Mississippi River Basin Water Resource Weekly News

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

This Week and Next

The week we are about to exit was filled with new water-relevant legislation and regulation, some of which may become final, and many that will likely pass quietly into obscurity. The House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee moved a bill on to the full House that would require the Obama Administration to re-do its proposed rule clarifying the Clean Water Act's jurisdiction.  And a House Appropriations Subcommittee attached a provision to its Army Corps of Engineers spending bill that would prohibit the Corps from spending money in that rule's implementation.  The House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee approved a FEMA Disaster Assistance Reform Act, and a bill to reauthorize the EPA's National Estuary Program.  The USDA made available its long-anticipated draft Conservation Compliance Interim Final Rule, and announced plans to officially publish the rule next week.  And the U.S. EPA published the first national standards for coal combustion waste disposal, which will become effective in 180 days. Although a bill "improving coal combustion residuals regulation," approved this week by the House Energy and Commerce Committee, would modify those regulations somewhat.  There are additional links to information about these and other River Basin-related news items, below.

Next week, Congress is again in session, and among other items, will take up potential reforms to the Land and Water Conservation Fund, fracking, funding for and the scope of National Science Foundation research, and Federal Emergency Management Agency funding (you can see the current list of Congressional committee activities here that are relevant to the Mississippi River Basin).

Noteworthy @UpperMiss Twitter Postings for the Week

Water Quality -

Waters of the United States

• House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee passes H.R. 1732-Regulatory Integrity Protection Act on a nearly party-line 36 to 22 vote; would require EPA and Army Corps to withdraw proposed Waters of the U.S. rule, and restart the rulemaking process. Two Democrats, Reps. Sean Patrick Maloney (NY) and Cheri Bustos (IL), joined Republicans voting for the bill. News article: http://ow.ly/LEQuL; Link to the committee meeting page: http://ow.ly/LEbNa; Link to bill: http://ow.ly/LEbyu
• House Appropriations Energy and Water Development Subcommittee approves spending bill with provision to prevent the Army Corps from using funds to implement a "Waters of the United States" rule (see Section 105, page 10 of spending bill text: http://ow.ly/LGDjl)
• At House Natural Resources Subcommittee hearing Western states say they were not adequately consulted on Waters of the U.S. proposed rule http://ow.ly/LDpZO
• 8th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals rules that Minnesota property owner can file legal challenge to an Army Corps jurisdictional determination; news article on 8th circuit ruling http://ow.ly/LEVdM; second news article - ruling establishes a "split between appellate courts that could reach the Supreme Court" http://ow.ly/LEVML (link to ruling: http://ow.ly/LEUv3)

Other Water Quality News

• New “meta-analysis” of existing scientific studies provides clearer picture of poorly-defined

  

  Photo Credit: Elizabeth Shogren/NPR

  water risks associated with farmland pesticide application http://ow.ly/LAt7Y  (related news story http://ow.ly/LAtno)
• Des Moines Register editorial: 14 facts to weigh in Des Moines Water Works lawsuit against three Iowa counties http://ow.ly/LrMjR (graph from editorial: http://ow.ly/i/ajpoy)
• New global study, "The murky future of global water quality," projects rapid deterioration in water quality; Midwestern United States is one of the vulnerable areas  http://ow.ly/LHZF3
• Ohio River Valley Water Sanitation Commission (ORSANCO) seeks public comment on proposed Ohio River water pollution mixing zone changes http://ow.ly/Lx9iC (related story below)
• Nonprofits rally together to bring attention to mercury discharges into Ohio River http://ow.ly/LB0vK
• Alleged bias in Illinois River (Oklahoma) phosphorus loading study denied http://ow.ly/LxbdB
• Officials contend that Oklahoma rivers are clearer despite no ruling in ten-year-old poultry waste case http://ow.ly/Lxcq5
• Edwards, Mississippi egg producer to pay $900,000 for Clean Water Act violations (nitrogen and phosphorus pollution, Black River tributary) http://ow.ly/LAmzo
• New studies indicate that pavement sealant getting into waterways kills fish, alters DNA long after application http://ow.ly/LBIIO
• PEER protests EPA oil development wastewater disposal permits for Wind River Indian Reservation (Missouri River Basin) http://ow.ly/LDotO
• Two Tennessee environmental groups file lawsuit in federal court against the Tennessee Valley Authority over coal-ash storage pond groundwater contamination http://ow.ly/LGKVW

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

• Corps of Engineers asks local residents for input on how Little Tallahatchie River reservoir (Mississippi) should be managed http://ow.ly/LId1e
• Dutch studies: Twitter messages can be used to create real-time flooding maps http://ow.ly/LETXB
• Water managers from forty states expect to see water shortages in at least some areas in the next decade http://ow.ly/LHU0c
• NWF blog: what else the $165 million New Madrid Floodway project might buy http://ow.ly/LBgrj
• Kentucky Farm Bureau's recently-launched Water Management Working Group looks to address water resource issues, policy http://ow.ly/LAQOW
• Coal barge sinks in Ohio River at Racine Locks and Dam http://ow.ly/LAXI6
• Containerized Cargo Ballet at an Unidentified Port (a mesmerizing robotic video) http://ow.ly/LDHeX (perhaps coming soon to a Mississippi River Basin port near you)
• House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee approves H.R. 1471 - FEMA Disaster Assistance Reform Act, moving bill on to the full House; committee meeting page: http://ow.ly/LEbNa; link to bill: http://ow.ly/LEk3p
• In that same markup session (above), the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee approved H.R. 944 -  a bill to reauthorize the EPA's National Estuary Program; link to bill:  http://ow.ly/LERGz (reauthorizes the program at $27 million a year through fiscal year 2020 - an $8 million reduction per year from current levels)
• Newly-introduced House "Water Rights Protection Act" would forbid Interior and Agriculture departments from conditioning land-use permits on the transfer of private water rights to the federal government; bill: http://ow.ly/LJHA6 (related story: http://ow.ly/LJHSD)

Agriculture -

• Chicago Council on Global Affairs: U.S. needs to revamp agriculture policy to align with nutrition goals http://ow.ly/LHYJs
• USDA reminds farmers to certify conservation compliance by June 1 deadline http://ow.ly/LIb8c
• USDA makes available its draft Conservation Compliance Interim Final Rule (to be published next week in the Federal Register) http://ow.ly/LIeNy
• Researcher contends that Corn Belt commodities-related economic diversity has changed very little since the 1930s http://ow.ly/Ls8il
• USDA designates two more Kansas counties as natural disaster areas due to drought damages and losses http://ow.ly/LI7rF (total number now 11)
• Three major U.S. crop trade groups meet to explore enhancing transparency and communication http://ow.ly/Lx0dN
• 79-year-old Salina, Kansas farmer continues his 40-year work on perennial crop-based solutions to soil erosion http://ow.ly/Lx2VE
• Farmers, food processors, distributors, lenders, market leaders discuss strategies for expanding local food supplies in Kentucky http://ow.ly/Lx6ZN
• Agriculture industry is expected to capture as much as 80% of all U.S. commercial drone use http://ow.ly/LAjcC
• Residential and agricultural interests clash over proposed Indiana pig facility  http://ow.ly/LArLf
• New Grist series on the loss of mid-sized farms and what that means for rural America http://ow.ly/LAKgt
• Midwest farmers eager to see end to Cuba embargo by U.S. http://ow.ly/LAXti
• USDA’s Risk Management Agency: farmers so far have received $8.8 billion in indemnity payments for their 2014 crops http://ow.ly/LDnkF

Climate and Weather -

• US drought update: some Minnesota, Wisconsin, North Dakota areas improved after rains; minor improvements in Oklahoma, Arkansas, southeast Kansas; South Dakota drought expanded northward http://ow.ly/wmTdv
• Study: climate change will leave the Yellowstone National Park vulnerable to catastrophic wildfires and shrinking snowpack http://ow.ly/LrY7H
• West Virginia's Board of Education amends, then adopts climate change language in newly-approved K-12 science education standards http://ow.ly/LrYFg
• Downpours on upswing: Research finds flooding on the rise in central U.S. http://ow.ly/LAY1S
• EPA releases summary of major climate change-related 2014 accomplishments of EPA's national and regional water programs http://ow.ly/LDmdZ

Biodiversity, Wildlife and Invasives -

• Republican House Natural Resources Committee leaders will back Land and Water Conservation Fund reauthorization, with changes http://ow.ly/LGCar
• Center for Biological Diversity files lawsuit against the Fish and Wildlife Service asserting that

  

  Photo credit: Noel Burkhead, USGS

  FWS has failed to protect four fish found in Alabama, Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, Tennessee, Virginia and West Virginia waterways http://ow.ly/LGB3g (lawsuit: http://ow.ly/LGAZb)
• Asian carp "attack" Washington University rowing team at Creve Coeur Lake (Maryland Heights, Missouri) http://ow.ly/LAYn4
• Work on Yellowstone River dam to start this fall in bid to help endangered pallid sturgeon pass upriver http://ow.ly/LIbEP
• Illinois Department of Natural Resources' effort to reduce Illinois River Asian carp "shows promise" http://ow.ly/LB1JY

In the Cities -

• Des Moines, Iowa announces intent to participate in the Compact of Mayors: global coalition

  

  Photo credit: Mark Peterson/Redux

  of mayors and city leaders voluntarily making commitments to cut greenhouse gas emissions http://ow.ly/LI913
• St. Charles, Missouri purchases Bangert Island for shore-line development, prompting new concerns over long-protected Missouri Riverfront wildlife area http://ow.ly/LIdSI
• New Orleans goes hard-core to combat blight. But can that save the Hurricane Katrina-blighted Lower Ninth Ward? http://ow.ly/LJGnU
• Researchers measured the "happiness" of vulnerable New Orleans residents before and after Hurricane Katrina, and the results are uplifting http://ow.ly/LJSIL
• $26.2M state flood mitigation grant awarded to Burlington, Iowa for flood walls, other barriers along Mississippi River http://ow.ly/LIcqP
• Infusion of state funds and Ohio River bank stabilization will catalyze Owensboro, Kentucky Riverfront redevelopment http://ow.ly/Lx5Lx
• Chicago city officials: Chicago River plume not sewage - likely a mix of rust, dirt flushed by stormwater runoff surge http://ow.ly/Ly61i
• St. Paul, Minnesota gets EPA grant to plan West Side Flats cleanup (120-acre Mississippi Riverfront site) http://ow.ly/LAZFp
• Saint Cloud Times: St. Cloud's neglected riverfront needs upgrade http://ow.ly/LB03r
• EPA to host free April 21 webinar on sustainable solutions for Alexandria and Pineville, Louisiana (both bordering the Red River) http://ow.ly/LEZlK
• Louisville Metropolitan Sewer District is closing in on a major wastewater mitigation milestone http://ow.ly/LJUhO

In the States-

• Minnesota state House hearings begin on omnibus agriculture finance bill http://ow.ly/LAhye
• Work begins on $787 million Minnesota omnibus environment finance bill-contains several 

  

  States in the news

  controversial provisions http://ow.ly/LDjcX
• In Minnesota, buffer strips are a rallying cry for cleaner water http://ow.ly/LAtOS
• Wisconsin state lawmakers to consider bill that would ban microbeads-plastic exfoliant in personal care products http://ow.ly/LBhyM (link to Wisconsin Assembly bill version: http://ow.ly/LBhZe)
• WISC editorial: "Banning state employees from talking about climate change is embarrassment" (Wisconsin) http://ow.ly/LwQbo
• Chicago Tribune: Mum's the word on global warming at Wisconsin land agency http://ow.ly/LAu89
• Missouri Supreme Court upholds limits to damages that property owners can recover in nuisance lawsuits against agricultural operations http://ow.ly/LGHVL (ruling overview/summary http://ow.ly/LGHy2; link to opinion: http://ow.ly/LGHBQ)
• Kentucky Division of Water public listening sessions in May will help define any revisions to state's water quality standards http://ow.ly/LI71L
• Louisiana House Committee on Natural Resources and Environment to take up bill next week approving the 2015-2016 annual plan for integrated coastal protection and restoration (link to plan: http://ow.ly/LGwBD) House bill: http://ow.ly/LGxg8
• Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection plans three public hearings  on proposed changes to regulations governing oil and gas extraction http://ow.ly/LHOsl
• Indiana DNR Division of Forestry releases Strategic Plan for 2015-2019 http://ow.ly/LJVA2
• North Dakota lawmakers pass bill to create pilot project aimed treating and recycling oil drilling waste http://ow.ly/LEa7q
• Landowners claim new Wyoming Oil and Gas Conservation Commission water supply and building drilling setback requirement favors energy industry http://ow.ly/LDQku

Gulf Coastal Region-

• Study: chemical dispersant used in the 2010 Gulf of Mexico Deepwater Horizon accident is more toxic to coral than oil http://ow.ly/LrWSH
• Documentary film trailer released: “Dispatches from the Gulf” - about scientific research to improve ability to understand, respond to, and mitigate the impacts of oil pollution on marine and coastal ecosystems http://ow.ly/LBiLT
• National Geographic News: Is Gulf oil spill's damage over or still unfolding? http://ow.ly/LE9AQ

Resource Development -

• EPA vows to address the ongoing uncertainty surrounding ethanol and the renewable fuel

  

  Click to enlarge

  standard http://ow.ly/Lx0wQ
• $2.6 billion Sandpiper oil pipeline project remains under administrative review in Minnesota as sides debate its necessity http://ow.ly/Lx1YC (see subsequent update below)
• Minnesota administrative law judge finds that Enbridge Inc.'s 610-mile Sandpiper project warrants state-issued "certificate of need" http://ow.ly/LDNDM
• Natural gas, solar and wind industry job increases have not occurred in West Virginia and Kentucky, where there were significant coal industry job losses http://ow.ly/Ly4F0

Federal Budget -

• House Appropriations Energy and Water Development Subcommittee approves spending bill setting FY 2016 Army Corps' budget at $5.6 billion ($865 million more than the White House requested); news story: http://ow.ly/LGCRT; subcommittee meeting web page: http://ow.ly/LGCLs; spending bill text: http://ow.ly/LBGku
• House GOP and Democratic leaders nominate their eight Budget Committee members (5 Republicans and 3 Democrats) http://ow.ly/LDiEi
• Senate appoints entire Budget Committee roster as conferees to negotiate budget resolution compromise with House http://ow.ly/LGyq4

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)

• Third Minnesota River Congress to be held Thursday, April 16, at Turner Halle in New Ulm http://ow.ly/LAZ0H
• EPA’s Second Water Quality Modeling Webinar: “Brick by Brick : How Water Quality Models are Developed” April 23 1:00 PM ET http://ow.ly/LDlSg
• Climate Change and Human Health Symposium; George Washington University, Washington, DC (and online), April 24 http://ow.ly/Ls0is
• Spring 2015 Mississippi River-Gulf of Mexico Hypoxia Task Force Meeting; May 20, Crowne Plaza, Columbus, Ohio and via webcast http://ow.ly/LBDGV
• Ohio River Paddlefest Weekend; June 18-20, Cincinnati, Ohio http://ow.ly/Lx9Rv
• Volunteers sought to clean up, learn about and explore 65 miles of the Wapsipinicon River (Iowa); July 11-16 http://ow.ly/LAPyl

e-Newsletters, Publications, Journals, Multimedia  -

• Lower Mississippi River Dispatch No. 284, April 10 http://ow.ly/Lrpyp
• Lower Mississippi River Dispatch No. 285, April 15 http://ow.ly/LEvjc
• April 14 Green Lands Blue Waters update highlighting Continuous Living Cover on Mississippi River Basin agricultural land http://ow.ly/LADVB
• Tulane Institute on Water Resources Law and Policy April 15 TU Waterways e-newsletter http://ow.ly/LQnF7
• New University of Wisconsin Water Resources Institute podcast series "demystifies" aquifers and watersheds http://ow.ly/LENCx
• Spring edition of the Army Corps of Engineers “Our Mississippi” magazine http://ow.ly/LHTbt http://ow.ly/LHT8h

Other news-

• Knoxville News Sentinel editorial: Tennessee River organizations set example for care of rivers, streams http://ow.ly/LJTuR
• U.S. EPA's first national standards for coal combustion waste disposal became official today (Friday) with their Federal Register publication http://ow.ly/LJD8k - the rules become effective in 180 days, and will apply to new and existing coal combustion residuals landfills, surface impoundments and lateral expansions, and require the closure of any landfill or surface impoundment that cannot meet applicable performance criteria
• House Energy and Commerce Committee approves H.R.1734 - Improving Coal Combustion Residuals Regulation Act - bill to modify the U.S. EPA's coal ash rule; link to bill http://ow.ly/LESGY; links to Committee meeting page http://ow.ly/LET1s and press release: http://ow.ly/LETno
• House Judiciary Committee passes "Regulations from the Executive in Need of Scrutiny (REINS) Act" - No major regulations would go into effect without congressional approval under the bill http://ow.ly/LGzKy
• Some top Mississippi River Basin state exports for 2014 (based on Washington Post article and Obama Administration report http://ow.ly/LrGwX
• EPA official: House proposal to reform US toxic chemical laws could “delay evaluations for some of the most dangerous chemicals indefinitely” http://bit.ly/1DfLgjU
• U.N. Food and Agriculture Organization: Over-consumption, climate change threaten food security, water supply in many regions http://ow.ly/LEoN2

Politics and People-

• Illinois State Senator Darin LaHood says he will "fight in Washington to keep river traffic a priority" as U.S. representative http://ow.ly/LB1cf
• Sen. Joe Manchin (D) signals stronger interest in 2016 West Virginia governor run http://ow.ly/LE0tW
• National Association of Conservation Districts (NACD) names Jeremy Peters as its new Chief Executive Officer http://ow.ly/Ls6HV
• Center for American Progress: over 30 percent of 2014 Congressional roll call votes have been energy- and environment-related, most of those in the House have been aimed at blocking climate change efforts http://ow.ly/LE3o0
• Gallup poll: 48% of U.S. adults think government is doing too little when it comes to safeguarding the environment http://ow.ly/LrXR4

Your Moment of Zen -

Image credit: Geneco

Capitol Hill This Week - What to Watch For (UPDATED)

Both chambers of Congress are back in session starting today (Monday), and below are the U.S. House and Senate activities currently scheduled for the week that relate to Mississippi River Basin water resources.  Links are provided to the relevant committee web pages, and, where appropriate, to pieces of legislation. Many Congressional proceedings are webcast live, and these should be, as well (follow the appropriate link).

In addition to the committee activities listed below, Congressional budget negotiators will attempt to craft a Budget Resolution that reconciles differences between the previously-passed House and Senate versions.  The final budget, if passed, is not signed by the President, but under Congressional rules, provides top-line funding limits within which the House and Senate appropriation committees are to work as they draft their fiscal year 2016 spending bills.

A Senate-House conference committee could formally begin its work on a compromise budget as early as this week. To meet an April 15 statutory deadline (which has been routinely missed in the past), the two Budget Committee chairmen - Rep. Tom Price (R-GA) and Sen. Mike Enzi (R-WY) - will need to appoint conferees to a House-Senate conference committee, have them agree on spending levels, and then have the conference report passed by both the House and Senate, all by Wednesday.

All times below are Eastern.  This page will be updated as warranted.

Tuesday

• Senate Environment and Public Works Subcommittee on Superfund, Waste Management, and Regulatory Oversight hearing entitled “Oversight of the Management of the Federal Environmental Protection, Chemical Safety, and Fish and Wildlife Agencies;” 9:30 AM, room 406 Dirksen Senate Office Building.
• House Transportation and Infrastructure Subcommittee on Railroads, Pipelines, and Hazardous Materials oversight hearing of the "Ongoing Rail, Pipeline, and Hazmat Rulemakings;" 10:00 AM, room 2167 Rayburn House Office Building.
• House Agriculture Subcommittee on Biotechnology, Horticulture, and Research hearing regarding "A Presentation by National 4-H Conference Participants Concerning the Future of Agriculture in the United States;" 1:00 PM, room 1300 Longworth House Office Building. 
• House Natural Resources Subcommittee on Water, Power, and Oceans oversight hearing on "Federal Water Grabs" (will focus on the U.S. EPA and the Army Corps of Engineers' proposed "Waters of the United States" rule and the U.S. Forest Service's "groundwater directive"); 1:30 PM, room 1324 Longworth House Office Building.
• House Energy and Commerce Committee markup and vote on the Coal Combustion Residuals Regulation Act of 2015, which would modify the U.S. EPA's new coal combustion waste disposal rule and create a state-centered oversight system; 5:00 PM (continuing on Wednesday starting at 10:00 AM), room 2123 Rayburn House Office Building.

Wednesday

• House Natural Resources Subcommittee on Federal Lands oversight hearing on "Federal Land Acquisition and its Impacts on Communities and the Environment" (likely to focus on the use of the Land and Water Conservation Fund); 9:00 AM, room 1324 Longworth House Office Building.
• CHANGE - House Energy and Commerce Committee markup and vote on the Coal Combustion Residuals Regulation Act of 2015, which would modify the U.S. EPA's new coal combustion waste disposal rule and create a state-centered oversight system; 10:00 AM (continuing from Tuesday), room 2123 Rayburn House Office Building.
• House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee markup of H.R. 1732 - The Regulatory Integrity Protection Act (regarding Waters of the U.S. proposed rule); H.R. 1471 - FEMA Disaster Assistance Reform Act of 2015 (reauthorizing FEMA through 2018, and addressing post-disaster relief management); and H.R. 944 - To reauthorize the National Estuary Program, and for other purposes; 10:00 AM, room 2167 Rayburn House Office Building).
• House Appropriations Subcommittee on Energy and Water Development, and Related Agencies markup of FY 2016 Energy and Water Appropriations Bill (funding for Army Corps of Engineers, Department of the Interior-Bureau of Reclamation); 10:00 AM, room 2362-B Rayburn House Office Building.
• House Transportation and Infrastructure Subcommittee on Coast Guard and Maritime Transportation hearing: "An Overview of the U.S. Coast Guard’s Missions;" 2:00 PM, room 2253 Rayburn House Office Building.

What We Learned This Week - "See no evil, hear no evil, speak no evil"

An appeals court ordered a federal judge to reconsider his 2013 ruling that the U.S. EPA must decide whether more stringent rules are needed to curb nutrients flowing into the Mississippi River.  The ruling was not all bad. Environmental groups sued the Patriot Coal Corp. over alleged "widespread water pollution" in West Virginia. Legal allies are lining up on both sides of the Des Moines Water Works lawsuit against three northwestern Iowa counties.  An explosion rocked the Louisville Metropolitan Sewer District's treatment plant, and hundreds of millions of gallons of marginally-treated sewage could flow into the Ohio River before the damage is undone.  The U.S. EPA and Army Corps of Engineers sent their final draft of a proposed clean water act jurisdiction rule to the White House for review.  The first round of new, higher federal flood insurance premiums kicked in.  The Army Corps of Engineers decreased its annual runoff forecast for  the Missouri River Basin above Sioux City, Iowa because the mountain snowpack is lower than average this year. Upper Midwest climate shifts are changing the way people farm.   An Upper Midwest state board enacted a ban on state staff communications on climate change. Administrators of an Upper Midwest state's Department of Natural Resources are considering eliminating the agency’s Bureau of Science Service. Minnesota's Governor Dayton heard from all sides of the state's stream buffer proposal debate.  The USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service will spend $73 million this year to rehabilitate and assess dams in 23 states, including a dozen Mississippi River Basin states.  The agency also committed $10 million this year to address Mississippi River Basin nutrient pollution in 27 new high-priority watersheds and thirteen existing projects.  And last but not least: two rare species of Appalachian crayfish may one day be "endangered;"  three Mississippi River Basin rivers are already "endangered;"  the northern long-eared bat is officially "threatened;" and a moose is unofficially lost in the Nebraska Panhandle.

Mississippi River Basin Water Resource Weekly News

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

Three Mississippi River Basin Waterways listed by American Rivers as "Most Endangered Rivers"

Photo credit: Brian Stansberry

This week the river conservation organization American Rivers released its annual America’s Most Endangered Rivers list, a report that highlights "ten rivers facing urgent threats, and encourages decision-makers to do the right thing for the rivers and communities they support."  In the Mississippi River Basin, the Smith River (in Montana), and Holston and Harpeth rivers (both in Tennessee) were highlighted among the top-ten threatened rivers. The Colorado River once again topped the organization's list.  Follow the above link to see summaries for all ten rivers, and see our overview here, highlighting the three listed rivers in the Mississippi River Basin.

USDA Makes $10 Million in Grants Available for Rural and Agricultural Watershed Research
The U.S. Department of Agriculture's (USDA) National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA) announced Tuesday that fourteen universities will receive about $10 million in competitive grants to address what NIFA calls "critical water problems in rural and agricultural watersheds across the United States."  The grants are from proposals submitted during fiscal year 2014. Grant recipients in the Mississippi River Basin include Purdue University, the University of Missouri, Ohio State University, the University of Tennessee and the University of Wisconsin. You can find a complete list of the 2014 project descriptions here.  On February 18, the USDA opened the application process for fiscal year 2015.  The application deadline for those grants is July 16.

USDA Funding to Address Mississippi River Basin Nutrient Pollution

High-priority watersheds
(click to enlarge)

Also on Tuesday, the USDA's Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) announced that it would commit $100 million over the next four years to address Mississippi River Basin nutrient pollution under the agency's Mississippi River Basin Healthy Watersheds Initiative (also known as "MRBI"). NRCS announced that $10 million will be targeted this year toward 27 new projects and thirteen existing projects located in "high-priority watersheds" and mitigate nutrient-containing farm runoff into River Basin waters. The states where funding will be directed for new and existing projects include Arkansas, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kentucky, Louisiana, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, Ohio, South Dakota, Tennessee and Wisconsin. The USDA press announcement is located here, and the full list of existing and new MRBI projects can be found here.  NRCS created the MRBI in 2010 to improve water quality and enhance wildlife habitat within selected watersheds of a 13-state area in the Mississippi River Basin.  In February, 2015, NRCS launched a second phase of the MRBI.

What's Next

The U.S. Congress returns to a full workload next week following a two week spring recess, and if you follow this link, you can find a listing of and connect to Congressional activities scheduled for the week that relate to Mississippi River Basin water issues.  Budget negotiators attempt to craft a consensus Budget Resolution that reconciles differences between the House and Senate versions. A Senate-House conference committee could begin its work on a compromise budget as early as next week. The final Budget Resolution, if passed, is not signed by the President, but provides top-line funding limits within which the House and Senate appropriation committees are to work as they draft their fiscal year 2016 spending bills.  House and Senate appropriators are already drafting spending bills for the 2016 fiscal year, and will continue that work next week (expect to see the first of those later in the month).

And with only four of the 31 Mississippi River Basin states having enacted budgets for their respective 2016 fiscal years, it's likely that budget-negotiating will be occurring in most of the Basin's statehouses over the next weeks, as well. For example, Minnesota's House Environment and Natural Resources Policy and Finance Committee next week will be debating, hearing public testimony on, and marking up an omnibus spending bill "appropriating money for agriculture, environment, and natural resources."

Noteworthy @UpperMiss Twitter Postings for the Week  

Water Quality -

• Appeals court orders federal judge to reconsider 2013 ruling that EPA must decide whether more stringent rules are needed to curb nutrients flowing into the Mississippi River http://ow.ly/Ll2Zs (link to the appeals court ruling: http://ow.ly/Ll4DT) (related stories below)
• Appeals court: U.S. EPA deserves significant deference in deciding whether to set Gulf of Mexico "dead zone" - related water quality standards http://ow.ly/Lm3Ts
• Natural Resources Defense Council says appeals court ruling on EPA 'dead zone' strategy not all bad news http://ow.ly/LrgGC
• NOAA, federal partners design ‘early warning system’ for freshwater toxic algal blooms http://ow.ly/Ljbpm (also see: NASA joins with EPA, NOAA and USGS in new $3.6 million effort to put satellite eyes on U.S. harmful freshwater algal blooms http://ow.ly/Lo1dz)
• Environmental groups sue Patriot Coal Corp. in federal court over alleged "widespread water pollution" from West Virginia operations http://ow.ly/LhQIr
• Three northwest Iowa counties sued by Des Moines Water Works seeking legal allies; Sierra Club may intervene on Water Works behalf http://ow.ly/Lf9pp
• EPA Region 7 settles with Jefferson County, Missouri, property owner to resolve Clean Water Act violations http://ow.ly/LfcvP
• Ship hits 2 others on Mississippi River in Louisiana; 420 gallons of oil spill; nine-mile stretch of waterway closed http://ow.ly/Li0HH
• Small Mississippi River oil leak Thursday prompts Moline, Illinois to monitor drinking water plant intake http://ow.ly/Lrfds
• University of Michigan Professor of Sustainability: Industrial corn farming is ruining our health and polluting our watersheds http://ow.ly/LhYvx
• Environmental Protection Agency proposes ban on publicly owned wastewater treatment facilities taking untreated unconventional oil and gas waste fluids http://ow.ly/LnXyy (Federal Register notice: http://ow.ly/LnXHn)
• Hundreds of millions of gallons of sewage could get into Ohio River before the Louisville Metropolitan Sewer District fully repairs treatment plant http://ow.ly/LqZ8j

Waters of the U.S. Proposed Rule

• U.S. EPA and Army Corps of Engineers send final clean water act jurisdiction rule to White
  House for review http://ow.ly/LhPL8
• EPA sends proposed rule redefining extent of its authority over water pollution control to the White House; story: http://ow.ly/Lg6Ha and EPA blog post: http://ow.ly/Lg6Pg
• EPA Administrator McCarthy lauds Twin Cities' drinking water solutions, rallies support for proposed federal clean water rule http://ow.ly/Lo5ox
• Minnesota Farmers Union leaders meet with EPA Administrator Gina McCarthy to discuss rule defining Waters of the U.S. http://ow.ly/Lr8r1
• Witnesses blast proposed new federal waters of the U.S. rule during Senate subcommittee field hearing in Alaska http://ow.ly/LjbMh
• Chairmen of three House committees seek U.S. EPA's documents on controversial clean water act jurisdiction rule http://ow.ly/LfpxU

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

• American Rivers issues 2015 America’s Most Endangered Rivers report, list includes Smith, Holston and Harpeth rivers in Mississippi River Basin http://ow.ly/Li1en
• Proposed copper mine puts Smith River on American Rivers' list of most endangered rivers for 2015 http://ow.ly/Ll6as
• Despite White House proposed cuts, appropriators look to provide lock and dam money, while inland shippers seek to capitalize on a movement to solve waterways infrastructure problems http://ow.ly/Lo4Ju
• Kentucky Gov. Steve Beshear declares statewide emergency following heavy rains and

  

  Bonnet Carre Spillway

  flooding http://ow.ly/LeXIL
• First round of new, higher federal flood insurance premiums kicks in http://ow.ly/LfmMg
• Army Corps of Engineers holds Missouri River conditions and operations meeting in Pierre on 2015 plans for managing Missouri River reservoir system http://ow.ly/Lou9B
• Minnesota Board of Water and Soil Resources announces $2.2 million in June 2014 flood recovery grants to 17 counties http://ow.ly/LnU6Q
• With Mississippi River water levels rising, Army Corps of Engineers prepares to test the Bonnet Carre Spillway next week (St. Charles Parish, Louisiana) http://ow.ly/LfXvx
• Army Corps of Engineers decreases annual runoff forecast for Missouri River Basin above Sioux City, Iowa due to below normal mountain snowpack http://ow.ly/LjdCS
• Environmental Law Reporter: Addressing Affordability and Long-Term Resiliency Through the National Flood Insurance Program; article: http://ow.ly/LjeXF  (abstract: http://ow.ly/Ljemk)
• National Research Council releases report on affordability of flood insurance to provide input to FEMA’s affordability framework http://ow.ly/LkWn4
• Public comments sought on final Northwest Area Water Supply environmental study (project to supply Missouri River water to Northwest North Dakota) http://ow.ly/LlSN1
• USDA: $73 million to be spent this year rehabilitating and assessing dams in 23 states, including Colorado, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Minnesota, Mississippi, Nebraska, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, West Virginia and Wyoming http://ow.ly/LoxRz
• Study: Minnesota converted most wetlands between 2008-2012 http://ow.ly/Lr50I
• Rep. Steve Womack (R-AR-3): Intermodal transportation, linking Arkansas River water, rail and truck routes, is vital http://ow.ly/LreyY
• South Platte River Basin Roundtable presents their basin implementation plan, detailing long-term regional water priorities at Longmont meeting http://ow.ly/Lrg73 (pages 3-5)

Agriculture -

• Bracing for their leanest season in eight years, U.S. farmers are skimping on everything from

  

  Click to enlarge

  machinery to fertilizers http://ow.ly/LnRCo
• EPA approves Enlist Duo herbicide (glyphosate and 2,4-D choline) for use in additional Mississippi River Basin states http://ow.ly/LeXju
• USDA to provide $332 million to protect and restore agricultural working lands, grasslands and wetlands http://ow.ly/Lf3Z8
• University of Wisconsin study: conversion to cropland outstripping conservation - 7.34 million acres of uncultivated land were converted to cropland between 2008 and 2012 http://ow.ly/Lf3Lr
• Iowa soybean acres expected to top 10 million for first time since 2006; Nationally, record 84.6 million acres predicted http://ow.ly/LhTT0
• Farm Futures: "Chesapeake Bay ag authorities and farmers alert Illinois Soybean Association farmers of EPA's regulatory implications for the Midwest" http://ow.ly/LhZvq
• Big feedlots feed big worries in southern Minnesota http://ow.ly/Li838
• Drainage water management in Illinois can provide greater control over water; allow for surface water until April for migrating birds http://ow.ly/LnSqw
• USDA:  nearly 2,700 applicants will receive disaster assistance through Emergency Assistance for Livestock, Honeybees and Farm-Raised Fish Program http://ow.ly/LnWGV
• National Research Council: more research needed on ways to improve productivity, lessen economic and environmental impacts of livestock farming http://ow.ly/LooHW
• 2015 Locavore Index ranks states most committed to locally-sourced food (two River Basin states make top ten: Wisconsin #6; Montana #7) http://ow.ly/LopGR
• Monsanto's Climate Corporation claims its analyses help farmers make more efficient decisions about seed, water use and fertilizer http://ow.ly/LqZTs
• "Mo Fo Lo Po" - more food, low pollution - is goal of science, industry, farm, government and NGO group working under NSF grant http://ow.ly/Lr6Fs

Climate and Weather -

• PNAS: global climate change disturbs continental margin ecosystems; commits them to

  

  NOAA Midwest Drought Update

  millennia of ecological recovery http://ow.ly/LhXPC
• US weekly drought update: northern part of the Midwest remained dry, with dryness expanding in northern Indiana and into west-central Illinois; winds and warmer than average temperatures added short-term insult to long-term Southern Plains drought http://ow.ly/wmTdv
• White House Fact Sheet: Obama Administration Announces Actions To Protect Communities From The Impacts Of Climate Change http://ow.ly/Ljgwi
• How Midwest farmers perceive and respond to extreme weather brought on by climate change varies considerably http://ow.ly/LmnpY
• Day-long "Farmers Lead the Way" meeting highlights how Upper Midwest climate shifts are changing the way people farm http://ow.ly/Lr5Lb
• National Weather Service hurricane-prediction program funding cut by National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration http://ow.ly/LoIXB

Photo credit: Pete Pattavina/USFWS

Biodiversity, Wildlife and Invasives -

• MN DNR: Watch the Minnesota skies for American white pelicans migrating northward to prairie pothole region http://ow.ly/LnUtN
• US EPA is restricting new products, uses of neonicotinoid pesticides blamed for declines in bee populations http://ow.ly/Lf9HH
• Fish and Wildlife Service lists the northern long-eared bat as "threatened" under Endangered Species Act http://ow.ly/LfoGZ
• Fish and Wildlife Service proposes that two rare species of Appalachian crayfish be added to federal endangered species list (Kentucky, Virginia, and West Virginia) http://ow.ly/LhQio
• Work begins to return herons to Heron Island in Minneapolis http://ow.ly/LhXkr
• First wild bison born in Illinois (Nachusa Grasslands) in about two centuries http://ow.ly/Li6W5
• Rare moose sightings reported near the North Platte River Valley along the Nebraska Panhandle http://ow.ly/Lo605
• The neonicotinoid insecticide clothianidin is a likely contributor to monarch butterfly declines in North America http://ow.ly/LnNyc

In the Cities -

• Federal judge approves consent decree requiring Fort Smith to make nearly $500 million in sewer system improvements (Arkansas River) http://ow.ly/Li0jd (Fort Smith city directors then voted Tuesday to increase sewer rates by 60 percent http://ow.ly/Lo4h5)
• FEMA awards $186,801 in Hazard Mitigation Grant Program funds to Nelsonville, Ohio, for the acquisition and demolition of residential structures in the Hocking River floodplain (Ohio River Basin) http://ow.ly/LjgVD
• Adrian, Minnesota's nitrate-contaminated water highlights a larger problem for Minnesota http://ow.ly/Lr4He
• St. Louis and Grafton mayors meet with Coast Guard, Army Corps of Engineers, and barge industry to discuss boosting region’s ability to ship more goods on the Mississippi River http://ow.ly/LrdBD

In the States-

• Public comment period open for proposed, more stringent changes to Pennsylvania oil and gas

  

  States in the news this week

  industry regulations http://ow.ly/Lf0bA
• MPR: Legislation supporting agribusiness and industry moves through Minnesota's House and Senate with Republicans back into the majority http://ow.ly/LfeEG
• Inclusion of environmental and consumer experts on Minnesota board proposed to oversee new agricultural research grants being discussed by legislators http://ow.ly/LkShb
• Hundreds of millions more sought for clean water efforts as Minnesota House committee discusses appropriations bill http://ow.ly/LnMSD (bill: http://ow.ly/LnMWX)
• Minnesota Governor Dayton hears from both sides at Northfield stream buffer meeting http://ow.ly/LlHfy
• Milwaukee Journal Sentinel editorial: Walker's budget taking Wisconsin in wrong direction on runoff pollution http://ow.ly/Ljozj
• Wisconsin state Board of Commissioners of Public Lands enacts ban on staff communication on climate change http://ow.ly/Lm2KH
• Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources administrators considering eliminating the agency’s Bureau of Science Service http://ow.ly/Lmm0T
• Iowa Environmental Protection Commission will address water quality monitoring contracts at April 14 meeting http://ow.ly/LeVIE
• Kansas Senate and House budget negotiators agree to restore cuts, including nearly $1 million proposed for Cooperative Extension, agricultural research, wetland center http://ow.ly/Lf4uw
• Oklahoma farm rights bill would amend state's Constitution; parties disagree on whether it would meet intent of protecting state farming, ranching practices http://ow.ly/LqUeM
• Kentucky Nonpoint Source (NPS) Pollution Control Program grants available; proposals due by May 15 http://ow.ly/LeY0V
• South Dakota Game, Fish and Parks launches new website to inform anglers, boaters about new statewide aquatic invasive species rules http://ow.ly/LnVTE
• Forty-six states will begin the fiscal year 2016 on July 1. As of March 31, seven states have enacted budgets for that fiscal year, including Kentucky, West Virginia, South Dakota and Wyoming in the Mississippi River Basin http://ow.ly/LfG0t

Gulf Coastal Region-

• Mapping Louisiana's Gulf Coast: As more and more land washes away, "it will all just be the Gulf soon, it seems" http://ow.ly/LlUsu
• Plaquemines Parish moves ahead with plans to restore island that nearly vanished after oil BP oil disaster http://ow.ly/LreZ3

Forestry -

• USDA NRCS and Forest Service accepting applications for the Missouri Ozark Highlands Restoration Partnership http://ow.ly/LnV0F

Resource Development -

• Oil boom and bust in North Dakota has trapped people, with little hope of work or escape http://ow.ly/LqZB7

Federal Budget -

• House Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy sets April GOP agenda in memo to members; Energy and Water Development spending bill, which funds the Department of Energy, Bureau of Reclamation and Army Corps of Engineers, will be the second spending bill on the docket http://ow.ly/Lr1zq

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)

• Love the Mississippi River during Earth Month (April) with various activities at national, state and local parks http://ow.ly/LqVqh
• St. Croix River Association's Spring Events e-newsletter (April 8 - May 3) http://ow.ly/LfnuR
• Midstates Community and Economic Development Conference: joint rural development project of 12 Iowa, Nebraska, and South Dakota organizations; April 9; South Sioux City, Neb. http://ow.ly/LhUKq
• Monthly Iowa Learning Farms webinar to focus on focus on Iowa State University prairie strip research April 15, 1 PM CDT http://ow.ly/LeVXw (link to log on: http://ow.ly/LeW4z)
• Roundtable: The Energy-Water-Food Nexus: Risks and Opportunities for the Private Sector; Washington, D.C. April 17, 1-3:30 PM http://ow.ly/L51tF
• Natural Floodplain Functions Alliance Webinar: Square Peg, Round Hole: Maximizing Conservation in a Flood-Insurance Construct, May 5, 3 PM EDT http://ow.ly/LnOxl
• Upper Mississippi River meetings (UMRBA and UMRR Coordinating Committee), May 5-6, St. Louis, Missouri http://ow.ly/LkSWw and http://ow.ly/LkT0x
• NOAA webinar: Water Hazards and Community Resilience, June 4, 1- 2 PM EDT http://ow.ly/L53h7
• Upper Mississippi River Conference Call for Presenters, October 14-16, 2015 http://ow.ly/LhRWO

From: NW PAssages
(click to enlarge)

e-Newsletters, Publications, Journals, Multimedia  -

• Montana Watershed Coordination Council April 2  http://ow.ly/LfieY and April 9 http://ow.ly/LpcUn Watershed News
• Tulane Institute on Water Resources Law and Policy's April 1 http://ow.ly/LflPt and April 7 http://ow.ly/LlF0S TUWaterWays e-newsletters 
• Minnesota Pollution Control Agency's Feedlot Update - April 1 http://ow.ly/Lfm51
• Minnesota Pollution Control Agency's Waterfront Bulletin for April 2015 http://ow.ly/Lr4h9
• Lower Mississippi River Dispatch No. 283, April 7 http://ow.ly/Li97l
• Basin Alliance for the Lower Mississippi in Minnesota (BALMM) "Currents" April e-newsletter http://ow.ly/LlOp6
• NW PAssages: April 2015 e-newsletter covering NW Pennsylvania's Nature, Heritage and Recreation http://ow.ly/Lo74p
• Gulf Restoration Network's April 9 GulfWaves: Aveda Earth Month and Gulf Week of Action http://ow.ly/Lr0EZ

Other news-

• National Great Rivers Research and Education Center requests proposals for research projects utilizing center's mesocosms (East Alton, Illinois) http://ow.ly/LeUxY
• Four Western Pennsylvania environmental, conservation and education programs share annual environmental awards http://ow.ly/LfgIk
• Corps of Engineers is hiring interdisciplinary scientists (Biologist, Ecologist, Wildlife Biologist or Fish Biologist) in Rock Island and St. Louis Districts http://ow.ly/LhRuT
• Organizations announce South Dakota finalists for the 2013 Leopold Conservation Award http://ow.ly/LlaNV
• Living Lands and Waters Tennessee River Tour barges stop at Knoxville to host educational workshops, river cleanups http://ow.ly/LlTrG

Politics and People-

• Illinois Gov. Bruce Rauner (R) announces late August special election window to select successor to ex-Rep. Aaron Schock (R-IL-18) http://ow.ly/Lfqwt
• FEMA Region 6 Office new Deputy Administrator: Moises Dugan (Arkansas, Louisiana, New Mexico, Oklahoma and Texas) http://ow.ly/LhOOd
• West Virginia Sen. Joe Manchin (D) says that he will decide whether to run for governor no later than Memorial Day http://ow.ly/Lm6tZ
• House Appropriations Chairman announces vice chairs for the 12 subcommittees that will soon begin writing annual spending bills http://ow.ly/LoUHm
• Top mining company official was in line for Wisconsin DNR post, records confirm http://ow.ly/Ljcgg

Your Moment of Zen -

Photograph: Karl-Josef Hildenbrand/AFP/Getty Images

Three Mississippi River Basin Waterways listed by American Rivers as "Most Endangered Rivers"

This week the river conservation organization American Rivers released its annual America’s Most Endangered Rivers list, a report highlighting "ten rivers facing urgent threats, and (that) encourages decision-makers to do the right thing for the rivers and communities they support." In the Mississippi River Basin, the Smith River (in Montana), Holston and Harpeth rivers (both in Tennessee) were highlighted among the top-ten threatened rivers. The Colorado River once again topped the organization's list.

Smith River
The Smith River flows 60 miles in Montana before joining the Missouri River just south of Great Falls. The River was listed as endangered by American Rivers because of a Tintina Resources Inc. copper mine along Sheep Creek, a major Smith River headwater tributary. For the 2015 list, American Rivers choose rivers facing key decisions over the next 12 months. The Smith River Basin copper mine proposal is expected to be filed with the state sometime in late 2015. Should the mine be opened, American Rivers predicts that the River's wild trout fishery would be subject to "acid mine drainage, contamination with toxic heavy metals, and nutrient pollution."

Holston River

The Holston River and people who rely on its waters are threatened by Research Development Explosive (or "RDX") residuals in wastewater being discharged from the Holston Army Ammunition Plant, located along the River in Tennessee. RDX has been found 143 miles downstream of the ammunition plant, at the confluence of the Holston and French Broad rivers.   RDX, according to American Rivers, "is a toxic chemical used in explosives and recognized by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) as a possible human carcinogen. It can also cause seizures in humans and animals when large amounts are inhaled or ingested."  Four mid-1900s-era Tennessee Valley Authority dams on the Holston River provide electricity and flood control for the region, and the South Holston River is a drinking water source for many communities that bordering that River branch.

Harpeth River

The Harpeth River is a Tennessee-designated scenic river that flows through four Middle Tennessee counties, including the Nashville metropolitan area, and a series of state, county, and city parks. The River and its tributaries are home to rich freshwater biodiversity, including over 50 fish and 30 mussel species. Both American Rivers and the Harpeth River Watershed Association believe that the River faces two threatening issues: water withdrawal to supply drinking water to the town of Franklin, Tennessee and Franklin's wastewater discharges to the River. In 2014, the Watershed Association sued the city of Franklin claiming it had violated the Clean Water Act.

Mississippi River Basin Water Resource Weekly News - Holiday Mid-Week Edition

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

Noteworthy @UpperMiss Twitter Postings for the Week  

Water Quality -

• Water quality monitoring buoy with near-real-time data collection capability placed in

  

  Photo credit: NGRREC/Ted Kratschmer

  Mississippi River near Alton, Illinois http://ow.ly/L4Alw
• House Republicans ask EPA if agency weighed impact of the proposed “waters of the United States" rule on farmers and ranchers http://ow.ly/L4zzO
• MPR News: New project is designed to improve the way arsenic is measured in Minnesota's private wells http://ow.ly/KSq9i
• Reps. Alex Mooney (R-WV) and Bill Johnson (R-OH) introduce bill to block Interior Department proposal to protect waterways from coal mining http://ow.ly/KYtVV (story: http://ow.ly/KYuKq)
• Stearns County settles with Minnesota Pollution Control Agency over alleged Sauk River polluted stormwater impacts http://ow.ly/KZAyc

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

• Washington Post: Rise in government flood insurance rates to mirror rising waters and flood insurance debt http://ow.ly/L4weO
• Federal funding tight for water infrastructure projects, including Lewis and Clark Regional Water System (Iowa, Minnesota, South Dakota) http://ow.ly/KZuA0
• Bureau of Reclamation announces FY2016 budget for rural water projects across Montana, North and South Dakota, Iowa, Minnesota http://ow.ly/KZx1x
• Army Corps of Engineers will spend more than $7 million this year to dredge 10 Mississippi River ports in four states http://ow.ly/L1yNS
• Tugboat pushing 21 barges up the Mississippi River strikes bridge pylons, causing the barges to break loose http://ow.ly/KZyGd
• NWS forecasts minor Mississippi River flooding on Wednesday in Baton Rouge and upriver http://ow.ly/L4K0T

Agriculture -

• Democratic senators ask Senate Appropriations Agriculture Subcommittee leaders to preserve farm bill conservation funding http://ow.ly/L2JC7
• USDA to make $332 million in financial and technical assistance available through the Agricultural Conservation Easement Program; applications received through May 15 http://ow.ly/L2lNP
• Analysts suggest that the UN's Sustainable Development Goals ignore threats associated with nitrogen and phosphorus overuse http://ow.ly/L1xwB
• Rep. Austin Scott (R-GA) suggests he may introduce legislation to reverse what he calls cover crop disincentives http://ow.ly/KSmsS
• Minnesota Farm Bureau Federation farmers discuss policy agenda with lawmakers in Washington D.C. http://ow.ly/KYi5P
• Ohio Farm Bureau promoting fertilizer certification training as part of $1 million Water Quality Action Plan http://ow.ly/KYjWJ and http://ow.ly/KYjYm
• President urges Congress to double funding to confront the danger of antibiotic-resistant bacteria http://ow.ly/KYm62
• Analysts predict farmers will plant record soybean acreage this spring for a second consecutive year while cutting corn plantings for the third in a row http://ow.ly/L1pQR
• Sorghum helping Plains' farmers weather sinking corn, soybean and wheat prices http://ow.ly/L2K0j
• Sen. John Hoeven (R-ND), US Forest Service Chief and ranchers discuss Dakota Prairie Grasslands region conservation and grazing issues; story: http://ow.ly/L1tuq and Hoeven press release: http://ow.ly/L1tKN
• After peaking two years ago, Iowa farmland values have tumbled about 15 percent http://ow.ly/L4Bwl
• Environmental Protection Agency confirms it will require a weed resistance management plan for glyphosate, key ingredient in the herbicide Roundup http://ow.ly/L4CeL

Click to enlarge

Climate and Weather -

• US weekly drought update (to be released April 2): http://ow.ly/wmTdv
• NOAA Climate Prediction Center monthly drought outlook for April: northern and central Great Plains drought development is anticipated, especially in Nebraska and South Dakota http://ow.ly/q3yAx

Biodiversity, Wildlife and Invasives -

• 26 Kentucky elk arrive in Wisconsin for reintroduction program http://ow.ly/KYkL1 
• Herd of around two dozen bison could be grazing on restored Midewin National Tallgrass Prairie grassland (Illinois) as soon as this fall http://ow.ly/KZz7Q

In the Cities -

• Wyandotte County and Kansas City, Kansas developing long-term plan to separate sewer

  

  Photo credit: WQAD

  network under agreement with EPA http://ow.ly/KYfRm
• Extension of 2026 deadline for mitigating overflowing sewer system unlikely for Pittsburgh metro region municipalities http://ow.ly/KYgsP
• Iowa Secretary of Agriculture announces nine Urban Conservation Water Quality Initiative Demonstration Projects in Ames, Calmar, Cedar Falls, Des Moines, Granger, Storm Lake, Webster City, West Des Moines and (three in) Calhoun County http://ow.ly/KYgMu
• Hampton, Illinois' "Stop pooping on the bike path" sign on the Mississippi Riverside trail is intended for humans http://ow.ly/L1wNe
• Construction begins on 1.6-mile, $2 million trail along the Arkansas River in  Fort Smith, Arkansas http://ow.ly/L4GRf
• Hickman, Mississippi officials push for improvements to Mississippi River port http://ow.ly/L1ysZ
• City of Pittsburgh, Allegheny County given consent order extension to explore benefits of green infrastructure to reduce stormwater entering sewer systems http://ow.ly/L2IOZ
• Residents voice concerns over planned development's impact on green space along Illinois River, criticize lack of city of Peoria vision http://ow.ly/L4GdM
• Minneapolis park officials consider allowing construction of corporate building on leased Mississippi Riverside land and adjacent park http://ow.ly/L4Iuv

In the States-

• Freedom Industries, West Virginia sign 2014 Elk River spill site cleanup agreement

  

  States in the news this week

  http://ow.ly/L4SW3
• Republican state lawmakers in Minnesota block an attempt to debate an oil train safety bill http://ow.ly/KYw4I
• Minnesota state bill modified to include provisions to protect water quality and study farmer incentives after concerns were expressed that it would harm state water resources http://ow.ly/L1AuF (link to bill: http://ow.ly/L1AyZ)
• Arkansas House of Representatives passes S.B. 341, prohibiting agriculture disaster payments from being considered income (bill: http://ow.ly/KYiB4) story: http://ow.ly/KYiJz
• Tennessee bill would take back regulatory authority over state's coal industry from Federal government http://ow.ly/KZv1m (link to bill: http://ow.ly/KZvfl)
• North Dakota may sue federal government over new rules regulating hydraulic fracturing on federal lands in the state http://ow.ly/KSSPk
• South Dakota Game, Fish and Parks opens two five-year Black Hills fisheries management plans (for streams and reservoirs) for public comment http://ow.ly/KYjjC
• Louisiana Coastal Protection and Restoration Authority sends $884 million 2015-2016 budget for levee and restoration projects to state Legislature http://ow.ly/KYvvj

Gulf Coastal Region-

• National Wildlife Federation: BP spill aftermath continues to impact, threaten Gulf wildlife http://ow.ly/KZxKq (NWF report link: http://ow.ly/L1wlo)
• The Guardian: BP says Gulf of Mexico is making a rapid recovery but evidence mounts that wildlife still struggles http://ow.ly/L1vzg
• Cat Island nearly gone; BP oil mat and tar balls still visible on East Grand Terre Island http://ow.ly/L4IWn

Resource Development -

• Ohio Valley Environmental Coalition raises concerns about natural gas drilling beneath Ohio River http://ow.ly/KZxru
• Largest U.S. boating advocacy group has thrown its support behind Senate bill removing corn-ethanol mandate http://ow.ly/KYdzf (link to bill: http://ow.ly/KYdOd)
• Congressional Budget Office releases slides from  “Issues Regarding the Renewable Fuel Standard” presentation by CBO analyst http://ow.ly/KYmyt

Federal Budget -

• House and Senate Republicans begin the task of reconciling their differing budget resolutions http://ow.ly/L4uDB (for the policy geeks among us, here is a primer on the U.S. Congressional budget resolution process http://ow.ly/L4zV7)

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)

• NOAA Interagency Working Group on the Harmful Algal Bloom and Hypoxia webinars (Southeast/Gulf of Mexico/Mid-Atlantic)-April 2) (Inland Waters/Great Lakes-April 22) http://ow.ly/L4wyV
• 4th Annual Riverbend Earth Day Festival; Godfrey, IL,  April 18, 12-6 pm http://ow.ly/L4yOn

e-Newsletters, Publications, Journals, Multimedia  -

• Montana Watershed Coordination Council March 27 Watershed News http://ow.ly/KSTeZ
• Lower Mississippi River Dispatch No. 282, March 30; Grasshopper’s Jumping Journal: Atchafalaya River Expedition http://ow.ly/KZsS3
• Minnesota Pollution Control Agency Watershed Connections March e-newsletter http://ow.ly/L22K4

Other news-

• Farmer silences Nebraska Oil and Gas Conservation committee hearing with invitation to drink water tainted by fracking http://ow.ly/KYp2j
• National Park Service launches major national campaign to attract a new visitors; raise funds backlogged maintenance http://ow.ly/KZtGu
• Kansas City Star editorial: Pick up the pace on Rock Island Trail across Missouri http://ow.ly/KZvTq
• Minnesota River Valley National Scenic Byway announces the launching of its new updated website http://www.mnrivervalley.com/ (story: http://ow.ly/L4JfX)

Politics and People-

• Reps. Tammy Duckworth, Bill Foster, Robin Kelly and Cheri Bustos all consider entering 2016 Illinois Senate race http://ow.ly/KYnA7 (also see: Tammy Duckworth announces Illinois senate bid  http://ow.ly/KZd5R) - -  After Duckworth entered the race, Illinois Democrat Bustos subsequently said that she won't run for Senate 
• Raja Krishnamoorthi (D), former Illinois deputy treasurer, launches bid to succeed Rep. Tammy Duckworth in Illinois’ 8th District http://ow.ly/L4B6x
• Public Employees for Environmental Responsibility seeks greater protection for USDA scientists http://ow.ly/KYofi

Your Moment of Zen -

Photograph: Fred van Wijk/Alamy