Friday, April 15, 2011

Mississippi River Basin Water Resource News for the Week

Budget and Plans and Limits (Oh my!)
Yesterday, over half way into the 2011 Fiscal Year, Congress passed a 2011 spending bill that cut $39.9 billion from the Federal budget.  In bipartisan votes, the House voted 260-167 for the bill (roll call here); the Senate 81-19 in favor (roll call here). During the bill's debate and afterward, conservatives complained that it did not go far enough in cutting spending, while liberals were disenchanted that the compromise measure cut too much from needed programs.  The bill's passage, and signature into law today by the President, will avert a government shutdown that seemed all but certain late last Friday.

The next Federal spending date looming on the horizon is July 8, described by the Treasury Department as the latest possible date when Federal borrowing would be below the debt ceiling, even using all of the accounting manuveurs that the Department can bring to bear.  Before then Congress will have to agree to raise the debt ceiling so that more borrowing can occur, or face another potential government shutdown.  Some conservative House Members and Senators are saying they will resist raising the debt ceiling unless Democrats and the Obama Administration agree to push through deep spending cuts for the 2012 Fiscal Year and beyond.  It should be noted that the last day before July 8 that both chambers of Congress are in session together will be June 24.  The House is scheduled to be in recess the last week of June (for a district work week), and the Senate has a week-long recess scheduled the week of July 4.  Starting this weekend, both the House and Senate are on a two-week recess. 

In the meantime, work continues on the 2012 Fiscal Year budget, with the House voting today on House Budget Committee Chair Paul Ryan's budget resolution (a ten year plan, called the "Path to Prosperity").  That spending plan proposes to trim $6.2 trillion from the Federal debt over ten years but is largely presumed to be "dead-on-arrival" in the Senate.  The President rolled out his answer to the Ryan plan during a Wednesday speech, suggesting that House and Senate leaders appoint 16 colleagues to negotiate a deficit reduction plan with Vice President Biden by the end of June.  Meanwhile the so-called "Gang of Six" (senators), led by Sens. Mark Warner (D-VA) and Saxby Chambliss (R-GA)  continue their efforts to craft a compromise plan before sometime in June.  That plan supposedly would trim $4 trillion from Federal coffers over 10 years.

Given the level of partisan rhetoric this week and the upcoming recesses, two months (May and June) seem to offer little time to reach a compromise on long-term spending cuts.

Notable @UpperMiss Twitter Postings for the Week: 

Agriculture -
  • Driven by high fertilizer costs, researchers seek "Super Corn" to limit nitrogen use and water pollution http://bloom.bg/gRpsnp
  • House and Senate Ag Committees Will Expedite Work on 2012 Farm Bill; send to Obama before 2012 election http://bit.ly/gF6htM
  • Izaak Walton League conducting series of public discussions on 2012 Farm Bill over next couple of months http://bit.ly/gIy5G3
  • NY Times: High commodity prices fuel seeds of soil erosion http://nyti.ms/ezP7dw
  • Environmental Working Group releases report about Iowa soil erosion http://bit.ly/gFH13l
  • Sen. Chuck Grassley (R-IA) sees end to direct farm payments http://bit.ly/hpnv2U
  • DuPont urges Congress not to roll back biofuel policy http://bit.ly/ebpGT0
  • 26 House Republicans urge Obama to release for crops some of 31.2 million acres held in Conservation Reserve Program http://bit.ly/hkmxli
  • Storms thin Iowa soil, study finds http://bit.ly/fS3baR
  • With spending handcuffed, disagreements on approach and cuts rising among those who will craft next farm bill http://bit.ly/hhn66t
Water Quality-

  • Congressional briefing on PAHs in urban surface water draws attention to pending 2012 cuts to USGS NAWQA program http://bit.ly/enLv8w

In the States -
  • WI Gov. Walker apparently backs off plans to repeal rule that sets phosphorus limits in state lakes & streams http://bit.ly/fDRyDN
Flooding, Floodplains, Dams and Navigation -
Biodiversity, Wildlife and Invasives -
Federal Budget -
2011
  • Here's a summary of the details of the long-term Fiscal Year 2011 continuing resolution cuts http://bit.ly/e0rx2Y
  • House approves FY 2011 spending bill in 260-167; moves on to Senate for vote later today http://bit.ly/gjt5zw
  • Congress approves bill to cut $39.9B and fund the government  http://bit.ly/id4er2 
2012
  • "Gang of Six" (Senators) seeks to take centrist approach; gain bipartisan support on 2012 budget reforms http://politi.co/fmNVeu
  • House & Senate leaders & Administration to begin work on bipartisan deficit-reduction plan; June target date http://on.wsj.com/fDlVdT
Events -
  • Horinko Group announces 2nd Annual Water Resources Summit: Sustaining Our Nation’s Water Resources; Oct 25; U of MD http://bit.ly/hmSRJY
  • Online registration now open for National Conference on Ecosystem Restoration; Baltimore, MD, August 1-5 http://bit.ly/fDBgHZ
E-Newsletters-
Political Scene -
Last word -
In case you've forgotten, today is April 15, tax day in the US.  Speaking of which, here's your virtual coffee break: "Taxman" by The Beatles
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Thursday, April 14, 2011

National Academies Natural Disaster Readiness Committee Work Has River Basin Relevance

An ad hoc committee of the National Academies is conducting a study and will issue a consensus report that integrates information from the natural, physical, technical, economic and social sciences to identify ways to increase resilience to hazards and disasters in the United States.  The National Academies is requesting that people complete a (very brief) online survey to inform the committee's work.  The  work of the committee (and the opportunity to provide input) may be particularly relevant to Mississippi River system communities susceptible to flooding and/or strong storms (hurricanes).  The ad hoc committee working on the study has already visited the New Orleans and Cedar Rapids/Iowa City areas to solicit input from those communities, but will not be visiting other communities within the basin.  Here is the link to the survey.

And here is the description of the committee’s work from the survey Internet page:
The National Academies are conducting a study on Increasing National Resilience to Hazards and Disasters. The goal of the study is to provide actionable recommendations and guidance on the best approaches to reduce adverse impacts from hazards and disasters. As part of the study, our National Academies committee is visiting a number of communities around the nation to assess how they have responded to disasters in the past and how they view and assess their resilience to future disasters. Because the committee is unable to visit all communities, we are asking for your help to find out more about your community through this short questionnaire.
The committee's current working definition of resilience is "the ability to prepare for, plan for, absorb, recover from or more successfully adapt to actual or potential adverse events."  For more information, view the study's statement of task.
 Submissions received by May 15, 2011, will be considered at the committee's final public meeting (May 23-26, 2011 in Irvine, California). However, the committee welcomes any input until July 1, 2011. The final report will be released early in 2012.   
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Congressional Briefing on PAHs in Urban Surface Water Draws Attention to Pending Cuts to USGS Program


Dr. Mahler presenting USGS findings
The Environmental and Energy Study Institute (EESI), Water Environment Federation (WEF), and Office of Representative Lloyd Doggett (D-TX-25) co-hosted an April 14 briefing featuring national findings published in December 2010 from the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) on increasing levels of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in urban lakes studied in 40 U.S. cities. PAHs are widespread in the environment and several are probable human carcinogens.  They have been demonstrated to be toxic to fish and other aquatic life.  The briefing was held in cooperation with the USGS Office of Water Quality and its National Water Quality Assessment (NAWQA) Program.  Barbara Mahler, Scientist for the NAWQA Program, was the main presenter at the briefing.

Dr. Mahler noted that the USGS findings highlighted major land-based sources associated with a trend of increasing PAHs in urban surface water in recent decades, including the finding that coal-tar-based pavement sealant is a much larger source of PAHs to urban lakes than are previously-identified sources (i.e., vehicle emissions, used motor oil, tire particles). While rarely used directly on roads, sealants are often used on parking lots, driveways and playgrounds.  Mahler also pointed out that USGS studies had demonstrated excess levels of PAHs in residential dust in homes adjacent to parking lots with coal-tar-based sealants (at concentrations approximately 25 times greater than in residences near other surface types).

Mahler's presentation was followed by a question and answer session.  One particularly relevant question (in light of recent Congressional debate on the Federal budget) addressed proposed Administration cuts to the USGS Fiscal Year 2012 budget, in general, and to the NAWQA Program budget in particular.  For the 2011 and 2012 Fiscal Years, the President’s budget proposal has included $66.5 and $57.5 million, respectively, for the NAWQA Program, with the 2012 figure representing a $9.4 million reduction below the Fiscal Year 2010 enacted funding level.  Those proposed cuts include a $6.7 million reduction from general NAWQA funding and $2.7 million in cuts from publications, administrative costs, travel and the like.  USGS is currently evaluating the impact the cuts might have on NAWQA programs.  It is noteworthy that while the NAWQA Program has long enjoyed bipartisan support in Congress since its formation in 1991, inflation-adjusted funding for NAWQA has been steadily eroding.  Between the 2004 and 2010 Fiscal Years, appropriated NAWQA funding rose nominally from $63.3 to $66.5 million (see Figure 1), an average 0.8% increase per year.  However, the average annual rate of inflation during that same six year period was 2.4%.

Established in 1991 by Congress, the NAWQA program mission is to produce surface and ground water quality information for Federal and state resource managers.  For example, NAWQA monitoring and modeling of nitrogen and phosphorous loadings to the Gulf of Mexico from the Mississippi River Basin (particularly from watersheds in the Upper Mississippi River Basin) are providing increasingly detailed information to help combat both local water quality degradation and Gulf hypoxia. NAWQA studies conducted in the Chesapeake Bay watershed helped to establish the importance of groundwater discharge as a key Bay nitrogen source, helped to prioritize restoration areas, and provided needed pesticide and nutrient information to the Maryland Legislature to inform its deliberations. A NAWQA nationwide monitoring effort described the extent of MTBE ground water pollution, leading the US Congress and states to remove MTBE from fuel.  NAWQA Puget Sound nutrient monitoring results enabled the state of Washington to focus its pollution control efforts in a cost effective manner.

Slides and an mp3 recording from "PAHs Increasing in Urban U.S. Lakes" are available at www.eesi.org/041411_pah.  A complete video of the briefing will be also be available soon on-line at the EESI web site.  For an overview of all of the USGS research over the years on PAHs and coal-tar-based pavement sealcoat, see here.
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Tuesday, April 12, 2011

EPA Proposes to Place Louisiana Coastal Areas on List of Impaired State Waters

In an April 6 letter addressed to the Louisiana Department of Environmental Quality and an accompanying decision document, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Water Quality Protection Division (in Region 6) announced that it would be formally proposing to disapprove Louisiana's 2008 decision not to list as impaired three coastal waters west of the mouth of the Mississippi River that have been chronically characterized by low levels of dissolved oxygen, resulting from excess nitrogen and phosphorous flowing down the River into the Gulf of Mexico.  Specifically, EPA determined that a 2009 “listing” submission by Louisiana to the EPA did not include all waters that are “water quality limited segments requiring total maximum daily loads (TMDLs)” (a listing of waters called the "§303(d) list" after Section 303(d)(1) of the Clean Water Act, which requires states to identify waters within their jurisdiction for which effluent limitations are not stringent enough to achieve applicable water quality standards, and to establish a priority ranking for such waters to achieve those standards).   The EPA April 6 letter and accompanying Record of Decision can be read here. 

The three Louisiana coastal water areas that EPA is adding to the list of impaired State waters includes (out to the State three-mile limit): (1) Terrebonne Basin Coastal Bays and Gulf Waters; (2) Mississippi River Basin Coastal Bays and Gulf Waters; and (3) Barataria Basin Coastal Bays and Gulf Waters.  The EPA letter states, in part, that "the three coastal waters that EPA is proposing to add to the State § 303( d) List are affected by low dissolved oxygen concentrations or hypoxia that may result, in part, from excessive nutrient loadings from the Mississippi and Atchafalaya Rivers." EPA noted in the letter that it "recognizes that nutrient load reductions may be needed from all states in the Mississippi River basin to reduce the size of the Gulf hypoxic zone and restore Louisiana coastal waters to full attainment of applicable water quality standards."  And goes on to state that "continued State and Federal support in the planning and implementation of coastal restoration projects, including large-scale reintroductions of the Mississippi River and beneficial use of dredged material, provide excellent opportunities to both restore Louisiana's vanishing wetlands and reduce the nutrient load flowing directly into the Gulf of Mexico."

As described in a Record of Decision accompanying the letter, EPA found that "the State determined that three coastal segments . . . are exceeding applicable marine dissolved oxygen criterion but that those segments are not required to be listed on the State’s §303(d) list," instead placing them in "Category 4b . . . defined by the EPA’s 2008 Integrated Reporting Clarification Memorandum as waters for which 'other required control measures are expected to result in the attainment of an applicable water quality standard in a reasonable period of time.'"  To support its finding, the State had cited ongoing efforts associated with the 2008 Gulf Hypoxia Action Plan (a plan describing a "national strategy to reduce, mitigate, and control hypoxia in the Northern Gulf of Mexico and improve water quality in the Mississippi River Basin").  Louisiana indicated that Action Plan efforts would ultimately result in water quality attainment for the three coastal sections.  EPA, however, disagreed with the State's conclusions in that regard, noting that the "Gulf Hypoxia Action plan does not, by itself, meet the requirements" of applicable regulations and relevant EPA guidance in the matter. 

With an upcoming publication of a formal Federal Register notice, EPA will open a 30-day public comment period on the proposed additions to the § 303( d) list and will consider any comments received before finalizing its decision.

Background
The Louisiana coastal area involved in the EPA decision are part of what has been called the Gulf of Mexico "dead" or "hypoxic" zone, which the USGS describes as "an area along the Louisiana-Texas coast in which water near the bottom of the Gulf contains less than 2 parts per million of dissolved oxygen, causing a condition referred to as hypoxia. Hypoxia can cause fish to leave the area and can cause stress or death to bottom dwelling organisms that can’t move out of the hypoxic zone. Hypoxia is believed to be caused primarily by excess nutrients delivered from the Mississippi River in combination with seasonal stratification of Gulf waters. Excess nutrients promote algal and attendant zooplankton growth. The associated organic matter sinks to the bottom where it decomposes, consuming available oxygen. Stratification of fresh and saline waters prevents oxygen replenishment by mixing of oxygen-rich surface water with oxygen-depleted bottom water."

Most of the nutrients referred to by the USGS originate from agricultural runoff in the Mississippi River Basin (see, for example, this National Research Council 2009 report, "Nutrient Control Actions for Improving Water Quality in the Mississippi River Basin and Northern Gulf of Mexico"). 
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Federal Funding Continuing Resolution Cuts Summarized Overnight (Updated)

Here are House Appropriation's Committee news items containing a summary of and highlighted program cuts contained in the final Continuing Resolution (CR) legislation for fiscal year 2011. According to the summary report, "The final CR will include a total of $1.049 trillion in funding, a nearly $40 billion reduction from last year’s (fiscal year 2010) levels. This includes the $12 billion in reductions previously approved by Congress and signed into law under the previous three continuing resolutions, as well as nearly $28 billion in additional new spending cuts."  Some key environmental, conservation and water resource cuts include:
  • Agricultural programs at funded $20 billion, $3 billion below 2010 enacted level and $3.2 billion below the President’s 2011 budget request, including a cut to the Agricultural Research Service of $64 million
  • Army Corps of Engineers Civil Works will be funded at the President’s request level of $4.9 billion
  • Funding is cut for the Environmental Protection Agency by $1.6 billion, a 16% decrease from last year
  • Funding for Land and Water Conservation Fund (land acquisition) is cut by $149 million (-33% below last year)
  • The CR includes language limiting the use of funds to implement the Bureau of Land Management’s “Wild Lands” policy 
Here is the link to the House Rules Committee page, where links to House Continuing Resolution related activities, including the text in full, are posted.  The Senate Appropriations Committee also released highlights of the CR.
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Monday, April 11, 2011

Senate and House hearings and bill markups of interest this week (updated)

There are not many hearings on Capitol Hill this week with direct relevance to Mississippi River Basin water resource issues.  One, however, that is particularly relevant will be Wednesday's scheduled Senate Appropriations Committee's Energy and Water Development Subcommittee hearing on the Army Corps of Engineers Civil Works and the Bureau of Reclamation proposed Fiscal Year 2012 budgets at 2 PM (Eastern), in Room 192 of the Dirksen Senate Office Building.  Here is the schedule and list of persons anticipated to provide testimony at the hearing.

In addition, the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee will hold an oversight hearing on renewable fuels: "From Ethanol to Advanced Biofuels" on Wednesday, April 13 at 10 AM; in room 406 Dirksen Senate Office Building.
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Friday, April 8, 2011

Mississippi River Basin Water Resource News for the Week

Budget Discussions Roil in DC While Life Elsewhere Moves On
While many eyes were focused on the breakdown of the Fiscal Year 2011 continuing resolution negotiations and the looming Federal government shutdown, hearings continued on Capitol Hill this week on the President's proposed budget for the 2012 Fiscal Year, which begins in less than six months, on October 1 and the House Budget Committee passed Rep. Paul Ryan's 2012 budget plan.  The budget news for both fiscal years is outlined in the "Federal Budget" section, below.  But lest we forget the rest of the happenings in and out of the River Basin that impacts water resources, it's been a busy week in that regard.


Notable @UpperMiss Twitter Postings for the Week:  


Agriculture -
  • Washington Post editorial board: "case for direct federal subsidies of agriculture has never been weaker" http://wapo.st/g39QQa
  • US drought monitor forecast represents consensus of federal & academic scientists (regional & state predictions too) http://bit.ly/29RL7k
  • USDA ERS State Fact Sheets Provide Agricultural Economic and Conservation Information http://bit.ly/hkXV5Q
  • RT @DonEWG: Insightful @JournalStarNews analysis of challenges facing Conservation Reserve http://bit.ly/fSTjMh #farmbill
  • House Budget Committee Chair Ryan: Reducing spending includes reforming agricultural subsidies http://on.wsj.com/dLdE9u
  • Production of Bioenergy Crops in the Midwest report looks at economics of perennial grass biofuel production http://bit.ly/fejX42
  • Higher grain prices put pressure on farm Conservation Reserve Program http://bit.ly/hKAl5m
  • House Ag Committee Chair: members of his Committee will write next farm bill, GOP budget proposals just suggestions http://1.usa.gov/emBtg1
Water Quality-
  • US District judge allows environmental groups to continue lawsuits vs WV coal operators re: selenium mine discharges http://bit.ly/hUwqEm
  • USGS National Water Quality Assessment Program Quarterly Highlights, April 2011 http://bit.ly/gSlaRt
  • Congressional USGS briefing on high urban lake PAH levels; April 14, 10:30 AM; H137 Capitol Bld, DC (background: http://1.usa.gov/hdHrEX)
  • U of MI ecologist studies why biologically diverse streams are better at cleaning up pollutants http://bit.ly/eWwYQm
  • Water Environment Federation releases first edition of "The Stormwater Report" with stormwater tech news http://bit.ly/dQSKGx 
In the States -
  • WI Supreme Court: state does not have authority to determine if state-issued wastewater permits comply with federal law http://bit.ly/eFDZiO
  • Move to put Iowa agriculture dept in charge of DNR key water quality programs sparks intense debate http://bit.ly/h8T1ZA
  • MN state wild rice pollution & other bills reflect fundamental shift in legislature's environmental philosophy http://bit.ly/gKpDve
  • Bills to limit CAFO liability in pig odor lawsuits; give CAFOs "permanent nuisance" status move to MO Senate http://bit.ly/eQfTbo
  • EPA awards $343,200 to AR to participate in National Ecoregion Monitoring Program (Wetlands Survey Project) http://1.usa.gov/eNqaQR
Flooding, Floodplains, Dams and Navigation -
  • Upper Mississippi River shipping season now underway http://bit.ly/i0SkF6
  • Recap and prognosis on flooding and flood coverage in the Upper Midwest on River Life blog: http://bit.ly/fD3Fvf
  • Nat Research Council's Army Corps of Engineers Water Resources Science, Engineering & Planning meeting today http://bit.ly/ib5lpe
  • Army Corps Missouri River rehabilitation offers opportunities for U of Nebraska at Omaha grads http://bit.ly/hneTus
Federal Budget -
2011
  • Senate Budget Comm Chair Conrad urges Obama & congressional leaders not to cut farm prog funding in spending bills http://1.usa.gov/ehrp8s
  • Senate Maj Leader Reid: Dems will not accept riders in House GOP spending bill that block EPA from implementing rules http://bit.ly/hQhLIe
  • Federal budget talks take turn for the worse as accusations fly between Democrats & Republicans http://politi.co/gE9Upm
  • House GOP leaders decide to try soon to implement two-year congressional budget process http://bit.ly/hJMSyt
  • Disagreement on Changes in Mandatory Programs (cuts-some to farm conservation programs) holding up Federal budget deal http://wapo.st/dUa2ud
  • Wondering what the fuss is about CHIMPS, the Federal budget debate & the 2012 Farm Bill? See here: http://bit.ly/fqas2C
  • Obama: no budget deal has been reached but he expects "an answer in the morning" http://bit.ly/eIDugX
  • Senate Majority Leader Reid: Environmental cutbacks at heart of Hill shutdown drama http://1.usa.gov/fyzo5I
2012
Events - 
  • Celebrate 100 years with the St. Croix River Association; April 14; Phipps Center, Hudson, WI http://bit.ly/gOkNPW
  • Aldo Leopold and His Almanac, 2-part class, April 21 & May 26; Cable & Barnes, WI http://bit.ly/hg2w8y
  • Community-based Green Infrastructure free webinar; Watershed Management Group; Wed, April 27, 4:00 pm PDT http://bit.ly/hDJVpv
  • Minnesota Ground Water Associationís spring conference; May 4; University of Minnesota, St Paul http://bit.ly/gPMXH2
  • Congressional USGS briefing on high urban lake PAH levels; April 14, 10:30 AM; H137 Capitol Bld, DC (background: http://1.usa.gov/hdHrEX) 
Biodiversity, Wildlife and Invasives -
  • Minneapolis city leaders want Federal and state funding to prevent Asian Carp invasion http://bit.ly/exB4v1
  • Weed management associations protest Obama-proposed Aquatic Plant Control Research Program elimination http://bit.ly/dSnA1f
Other news-
  • University of Wisconsin-Madison limnologist Stephen Carpenter awarded 2011 Stockholm Water Prize http://bit.ly/gqRr53
  • Pew Research Center poll: 43% of US adults know John Boehner is House Speaker; 38% aware that GOP has House majority http://bit.ly/g1Xugh
  • RT @troutheadwaters: Alternatives to Riprap - Biotechnical stabilization is not a new concept: http://wp.me/pF7Va-9I
  • Gallup poll: widest margin in nearly 30 years in US prioritizing economic growth (54%) over environment (36%) http://bit.ly/giKlFd
  • UC Davis Integrated Regional Water Management paper presents comprehensive discussion of theory behind IRWM http://bit.ly/hvadIe
  • Oklahoma sees driest 4 months since Dust Bowl http://bit.ly/eSs6Qk
  • New House bills take aim at EPA coal ash rules http://bit.ly/gU7D4C
Political Scene - 
  • US House seat Iowa redistricting plan will probably gain enough support to pass state legislature http://bit.ly/hWp5CP
Last word 
With the clock ticking toward a possible Federal government shutdown at midnight tonight (and for a much-needed "mental coffee break" for everyone), here is a wonderful version of "Time," by Pink Floyd, in a live performance at Earls Court, London, from 1994.  Enjoy and have a good weekend!
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