kC30Q
• House Agriculture Committee Chair plans farm bill that cuts $38 billion over 10 years; $3B more than last year's bill http://ow.ly/kGeSH
• Rep. Owens (D-NY): House farm bill committee action May 15; expects few committee changes but many floor challenges http://ow.ly/kFH1T
• Sen. Grassley (R-IA) hints at Senate Agriculture Committee farm bill mark up next week; shooting for $23 billion in savings http://ow.ly/kBdmi
• Senate Ag Committee member Hoeven: committee farm bill markup next week or the following one; May Senate floor action http://ow.ly/kFFY0
• US Sen. Kirk (R-IL) on farm bill: Dem bill will pass Senate; fail in House. GOP bill will pass House; fail in Senate ow.ly/kDkrS

Agriculture -

• Drought helped drive the cost of crop insurance to a record $US17.2 billion in 2012 ow.ly/kDysj
• In the past two years Conservation Reserve Program acres nationally saw a 4.2 million-acre decline http://ow.ly/kBe96
• Capitol Hill briefing highlights lessons learned from an evaluation of ongoing agriculture conservation projects http://ow.ly/ksL7W
• New 25x’25 Alliance’s Adaptation Work Group report released on agriculture, forestry, and climate change adaptation http://ow.ly/kxgLq
• Sequestration pushes USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service's 23 conservation programs toward "breaking point" http://ow.ly/kxiQO
• Judge denies restraining order against developers of large South Dakota hog confinement operation http://ow.ly/kxnkF
• New USDA Economic Research Service report: “The Role of Conservation Programs in Drought Risk Adaptation" http://ow.ly/kBeob
• USDA announces $4 million plan to increase use of federal food credits at farmers markets ow.ly/kBeyj

Click to Enlarge

Climate and Weather -

• Rains last week relieve central US drought; dry weather, temperature contrasts exacerbate central High Plains drought http://ow.ly/kFLeO 
• Nebraska lawmakers pass bill supporting report that would project climate change impacts on state's water and farms http://ow.ly/ks2cg 
• All Eyes on the Keeling Curve: Scientists anxious as CO2 levels are posed to cross the 400 ppm threshold http://ow.ly/kBpKl 
• Slow moving storm system expected to stall over Illinois bringing prolonged rainfall to central, southeast Illinois ow.ly/kDjIS 
• ORNL analysis predicts U.S. losses from extreme weather damage could double by 2050 http://ow.ly/kFEwl 

In the States -

• MinnPost has launched an on-line Minnesota legislation tracker web app http://ow.ly/ks5g3

In the Cities -

• City of Woodbury, MN finds new use for stormwater: Irrigate golf courses http://ow.ly/kBbP7

Biodiversity, Wildlife and Invasives -

• Bald Eagles continue comeback along northern Mississippi River http://ow.ly/ksr66
• Army Corps, IL DNR, USGS Release New North America Asian Carp Distribution Maps http://ow.ly/ksTOk
• Dept. of Interior to decide fate of 10 species by 2018 under terms of settlement (includes Big Sandy Crayfish in KY, WV) ow.ly/kyLTG
• New Dutch study: world's most widely used insecticide is devastating dragonflies, snails, other water-based species ow.ly/kE7u6
• USDA & EPA release findings of 3-day conference on bee colony collapse disorder; no single factor causes bee deaths ow.ly/kEgDh
• Interior Department sends three draft rules regarding threatened and endangered species to White House for review ow.ly/kEg98

Gulf Coastal Region-

• CNN: Empty nets in Louisiana three years after BP oil spill http://ow.ly/kCg4F
• LSU study: Damaged minnow shows BP oil seeping into coastal food chain http://ow.ly/kCira
• BP will pay $340 million for early 2010 Gulf of Mexico oil spill restoration projects ow.ly/kBzTf
• Environmental groups, politicians and BP itself have released statements in favor of BP Gulf restoration payment ow.ly/kE8c1

Resource Extraction -

• Police arrested 35 people for trespassing Monday during a protest of frac sand mining in Winona, Minnesota ow.ly/kzAfJ
• Interior Secretary Jewell: Federal fracking rules coming "in weeks" http://ow.ly/kBamd

Federal Budget -

• Sequester threatens funding for 100s of stream gauges used by USGS to predict, monitor flood levels across US http://ow.ly/ksUJc

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

• WWF Fuller Seminar: The Alarming Science Behind Climate Change’s Increasingly Wild Weather; Washington, DC June 6 http://ow.ly/kxoVL
• Save the date: 2014 biannual Conference on Ecosystem & Ecological Restoration; July 28-August 1; New Orleans, LA http://ow.ly/kBd24
• "Great River Rumble" annual canoe, kayak trip, July 27 - August 3 on St. Croix and Mississippi Rivers ow.ly/kEeZ4

e-Newsletters, Publications and Journals -

• Tulane Institute on Water Resources Law and Policy's April 29 and archived WaterWays e-newsletter links here: ow.ly/klTzd
• Weekly "Water Headlines" Newsletter from U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's Office of Water http://ow.ly/kzzpT
• Association of State Floodplain Managers latest monthly "News and Views" http://ow.ly/kBb0D (PDF file)
• May Newsletter of the U.S. Global Change Research Program and National Climate Assessment ow.ly/kDyY0 (PDF file)

Other news-

• Sens. Vitter (R-LA) and Inhofe (R-OK) demand transparency from EPA on relationships with environmental groups http://ow.ly/kBaaK
• From Mississippi River Basin, MN, WI and IL make top ten of most bicycle-friendly U.S. states; ND ranks last http://ow.ly/kC4gW

Political Scene -

• Headline du jour: "A House in Chaos" http://ow.ly/kBf7W
• GOP Sen. Grassley aide David Young considering Senate bid for retiring Democratic Sen. Harkin's Iowa seat http://ow.ly/kxc8D
• Upcoming Sen. Baucus retirement could land Sen. Landrieu (D-LA) coveted Chair of Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee http://ow.ly/kyNo4
• Decision by GOP Rep. Aaron Schock not to run for Illinois Governor clears path for wealthy businessman Bruce Rauner http://ow.ly/kyNEM
• West Virginia Democrats still seeking candidate to challenge GOP Rep. Capito for retiring Sen. Rockefeller's (D) seat http://ow.ly/kBo8d

Niccolò Machiavelli

Last Word -
"Politics have no relation to morals." - Niccolo Machiavelli, who was born on this date in 1469.