Significant Springtime Flooding Likely in the Upper Mississippi River Basin

There are several factors, including existing snowpack, soil saturation levels and anticipated precipitation, that are pointing towards major spring flooding for many of Upper Mississippi River Basin's rivers and streams. This online National Weather Service information resource provides an overview of Upper River Basin springtime stream level outlooks (updated periodically).  You can click on the map tabs on the NWS website to view areas of expected "minor," "moderate," and "major" flooding.

EPA Releases Draft Report on the Environmental and Conservation Impacts of Biofuels Production and Use

EPA has released a highly-anticipated, draft report for public comment on the environmental and conservation impacts of biofuels production and use, entitled "Biofuels and the Environment: The First Triennial Report to Congress."  More than anything else, the report highlights the unknowns and scientific uncertainties associated with assessing the environmental impacts of  biofuels production and use (see the EPA report web page here, and the EPA's Federal Register notice page here).

EPA will accept public comments on the draft report from today through February 28.  Public comments can be submitted electronically (see here) or by e-mail (ORD.Docket@epa.gov), first class mail, fax, or hand delivery.  It is expected that stakeholder interest in commenting on the draft report will be significant.

The draft report is also subject to peer review by an independent panel of experts convened by EPA.  Public comments will be forwarded to that review group, which will meet in March 14 in Arlington, Virginia. That March 14 meeting will be open to the public and include time for limited (five-minute) verbal public comment.  To register to attend the March 14 meeting, persons should contact Versar, Inc., 6850 Versar Center, Springfield, VA 22151 (by e-mail: saundkat@versar.com (subject line: Biofuels Report to Congress Peer Review Meeting)).

House Committee Assignments Updated

We've posted the latest, updated list of U.S. House Committee assignments announced to date: summarized here (pdf file).

Mississippi River Basin Water Resource News for the Week

112th Congress: Congressional and Environmental Committee Priorities
 
The 112th Congress convened on January 5, and although little has occurred yet of direct significance to the Mississippi River Basin, the year is shaping up to be one in which many such legislative issues will come up.  As mentioned in the Institute's December Mississippi River Basin Update, budgetary and economic issues have taken center stage as top Congressional priorities almost immediately, both from the standpoint of the current (2011) and next (2012) Fiscal Years (see more under "Federal Budget," below).  

And even as many congressional committees are still in the process of finalizing their structures organizationally (see a list of committee assignments at the end of this posting), we’re starting to get some  hints as to what various committee priorities might be for the upcoming year.  Based upon input from various staff members from committees doing work directly relevant to the Mississippi River Basin, issues that will likely arise in Congress during 2011 that are relevant to Mississippi River Basin water resources include Water Resources Development Act reauthorization, the 2012 Farm Bill, clean water and wastewater infrastructure needs and funding to meet those needs, aquatic invasive species, Federal water resources management policy, nonpoint sources of water pollution, and National Flood Insurance Program reauthorization. 

You can read a much more in-depth listing and analysis of priorities and likely issues that will come before various Congressional committees in 2011 from a water resources perspective, here on our Mississippi River Basin Blog.

Notable @UpperMiss Twitter Postings for the Week: 

In the States -

• Tennessee Clean Water Network's enewsletter is now available online http://bit.ly/ic9FWD

Floodplains, Dams and Navigation -

• U of MN scientist suggests climate & channel modifications probable causes for increased Lake Pepin sedimentation http://bit.ly/eY4O42
• River pilots: Army Corps spending cuts mean Mississippi River mouth faces more silting in http://bit.ly/gxQzKc
• Clearer picture emerging on how rivers & deltas develop; understanding can play key delta management role http://bit.ly/hSRvOf

Agriculture -

• Final USDA rule for Farm & Ranch Land Protection Program published in today's Federal Register http://bit.ly/hqgZ8V (pdf file)
• Farm subsidies in time of farm wealth present test of GOP budget cutting pledge http://politi.co/g63HQj
• Purdue U agro economist: Tough times ahead for farm conservation programs http://bit.ly/etwrw3
• Land availability is a key constraint on US ability to expand biofuel production http://bit.ly/eZmGti
• House Ag Committee Chair Lucas says he would be pleased if agricultural spending could simply be frozen where it is now http://bit.ly/fOhajG
• Sens Chambliss & Roberts letter to OMB urges reduced "burdensome & ineffective" EPA & USDA regs impacting farmers http://bit.ly/hIukaf

Events -

• June 3-6: River Network’s 2011 National River Rally; North Charleston, SC http://bit.ly/hOz4fp
• USDA Private Landowner Technical Assistance Program webinar has been changed to January 31, 2:00 PM EST http://bit.ly/fk7O2H
• Farm Foundation Forum: Agriculture as a Provider of Environmental Services; Feb 15; Washington DC http://bit.ly/hlKYOt

Biodiversity, Wildlife and Invasives -

• RT @restorm: Massive 6-state habitat restoration progresses: 130,000 acres in Year 1 http://bit.ly/dY6PQz [TN, AL, MO, AR, KY, IL]
• New MN DNR Commissioner wants to address declining # of duck hunters and invasive species http://bit.ly/gie2rZ
• For 1st time, an online guide to diatoms of the US is available, with readily-accessible images for identification http://bit.ly/hBAdfW

Other news-

• Illinois Governor Quinn new Chair of Midwestern Governors Association http://bit.ly/fISBX5 (pdf)
• Group urges local governments /businesses to support regional collaboration in parts of IA, WI and MN http://bit.ly/fi4ySI
• Gov. Walker administration shelves plan for U of Wisconsin biomass plant; citing costs http://bit.ly/gHU0hr
• Northeast-Midwest Institute's January Update on Mississippi River Basin news is now available: http://bit.ly/enP4md
• Center for Neighborhood Tech & American Rivers report quantifies economic benefits of green infrastructure http://bit.ly/i9jnuc
• Reps. Waxman & Green urge Energy & Commerce Committee Chair Upton to address failing water infrastructure http://bit.ly/eTGxxc
• Dept of the Interior releases new strategic plan for fiscal years 2011 – 2016 http://bit.ly/gDcjPF (pdf file)

Federal Budget-

• House Majority Leader Cantor: House to tackle spending Continuing Resolution the week of Feb. 14 http://reut.rs/dWXM92
• Grimmer Federal deficit outlook raises political stakes in looming budget & appropriation debates http://politi.co/e9zuGt
• Sen Paul (R-KY) budget cutting plan cuts USDA spending by 30%; EPA by 29%; eliminates ARS & NRCS http://bit.ly/h9YhNR & http://bit.ly/huzPeF

Political Scene -

• House and Senate environmental committees begin to craft their 2011 agendas http://bit.ly/hP4US6

Congressional Committee Assignments-

House

(House subcommittee assignments are now being made; previously announced Committee assignments are listed here)

• House Ag Committee Ranking Member Peterson (D-MN) announces six Subcommittees' members & leadership  http://bit.ly/hofR6x 
• Full list of House Agriculture Committee subcommittee assignments can be viewed here http://bit.ly/eGlALl 
• Republican members named to House Natural Resources Committee's five subcommittees http://bit.ly/fLALjH 
• House Natural Resources Committee ranking member Markey (D-MA) announces Dem subcommittee members http://bit.ly/gwxEbN

Senate

(Full committee assignments were just announced this week; subcommittee assignments will follow)

• Republicans Announce Senate Committee Assignments for 112th Congress http://bit.ly/fcqBa2 
• Democrats Announce Senate Committee Assignments for 112th Congress http://bit.ly/dWeIZK

Senate Environment and Public Works Committee Members Named for New Congress

On January 27, Environment and Public Works (EPW) Committee Chair Senator Barbara Boxer (D-CA) and Senator James Inhofe (R-OK), Ranking Member, announced the EPW committee members for the 112th Congress.  The Committee membership will include nine Democrats, eight Republicans and one Independent.  Along with the Chair and Ranking Member, the other Committee members (by party affiliation and alphabetically) are:

• Max Baucus (D-MT)
• Benjamin Cardin (D-MD)
• Thomas Carper (D-DE)
• Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY) 
• Frank Lautenberg (D-NJ) 
• Jeff Merkley (D-OR)
• Tom Udall (D-NM)
• Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI)

• Lamar Alexander (R-TN)
• John Barrasso (R-WY)
• John Boozman (R-AR) 
• Mike Crapo (R-ID)
• Mike Johanns (R-NE)
• Jeff Sessions (R-AL)
  
• David Vitter (R-LA)

• Bernard Sanders (I-VT)  

Notably absent from the EPW Committee this Congress is Senator Amy Klobuchar (D-MN) who was a Committee member during the 111th Congress.   From a "Great Waters" perspective, Sen. Klobuchar would have represented both a Mississippi River Basin and Great Lakes perspective on the panel.  Another Great Lakes panelist now absent from the Committee is former Senator George Voinovich (R-OH), who retired from the Senate rather than seeking reelection in 2010.

House and Senate Environmental Committees Begin to Craft 2011 Agendas

Even though many congressional committees are still finalizing their structures organizationally, we’re starting to get some hints as to what various committee priorities might be for the upcoming year.  Based upon input from various staff members from committees doing work directly relevant to the Mississippi River Basin, here are what are shaping up to be Congressional issues of importance during the next year in those committees (committee headings are links to each committee's home page).

House Transportation and Infrastructure (T&I) Committee
The Committee is technically not formed yet; having held no organizational meeting; so everything from an agenda standpoint is very tentative and based on staff discussions. 

Top priorities appear to be: 

• The budget and the ongoing fiscal crisis will be a central issue, although it is not clear yet how the issue will all play out leading up to March 4 end of the Federal spending Continuing Resolution (see here) and with respect to the Fiscal Year 2012 budget (i.e., Will spending levels be set at FY 2008 (or even 2006) levels? Will it be left to the Administration figure out details under an imposed cap?) 
• Earmarks – The impact of this issue is still unknown, largely because there is no agreement yet on the definition of an “earmark.”  Although not likely, at one extreme end of the spectrum, regional programs like the Chesapeake Bay or MRBI programs might be earmarks. 

So, the T&I Committee might sit back at least initially and let others work through these issues first, rather than wade in right away and put at risk important programs.  Specific issues that will likely come up during the year include: 

1. Wastewater infrastructure/SRFs 
2. Developing innovative, new means of generating revenue for growing water/wastewater infrastructure needs 
3. Invasive species; ballast water regulation 
4. Beach Act reauthorization 
5. Great Lakes issues – GLRI/GLNPO; Legacy Act 
6. Clean Water Act interpretation/jurisdiction 
7. WRDA reauthorization (clouded somewhat by the earmarks issue)
8. Water resources planning/management in light of growing demands 
9. EPA’s use of guidance rather than regulations to set policy (and effectively set standards); guidance that might have the impact of regulation without public input (raising potential due process issues) 
10. National Estuary Program reauthorization 
11. Nonpoint source impact on water quality (i.e., is the USEPA 319 program the most effective way of addressing nonpoint water pollution sources?)

House Agriculture Committee
The Committee structure will become finalized in the next week or two.  Until then, priorities are tentative and include: 

1. The Chesapeake Bay Bill (introduced last session) will likely come up again, but in light of budget constraints the bill's program costs could loom as a huge hurdle to overcome 
2. The Committee wants to stress value of voluntary USDA NRCS programs, and is more interested in looking at voluntary rather than mandated approaches (and related money needed to fund mandate programs) 
3. The Committee largely reflects a philosophy that the Farm Bill should be evaluated based upon its conservation programs’ abilities to meet conservation end points and abilities to give farmers “regulatory certainty” (a certainty that they do not currently have, according to what Committee members are hearing).  This issues was a point of consideration in last year’s Chesapeake Bay bill 
4. Committee members are receiving a lot of feedback that others in the agricultural sector across the country do not want an EPA mandated Chesapeake Bay-like model replicated elsewhere 
5. Committee staff do not believe that the earmarks issue will impact the 2012 Farm Bill discussions
6. There will be more Farm Bill hearings this year, both in Washington, DC and in the field; quick Farm Bill consideration isn’t as critical now as it was under last Congress's Democratic leadership 
7. Farm Bill hearings may in part focus on the number of conservation programs and whether consolidation or combination of those programs might be appropriate 
8. The budget will be the big Farm Bill issue; and how much spending is authorized for each title  and programs within each title
9. Don’t expect a rush to include new conservation programs in the Farm Bill; rather, the Farm Bill discussions will center on the need for money and people to effectively implement existing programs 
10. Fine tuning and targeting of conservation efforts would help to address item #9, above

Senate Commerce, Science and Transportation Committee 
Concerns and priority issues for the Committee in 2011 will include:

1. Defense of programs that are working well 
2. Identification of programs that are not effective 
3. Input and information from the ground level would help Committee do those two things 
4. There may be informal briefings and a few hearings regarding the Executive Order establishing the GLNPO 
5. Several programs need reauthorization: Coastal Zone Management; National Marine Sanctuaries Act 
6. Ballast water treatment (for aquatic nuisance species) 
7. Expect that some of the popular measures wrapped up in last year’s great waters/wilderness omnibus bill will be reintroduced as individual bills

Senate Environment and Public Works Committee
The committee’s specific agenda won’t be developed for a few more weeks, as the committee and its subcommittees are being set up organizationally.  Tentatively, the Committee's agenda reflects that of the T&I Committee (above).  Top priorities include: 

• Reauthorization of WRDA (should have bipartisan support within the Committee).  With respect to WRDA, there may be a desire to include improved levee safety, improved project efficiency and addressing the WRDA project financing dilemma.
• Reauthorization of the Transportation Act (should have bipartisan support within the Committee)

Other issues that will likely come before the Committee include: 

1. Asian Carp 
2. Some of the regional water body and wilderness bills from last year’s omnibus package 
3. Drinking water and clean water SRFs 
4. Sustainability and green management of Federal facilities (i.e., energy and water efficiencies)

Energy and Natural Resources Committee
Like many other committees at this time, this one is not yet fully organized but will be within the next couple of weeks.  The year's priorities likely will include: 

1. Energy: the number one priority for the year
2. Budget implications on Committee topics: an overarching issue 
3. Expect to see some of the 2010 omnibus waters and wilderness bills resurface before the Committee

January Update on Mississippi River Basin issues

Here is the link to the January Update (PDF file) from the Northeast-Midwest Institute on Mississippi River Basin issues.  The January Update contains these item

Legislation

• 112th Congress (emerging legislative issues of interest) 

Budget and Appropriations

• Continuing Resolution, the Administration’s Budget and Appropriations 

River Basin News and Notes

• Research Details Nutrient and Sediment Concentrations and Loads during Historic 2008 Flooding in Eastern Iowa
•  Army Corps Announces Additional Public Meetings Regarding Scoping of Great Lakes and Mississippi River Interbasin Study
•  University of Minnesota's Water Resources Center Releases Minnesota Water Sustainability Framework Report
• Delta Dispatches
• NGRREC E-Newsletter
•  Upcoming Conferences, Events and Workshops