Thursday, June 28, 2012

Breaking News! No News Next Week!

The U.S. Congress will observe a July Fourth recess next week, and your FNB (Friendly Neighborhood Blogger) has it on good authority from unnamed but very reliable sources that absolutely no Mississippi River Basin water news will be forthcoming next week, either.

So the Mississippi River Basin water resource news team will take some time off, as well. Our entire staff will spend the week in Great Britain; celebrating colonial independence day and basking in the UK's liquid sunshine!

Watch this space for new Mississippi River Basin water resource related news and views starting again on Monday, July 9. Cheers!
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Mississippi River Basin Water Resource News for the Week-Early Edition

~Virtual Newspaper for an Aquatic World~

EPA-Interior  Should Pass Out of Committee Today
The House Appropriations Committee on Wednesday began its mark up of its version of the Ficsal Year 2013 Interior and Environment appropriations bill. The Committee will take up the bill again this morning (Thursday, June 28), when it is expected to easily pass and be sent on to the full House for consideration (possibly as early as the week of July 9). Among other things, the bill would cut the Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA's) budget by about $1.4 billion, a 17 percent reduction from the current year's approved spending level. The legislation would also cap EPA’s personnel numbers at their lowest level since 1992.    The Committee's EPA budget cuts are largely targeted at environmental regulatory programs that the Republican majority has gone on record as opposing, such as greenhouse gas regulations relating to new power plants.

Among other funding cuts are those to the Fish and Wildlife Service, U.S. Geological Survey, and the Land and Water Conservation Fund. Riders to the spending bill include one that would prevent the EPA from clarifying the scope of its regulatory jurisdiction relating to "navigable waters" and the Clean Water Act. The provisions of the House bill effectively have no chance of passing the Senate, since the Democratic majority there will vote for much higher agency funding, and push for the removal of contentious riders from any final legislation.

House USDA Appropriations and Farm Bills' Scheduling Uncertain
Meanwhile it's becoming less and less clear when the full House will end up considering the House's versions of the Farm Bill and the USDA-FDA fiscal year 2013 appropriations bill. House Agriculture Committee Chair Frank Lucas (R-OK-3) has scheduled his Committee to begin mark-up of the Farm Bill on July 11 (a process that should take several days to complete). But Lucas has also said that he does not want the Farm Bill and the farm spending bill (already approved by the House Appropriations Committee) hitting the House floor at the same time. Unclear House leadership floor scheduling signals have contributed to the uncertainty, according to House Agriculture Committee Ranking Member Collin Peterson (D-MN-7), who has said that
House leadership “has not been forthcoming” about floor time for either the Farm Bill or the agriculture appropriations bill, adding, “The only thing that’s going to screw this up is if we don’t get floor time.”

A Fragmented River Reality Perpetuated
That the people, cultures and institutions connected with the Mississippi River system are fragmented cannot be argued with a straight face. For all of its greatness, the region’s waters flow through a fragmented bureaucratic and social reality, whose functions and structures are equally fragmented. Recent calls to unify our approaches to how human society lives with the River are laudable and promising, giving hope for a future of inclusion and integration. But we have a long way to go. Two upcoming September conferences, the Upper Mississippi River Conference and the America’s Great Watershed Initiative Summit, offer wonderful examples of how far we have come - and how far we have yet to go - in bridging the gaps that separate River stakeholders.  Read more in this commentary.

No News Next Week!
The U.S. Congress will observe a July Fourth recess next week, and your FNB (Friendly Neighborhood Blogger) has it on good authority that no Mississippi River Basin water news will be forthcoming next week, either.  So the Mississippi River Basin water resource news team will take some time off, as well.  Our entire staff will spend the week in Great Britain; basking in its liquid sunshine!  Our next issue will be posted on Friday, July 13.

Notable @UpperMiss Twitter Postings for the Week  

Farm Bill-
  • A full breakdown of Senate Farm Bill roll-call amendment votes can be found here (June 19-21): http://1.usa.gov/KH72ne
  • NY Times: A look at the Senate Farm Bill and assessment of Farm Bill fate int he House http://nyti.ms/KDpXzP
  • Conservation compliance & crop insurance Farm Bill amendments unlikely to be in final if not included in House version bit.ly/KXCj7s
  • Chair of House Ag General Farm Commodities and Risk Management Subcommittee: Senate Farm Bill lacks regional balance http://bit.ly/Og8u1w
  • NY Times editorial board: Senate Farm Bill version takes "disproportionate whack from environmental programs" http://nyti.ms/KXDtzL
  • Statement from USDA Secretary Tom Vilsack on U.S. Senate Approval of Farm Bill http://ow.ly/bK0WB
  • House Ag Committee Chair Frank Lucas discusses major differences in approach between Senate and House on Farm Bill http://bit.ly/LsflPy
  • Sen. Grassley (R-IA) on why he voted against Farm Bill amendment linking conservation compliance to crop insurance: http://bit.ly/LsgzKt
  • House Agriculture Committee schedule for farm bill markup uncertain; House GOP leadership signals mixed http://bit.ly/LvJ9uE
Agriculture -
  • Much of the Midwest faces a drought expanding in size & intensity, damaging crops & raising fire threat concerns on.wsj.com/KXDMuj
  • July 2 EPA public info meeting for livestock producers re: concentrated animal feeding operation inspection program http://1.usa.gov/MP7iyv
  • For 3rd week in a row, US corn and soybean conditions declined on USDA’s weekly Crop Progress and Condition report http://bit.ly/MPaE4y
  • U.S. Midwest drought has pushed up corn prices 28 percent since June 15 http://bloom.bg/LvKotF - drought may rival 1988 "scorcher"
  • U.S. corn supplies declining at fastest pace since 1996 just as a Midwest heat wave hits http://bloom.bg/LvKNw9
  • Sen. Charles Grassley (R-IA) sees EPA aerial flyovers of confined animal feeding operations as "unfair to Iowa farmers" http://bit.ly/LsiQ8A
Water Quality -
Water Resource Management (Floodplains, Dams, Navigation, Wetlands, Flooding, etc.) -
  • Officials raise questions about major new segments of Army Corps of Engineers’ New Orleans area hurricane levees http://bit.ly/NrEUF0
  • MO Coalition for the Environment calls for support of USACE Jameson Island Shallow Water Habitat Restoration Project http://bit.ly/MV0y3X
  • National Flood Insurance Program is high on the week's US Senate agenda http://bit.ly/MmRaW0
  • Senate seems set to approve new flood insurance reform bill in major victory for Sens. Tester (D-MT) and Vitter (R-LA) http://bit.ly/Kz3z5U
  • Senate flood insurance reform bill delayed as GOP decides which non-germane amendments to push http://bit.ly/MzPRUO
  • Center for Climate and Energy Solutions report: US flood insurance program faces "looming climate deficit" http://bit.ly/MPf7UN
  • Question of whether to use federal money to raise flood-prone homes or improve drainage return in 
    Jefferson Parish, LA http://bit.ly/NMSwe8
  • Senate marks time on flood program reform while trying to cut student loan/transportation deals behind scenes http://1.usa.gov/t7I8j. In the end, the bill to reauthorize the national flood insurance program for 5 years may be wrapped into the transportation/student loan bill fxn.ws/LvHaGF
Forestry -
  • Minnesota Conservation Volunteer magazine releases new app featuring four treasured MN natural resources: http://ow.ly/bPtyG (via @MyMNwoods)
Biodiversity, Wildlife and Invasives -
  • Minneapolis limits access to lakes in order to fight invasive species http://bit.ly/KDrZjz
  • New FWS web-based interactive endangered species map for every state. State stories, podcasts and videos http://1.usa.gov/JZKR7s
Gulf Coastal Region-
  • House votes to give Gulf states billions more in offshore oil revenue http://bit.ly/KCMOvu
  • U of New Orleans professor to take on new job as Water Institute of the Gulf chief scientist http://bit.ly/KXFo7v
  • US Senate EPW Committee passes bill that extends the Pontchartrain Basin Restoration Act bit.ly/Kz2Y4g
  • Army Corps of Engineers clears way to design/build $428 M project to restore parts of Louisiana's Gulf coastline http://bit.ly/Kz47Jd
  • Study: BP oil spill hastened loss of Louisiana coastal marshes http://wapo.st/MP4ZLE
Resource Extraction -
  • Coal (made up largely of dead things, it should be noted) is "dying" says a West Virginia author http://bit.ly/KXGdNy
  • Energy leaders defend hydraulic fracturing for gas and oil development in Ohio http://bit.ly/Kz2PxG
  • Special Reuters Report: Chesapeake Energy Corp. and its top fracking rival conspired to suppress land prices http://reut.rs/L9WgTT
  • EPA reviewing information from 9 oil and gas companies for its study of fracking impact on drinking water http://bit.ly/MS4fqX
In the States -
Federal Budget -
  • House USDA Appropriations bill unlikely to hit floor until after House Agriculture Committee of farm bill markup bit.ly/LvJ9uE
  • Pessimism growing on potential for a Federal budget sequestration deal to avert deep cuts to Pentagon spending http://bit.ly/Kz3jEc
  • Highway conference committee members says no money exists in land and water conservation fund for Congress to raid http://bit.ly/Kz4OSI
  • House Appropriations Committee releases report accompanying FY 2103 EPA, Interior Department spending bill http://1.usa.gov/MPVga3 (PDF)
Events-
e-Newsletters, Publications and Journals -
  • Latest edition of "Delta Dispatches" with news on Coastal Louisiana restoration and conservation: http://bit.ly/KDp8qN
Other news-
Political Scene - 
  • Democratic polling shows former senator Kerrey (D) down double digits to state Sen. Fischer (R) in NE US Senate race http://politi.co/KDrc1S
  • IL Democrats select Bill Enyart for ballot vacancy in southern IL US House district held by retiring Rep. Costello http://bit.ly/MmXblp
  • Rep. Jesse Jackson, Jr. (D-IL-2) on medical leave for exhaustion trib.in/MP8lyv
  • US Rep. John Sullivan (R-OK-1) loses reelection bid in a surprise GOP primary loss to a political newcomer http://bit.ly/MzO6qQ
  • New Democratic poll shows Rep. Michele Bachmann (R-MN-6) could face a competitive race to retain her seat in November http://bit.ly/L0aOtO
Last Word 
"I think the people have gotten dumber." - Soon-to-be-retired Rep. Gary Ackerman (D-NY), expressing frustration with the highly charged, partisan Congressional atmosphere he will be leaving behind, and with the public whom he claims is contributing to that condition by their ignorance.
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Tuesday, June 26, 2012

A Fragmented River Reality Perpetuated from Within

That the people, cultures and institutions connected with the Mississippi River system are fragmented cannot be argued with a straight face. For all of its greatness, the region’s waters flow through a fragmented bureaucratic and social reality, whose functions and structures are equally fragmented. Recent calls to unify our approaches to how human society lives with the River are laudable and promising, giving hope for a future of inclusion and integration. But we have a long way to go. And recent developments among those institutions who should know better serve to illustrate the point well.

Two conferences, the Upper Mississippi River Conference and the America’s Great Watershed Initiative Summit each offer a wonderful example of how far we have come in bridging the many divisions that separate River stakeholders. Wonderful because individually they both have as a goal bridging divides, mending fences, overcoming fragmented approaches and unifying a vision for the River Basin.

But together they also represent a somewhat frustrating example of how far we have to go in working together toward achieving those common River system goals. Both meetings, each important and critical in its own right, both hoping to include participants who share a common vision and seek common goals for the River, and together representing promising steps toward an inclusive vision for the watershed, have been scheduled on the same dates and in Mississippi River cities over 190 miles apart. The Upper Mississippi River Conference is set for September 26-28 in Moline, Illinois, and the America’s Great Watershed Initiative Summit is planned for September 26-27 in St. Louis, Missouri.

This article isn't meant to point fingers, apportion blame or suggest fault. The planning conflict is simply and wonderfully the result of our being human, and I'm sure that the list of reasons that could be provided to explain the overlapping scheduling would easily fill this space. And this is admittedly only the most recent of all too many examples of fragmentation that have come before. 

What this instance does clearly illustrate is that the fragmented status quo with respect to the Mississippi River Basin is deeply embedded in the very groups, initiatives and institutions that desire to change that status quo. And until we and how we interact with one another reflect the very integrated and inclusive Mississippi River Basin reality we hope to attain, that reality will never be achieved.
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Monday, June 25, 2012

The Week Ahead in the U.S. Senate and House

Several water resource-relevant hearings and bill mark-up meetings are scheduled for the week ahead in the U.S. House and Senate.  They include (with links to respective Committee web pages):

Wednesday, June 27
Thursday, June 28
All times are Eastern.
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National Flood Insurance Program on the Week's Senate Agenda

This week the Senate is scheduled to consider S. 1940, a bill reauthorizing the National Flood Insurance Program (or "NFIP"); a task necessary before the NFIP expires at the end of July. The bill, sponsored by South Dakota Senator Tim Johnson (D), was passed by the Senate Banking Committee unanimously on September 8, 2011. A Senate procedural vote last Thursday to move on to the bill effectively placed full consideration of the legislation on the Senate's calendar today (Monday), when the Chamber will continue consideration of its motion to proceed, shortly after reconvening at 2:00 PM (Eastern).

On May 30, the House voted to pass H.R.5740, the National Flood Insurance Program Extension Act, by a voice vote, concurring with an earlier Senate action, and sending the measure on to the President for his signature. That action extended the authority of the NFIP from May 31 until July 31, 2012, and gave Congress two more months in its years-long process of deciding on a long-term reauthorization and reform strategy for the debt-burdened NFIP; a program that provides insurance for homes and businesses in areas subject to flooding. The NFIP has been subject to legislative impasse on this issue since 2008, the last time a NFIP re-authorization bill was passed. Since then, Congress has passed 17 short-term extensions to keep the program solvent. 

Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-NV) is pushing to fast-track consideration of the flood insurance legislation so the Senate can begin negotiating with the House over competing versions of a five-year NFIP reauthorization and reform. The House passed its version of the flood insurance legislation, the Flood Insurance Reform Act of 2011 (H.R. 1309), last summer.

Among the Senate bill's provisions is one that would direct FEMA (the Federal Emergency Management Agency, which runs the program) to incorporate best available estimates regarding changes in future flooding risks into its floodplain mapping efforts, effectively bringing climate change and global warming into the flood forecasting process. The House bill does not include any such flood risk change language. Apart from that climate change language and Senate wording that requires homeowners living behind levees to buy flood insurance, the House and Senate bills are very similar, with each mandating higher policyholder insurance rates in the more flood risk-prone areas, updating mapping, and increasing income into the over-prescribed and debt-ridden flood insurance program. Despite the similarities, some House members may target the Senate's climate change language for elimination, should it survive in the Senate bill.
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Friday, June 22, 2012

Mississippi River Basin Water Resource News for the Week

~Virtual Newspaper for an Aquatic World~

Farm Bill
In a rarely demonstrated example of political bipartisanship, 16 Republicans joined with 46 Democrats and two Independents in the Senate (roll call vote list here) to pass a 2012 Farm Bill (see link to bill here). The legislation would cut more than $23 billion from the Federal budget deficit over a ten-year period, by eliminating direct payments to farmers and landowners, and replacing some of those eliminated payments with an enhanced version of crop and income insurance subsidies. The $969 billion bill would fund agriculture, farm and nutrition programs over the next five years. Farm Bill attention now shifts to the House, where its Agriculture Committee has announced a delay in consideration of the bill from next week, as originally-intended, until July 11, following the Congressional July 4 week recess.

House Agriculture Committee Chairman Frank Lucas (R-OK) noted yesterday that the farm bill he plans to offer will have "differences" from the Senate version, but was generally congratulatory in his statement regarding the Senate's passage and its bipartisan approach. Such apolitical support for the Farm Bill is a more problematic venture in the House, where conservative lawmakers have expressed their intent to cut the food stamp (or SNAP) program much more deeply. You can read more news coverage on the Senate actions, anticipated House activity and other Farm Bill news, below. And for a thorough review of Thursday's Farm Bill action and where the Farm Bill stands now, see this FarmPolicy.com synopsis.

USDA Mississippi River Basin Initiative Project Funding Announced
On Tuesday, USDA Secretary Vilsack announced the funding (at $8.4 million) of 23 projects in Arkansas, Iowa, Kentucky, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, Ohio, South Dakota and Wisconsin to protect Mississippi River Basin water quality under the USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service’s (NRCS) MRBI (“Mississippi River Basin Healthy Watersheds Initiative”). The projects are funded through NRCS’s Cooperative Conservation Partnership Initiative. A complete listing of the 23 projects and their funding levels can be seen here.

National Flood Insurance Reauthorization and Reform
Passage of the Farm Bill cleared the way in the Senate for it to consider S. 1940, a bill reauthorizing the National Flood Insurance Program, before the NFIP expires at the end of July. The bill, sponsored by South Dakota Senator Tim Johnson (D), was passed by the Senate Banking Committee unanimously on September 8, 2011. A Senate Thursday procedural vote to move on to the bill effectively placed full consideration of the legislation on the Senate's calendar next Monday.

On May 30 the House voted to pass H.R.5740, the National Flood Insurance Program Extension Act, by a voice vote, concurring with an earlier Senate action, and sending the measure on to the President for his signature. That action extended the authority of the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) from May 31 until July 31, 2012, and gave Congress two more months in its years-long process of deciding on a long-term reauthorization and reform strategy for the debt-burdened NFIP; a program that provides insurance for homes and businesses in areas subject to flooding. The NFIP has been subject to legislative impasse on this issue since 2008, the last time a NFIP re-authorization bill was passed. Since then, Congress has passed 17 short-term extensions to keep the program solvent.

Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-NV) is pushing to fast-track consideration of the flood insurance legislation so the Senate can begin negotiating with the House over competing versions of a five-year NFIP reauthorization and reform. The House passed its version of the flood insurance legislation, the Flood Insurance Reform Act of 2011 (H.R. 1309), last summer.

Appropriations
In what is setting up to be a prelude to the eventual House Farm Bill vote, the House Appropriations Committee this week (June 19) passed a USDA and FDA fiscal year 2013 spending bill, sending on to the full House for its likely consideration next week. The $19.4 billion discretionary funding legislation would cut $365 million from the spending levels in last year’s passed legislation and represents a cut of $1.7 billion below the President’s budget request. Here is the Committee statement that accompanied the bill's passage. And for those interested in all of the details, here is the complete Appropriations Committee report language accompanying the spending bill.

In a separate action, the House Appropriations Committee also approved a $28 billion Interior and Environment spending bill that included deep cuts to EPA program and to the Department of Interior's popular land and water conservation fund. Several riders attached to the spending bill would, according to the Republican majority's bill release statement "rein in various problematic, costly, and potentially job-killing regulatory actions by the Administration, including provisions related to the “stream buffer rule,” changes to the definition of “navigable waters” under the Clean Air Act, and “silviculture” regulations."

Notable @UpperMiss Twitter Postings for the Week

Farm Bill-
House Status
  • House Republican leaders want a pause to consider how to proceed on Farm Bill this summer; delay bill consideration http://bit.ly/LEL0hu
  • House Committee decides to not markup farm bill next week after talks with Majority Leader Cantor: an ominous sign http://politi.co/KlgOHq
  • House Agriculture Committee Chair Lucas statement on Senate approval of Farm Bill 1.usa.gov/KBofz8
  • House Agriculture Committee Ranking Member Peterson statement on Senate approval of Farm Bill http://bit.ly/LIt0Yj
  • Farm policy overhaul clears Senate but farm bill faces acrimonious path in House as sequestration looms http://bit.ly/MbfvA4
Farm Bill Opinion
  • Cato Institute op-ed piece: "Will the House block the Farm Bill pig-out?" http://bit.ly/L0MQbo
  • Washington Post editorial: eliminated farm bill direct payments replaced by enhanced subsidized crop insurance system http://wapo.st/LEKQqo
Senate Activity
  • Senate passes massive farm bill by a vote of 64-35, as 16 Republicans vote with Democrats http://bit.ly/NVkqFX
  • Farm Bill rice and peanut grower amendment dropped for now; to be pursued in Conference Committee http://bit.ly/KMbVNB
  • Senate votes to link crop insurance coverage eligibility to farm incomes and meeting conservation rules http://bit.ly/Li93bq
Agriculture -
Water Quality -
  • NY Times editorial: "Where Are the Clean Water Rules?" http://nyti.ms/LFlHff
  • Coast Guard: miles-long Mississippi River pollution sheen came from southwestern Mississippi storage tank http://bit.ly/KzKOp0
  • Op-ed on impacts of surface coal-mining operations on Eastern KY waterways: "EPA protecting our right to clean water" http://bit.ly/M7fGsw
  • USDA Mississippi River Basin Initiative funding announced for 23 nutrient reduction projects bit.ly/L1okae
  • USDA funding Sauk River (MN) watershed conservation as part of Mississippi River Basin Healthy Watersheds Initiative http://on.sctimes.com/KAPJou
  • Leaf-litter study aims to narrow gap between existing methods of monitoring nutrient pollution in streams http://bit.ly/KAUHSb
  • University of Michigan forecasters predict second-smallest Gulf of Mexico 'dead zone' http://bit.ly/MyEGtf
  • NOAA-supported scientists: 2012 Gulf of Mexico hypoxic zone could range from between 1197 and 6213 sq mi http://on.doi.gov/KnwqKC
  • Senate Environment and Public Works Committee approves series of water and wildlife bills; sends on to full Senate http://1.usa.gov/KCNXmG
Water Resource Management (Floodplains, Dams, Navigation, Wetlands, Flooding, etc.) -
Forestry -
  • BBC: Healthy forests key for green growth, says UN report http://alturl.com/fn7v9 (via @PeoplePlanet)
  • American Forest Foundation launches My Land Plan to assist family forest owners to map; protect; enjoy forests http://bit.ly/LuGcv6
Biodiversity, Wildlife and Invasives -
  • Emerald ash borers begin to wreak havoc on Louisville’s (KY) plentiful ash trees http://cjky.it/NDo9rE
  • Senate Environment and Public Works Committee approves series of water and wildlife bills; sends on to full Senate http://1.usa.gov/KCNXmG
Gulf Coastal Region-
  • Louisiana legislation will direct Deepwater-Horizon-BP oil spill money toward coastal protection & restoration programs http://bit.ly/NDojz9
  • $14.5 billion flood defense now in place around New Orleans, 7 years after Hurricane Katrina http://nyti.ms/LrgcRo
  • Interior Secretary Salazar repeats administration's commitment to using BP money rebuild Louisiana wetlands http://bit.ly/MNdC7N
  • Congress hasn't decided on BP spill fines distribution to help Gulf Coastal restoration http://bit.ly/MNdEMP
Resource Extraction -
Federal Budget -
Other news-
  • Does "green growth" – an attempt to improve often destructive relationship between development & environment - work? http://econ.st/NENGSo
  • Harvard's annual State of Nation's Housing report says more sprawl is inevitable http://bit.ly/LxeORS report link here: http://bit.ly/Lxecvz
  • River-oriented artists wanted for St. Paul MN-based art-science collaboration. Stipend! Apply by 7/9 http://bit.ly/M7g91D (via @RiverLifeUMN)
  • Landscapes for People, Food & Nature Initiative looks to bring back dead rivers, barren landscapes; increase farm yield http://bit.ly/KASsOH
  • $15M in federal funds to Memphis will in part enable people to bike along and over historic, scenic Mississippi River http://bit.ly/KnvqGc
  • EPA Environmental Workforce Development and Job Training Program money to go to New Orleans, LA and AR groups http://1.usa.gov/LFlau1
Political Scene -
  • New George Washington U study: How to communicate effectively with Congress http://politi.co/KxTvve (hint: email, don't meet)
  • Roughly half of nation's 7,383 state legislators could have 2 or less years of experience after 2012 elections http://usat.ly/L0Nztd
  • Poll: Nebraska state Sen. Fischer (R) ahead of former Sen. Bob Kerrey (D) by a large margin for US Senate seat http://bit.ly/KkdPyN
  • GOP seeks to punish four vulnerable Mississippi River Basin Senate Democrats on EPA mercury rules vote http://bit.ly/KATavk
  • Missouri (August 7) and Wisconsin (August 14) US Senate primaries are among the summer's hottest races http://politi.co/KATrhQ
  • Republicans in Wisconsin's 1st district pondering options if Rep. Paul Ryan ends up as GOP VP candidate http://bit.ly/KAU0YX
  • Former WI Gov. Thompson leads closest competitor in Republican Senate primary by margin of almost 20 points http://bit.ly/KAUbU7


Last Word - "That'll do pig. That'll do."
What better way to end a hectic week of Farm Bill activity in the nation's capitol than this quote from farmer Arthur H. Hoggett (played by actor James Cromwell) in the 1995 film "Babe."


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Tuesday, June 19, 2012

USDA Mississippi River Basin Initiative Project Funding Announced


Click for larger view
USDA Secretary Vilsack today announced the funding (at $8.4 million) of 23 projects in Arkansas, Iowa, Kentucky, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, Ohio, South Dakota and Wisconsin to protect Mississippi River Basin water quality under the USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service’s (NRCS) MRBI (“Mississippi River Basin Healthy Watersheds Initiative”). The projects are funded through NRCS’s Cooperative Conservation Partnership Initiative (CCPI).

A complete listing of the 23 projects and their funding levels can be seen here.   

Through the MRBI, NRCS works with producers to implement voluntary conservation practices to manage nitrogen and phosphorus use in agricultural fields to minimize runoff and reduce downstream nutrient loading. Participating MRBI states include Arkansas, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kentucky, Louisiana, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, Ohio, South Dakota, Tennessee and Wisconsin.  An overview of and more details on the MRBI can be found here. 
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