Obama Budget Reprises Past Themes While Setting Administration's 2014 Agenda

Normally an inside-the-beltway, drama-filled event, this year's late release by  President Obama of his federal budget proposal has registered only a slight blip thus far on the Washington, DC political Richter scale, coming as it has two months later than usual, and following passage last month of both Republican House and Democratic Senate budgets.  White House officials say the President is trying to strike a balance between the House and Senate plans.  It would spend $3.77 trillion over the coming 2014 fiscal year, and proposes to start closing annual deficits by raising taxes on those earning higher incomes and by closing business "tax loopholes."  The Administration's budget includes familiar themes from past years' plans (made before without success), including curbing farm subsidies and increased spending for infrastructure projects.  The President's plan repeats the $1.8 trillion deficit reduction package that he offered the GOP during budget negotiations with House Speaker John Boehner (R-OH) in December 2012; negotiations that Boehner walked away from over his opposition to higher taxes on the wealthy.

The proposal differs from the President's budget presented last February (2012) in that it puts forward a new, government-wide inflation adjustment plan; one that would affect Social Security, veterans' pensions and the indexing of tax brackets.  The adjustment is being offered to Republicans in the hope of winning concessions on the increased tax revenues.  A scant few Republicans have welcomed Obama's proposal to reduce the size of future cost-of-living increases.

Senior administration officials previewed the details of the proposal on Tuesday, releasing a related "Fact Sheet" earlier in the morning.  The officials said that the plan represents a "fiscally responsible plan for middle-class jobs and growth" that it "turns off" the $1.2 trillion in automatic sequestration spending cuts that took effect earlier this year.

Even before the proposal's release, Republicans raised objections to its call for tax increases and lack of spending cuts, while some Democrats opposed the plan's proposed cuts to entitlements programs, such as Social Security and Medicare.   An early test of whether Republican leaders might be willing to consider Obama's budget offer will come Wednesday night, when Obama has scheduled a White House dinner with a dozen Republican Senators, and when, surely, the budget will be discussed.

Among water resource and environmental issues highlighted in the Administration's budget "Fact Sheet" are proposals to:

• Expedite "infrastructure projects by modernizing the Federal permitting process to cut through red tape while creating incentives and better outcomes for communities and the environment."
• Establish the goal of "cutting timelines in half for major infrastructure projects in areas such as highways, bridges, railways, ports, waterways, pipelines, and renewable energy."
• Realize savings from mandatory programs, such as reductions to farm subsidies.

In addition to entitlement and other mandatory spending cuts, the plan would trim $200 billion in federal discretionary spending.

The administration blames the two-month budget delay in submitting the proposal on lengthy "fiscal cliff" negotiations that took place at the end of last year, and on the subsequent early-2013 political fights over the automatic ("sequestration") spending cuts that kicked-in during March.

Capitol Hill Next Week - What to Watch For

Here are the activities scheduled next week in the U.S. House and Senate that could have an impact on the Mississippi River Basin's natural and built resources. Where available, links are provided to the relevant Committee and legislation pages on the Internet. Many of the proceedings are webcast live (follow the appropriate link).

April 10

• Senate Commerce, Science and Transportation Committee hearing on Panama Canal expansion (at 2:30 PM, in room 253 Russell Senate Office Building). Discussions will inevitably circle round to the issue of U.S. port readiness to accommodate post-expansion sized ocean-going vessels (included in the list of ports are those in the lower Mississippi River system).
• On Wednesday evening President Obama is scheduled to dine with a dozen Senate Republicans, just hours after releasing his Administration's 2014 fiscal year budget proposal (look for the budget proposal HERE on Wednesday morning).  All indications are that the proposal will be decidedly in the middle, with enough to equally upset and mollify those on both Obama's right and left.  While Wednesday's post-budget-release rhetoric will likely fall within typical party lines, Obama's hope in reaching out to Republicans is that enough of them might move toward reviving the long-stalled federal deficit deal, and cut a budget deal with the Democratic Senate majority.
• The full Senate may take up consideration of the Water Resources Development Act (WRDA) bill passed out of the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee last month (S. 601) as early as April 10.  Assuming that "unanimous consent" cannot be obtained to bring the bill to the floor, it's likely that Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-NV) will offer a motion to proceed, that will be debatable and then subject to a vote.  If brought up for consideration under unanimous consent or if the motion to proceed passes, then the full Senate will consider the bill, including debate, amendment and voting.

April 11

• Senate Environment and Public Works Committee is scheduled to hold a confirmation hearing for Gina McCarthy to be the next U.S. EPA Administrator (10:00 am; 4006 Dirksen Senate Office Building).
• House Natural Resources Committee Subcommittee on Public Lands and Environmental Regulation hearing on a series of public lands bills dealing with forest management, wildfire management, erosion control, and invasive species management (10:00 am; 1324 Longworth House Office Building).
• House Energy and Commerce Committee working meeting considering the discussion draft of the Coal Ash Recycling and Oversight Act of 2013 (10:30 am; 2123 Rayburn House Office Building).
• House Appropriations Committee budget hearing regarding the Department of Homeland Security, which includes the budgets for the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), Coast Guard, and Science and Technology research (10:00 am; 2359 Rayburn House Office Building).
• House Appropriations Committee budget hearing regarding the Department of Commerce, which includes the budgets for the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) and National Science Foundation (1:30 pm; 2359 Rayburn House Office Building).

April 12

• House Appropriations Committee oversight hearing regarding the National Park Service (9:30 am; room B-308 Rayburn House Office Building).

Mississippi River Basin Water Resource News for the Week

~Virtual Newspaper for an Aquatic World~

Next up . . .
It was a light, Congressional-recessed week in Washington, DC from a Mississippi River Basin perspective.  But things were percolating behind the scenes, and the remainder of April should see some policy activity that impacts the River Basin and related sustainability issues.  Here is a look ahead to some of those possibly-relevant events.

On April 10, President Obama is scheduled to present his Administration's overdue fiscal year 2014 budget
proposal to Congress. And while Presidential proposals are typically termed "dead on arrival" by the opposing party in Congress, next week's budget will supposedly embody concepts included in a compromise offer that Obama made to House Speaker John Boehner (R-OH) in late 2012, including formally proposing cuts to Social Security and Medicare, in an effort to demonstrate a willingness to compromise with Republicans on a budgetary "grand solution."  One could argue that something certainly is needed to break the fiscal deal logjam, since the budget resolutions already passed by the U.S. Senate and House present little common ground upon which to start meaningful negotiations.

Staff of Senate Agriculture Committee Chairwoman Debbie Stabenow (D-MI) indicate that in late April the Committee will formally consider its 2013 version of the Farm Bill (see the article, below, under "Farm Bill").  Since the Senate is scheduled to recess for the week of April 29, the Committee's "mark up" session would likely occur before the end of the preceding week.

The Water Resources Development Act (WRDA) bill passed out of the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee last month may see Senate floor action during that same last working week in April, according to sources close to Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-NV).  WRDA may see floor time after the Senate considers Reid's gun background check bill (S. 649); legislation guaranteed to take up considerable time in its own right.  UPDATE: There is a possibility that the WRDA bill may be considered by the full Senate as early as Wednesday, April 10.

The House Transportation and Infrastructure (T&I) Committee may wait to formally take up WRDA until after the Senate passes its version.  T&I Committee's Water Resources and Environment Subcommittee has scheduled a hearing for April 16 on "The Foundations for a New Water Resources Development Act" (2167 Rayburn House Office Building; 10:00 am).

Other items of note scheduled to occur next week include:

• An April 10 Senate Commerce, Science and Transportation Committee hearing on Panama Canal expansion (at 2:30 PM, in room 253 Russell Senate Office Building).  Discussions will inevitably circle round to the issue of U.S. port readiness to accommodate post-expansion sized ocean-going vessels (included in the list of ports are those in the lower Mississippi River system).
• On April 11, having cleared WRDA from its docket, the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee is scheduled to hold a confirmation hearing for Gina McCarthy to be the next U.S. EPA Administrator (10:00 am; 4006 Dirksen Senate Office Building).

Notable @UpperMiss Twitter Postings for the Week  

Water Quality -

• Wisconsin River pollution was a key theme at a University of Wisconsin Wisconsin River symposium http://ow.ly/jCzBs

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

• Obama administration releases USGS report updating an ambitious effort to develop a national water census http://on.doi.gov/14Gx2sT
• Lawmakers plan to introduce bill making it "easier" for Army Corps keep Mississippi River shipping channel open http://ow.ly/jxTkm
• St. Louis Public Radio piece: 2 lawmakers say it's time to start thinking of Mississippi and other rivers as systems http://ow.ly/jCyuy
• National Wildlife Federation report: "Changing Course: Why Protecting Floodplains is Good for People and Wildlife" http://ow.ly/jCAt4
• Sioux City, IA declines to join lawsuit against the federal government for its role in 2011 floods http://ow.ly/jHPgo
• Georgia officials step up their bid for access to Tennessee River water http://tnne.ws/10vwyz5
• US Supreme Court to hear arguments for Texas-Oklahoma case that will determine the future of interstate water rights http://bit.ly/10B27Y5
• NY Times: Fracking’s promised job gains, other than in the petrochemical industry, have been slow to materialize http://nyti.ms/10vvQ4K
• Rising waters force Plaquemines Parish, LA residents to choose between high insurance and adaptation costs or moving http://bit.ly/XT9WYZ and http://bit.ly/126Ms9k
• Obama administration planning that would allow wastewater from fracking to be shipped on barges fuels debate http://reut.rs/XfCcHY
• Lobbyists for Louisiana Terrebonne’s Morganza-to-the-Gulf project push for project support in next WRDA bill http://ow.ly/jM3Rj

Farm Bill-

• Senate Agriculture Committee plans to mark up new Farm Bill before end of the month http://bit.ly/10uh9S9

Agriculture -

• Residents of two Iowa towns banding together to stop two new hog confinement operations http://ow.ly/jCAOU
• USDA NRCS: With predictions of continuing drought for many states, ranchers prepare for extreme weather http://bit.ly/XaF8Wf
• Farm Journal editorial: "EPA Again Puts Ag on Defense" with release of CAFO information http://bit.ly/10ivXDf
• Report: US agriculture in serious need of better research, data and tools; public support to adapt to climate change http://ow.ly/jHVUw
• North Dakota cropland values increased by about 42 percent during 2012 http://ow.ly/jM0mY

Climate and Weather -

• NOAA/NWS/NCEP/Climate Prediction Center drought update: drought conditions improve across some areas of middle-US http://ow.ly/jM0Hy

April 2 Drought Monitor Map
(click to enlarge)

• National Weather Service: Iowa's drought conditions will improve this year, but how much is still open to debate http://ow.ly/jCDA2
• New polling shows a continuing partisan divide in views of global warming ow.ly/jHVqI
• New USGS  map of long-term evapotranspiration should help ensure long-term, sustainable use of water in regions http://ow.ly/jLZon
• Federal researchers say global warming will make cases of extreme rainfall even more intense and worsen flood risks http://ow.ly/jM0U1

In the States -

• Minnesota Stormwater Manual gets major upgrade with wiki version launch; news: http://bit.ly/10mGOfm  wiki site: http://bit.ly/10mGEEF

In the Cities -

• Aging sewer system and sewer overflows in Springfield, TN virtually halt new building in the city
  http://ow.ly/jCBSJ

Biodiversity, Wildlife and Invasives -

• MN DNR searching for Asian carp in Mississippi River near the Twin Cities http://ow.ly/jy0xP
• $16 million Coon Rapids dam construction designed to better block Asian carp from moving up Mississippi River http://ow.ly/jCzg3
• USDA updates its list of the top 15 most invasive creatures in the U.S. that cost $$ billions in ruined crops http://usat.ly/10vSQAG
• U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service releases new video on the science of eDNA (environmental DNA) and Asian carp http://bit.ly/XC3mdx
• Editorial: We ought to be able to do better than using Coon Rapids Dam upgrades to stop Asian carp http://t.co/2mU7d2hj7c

Gulf Coastal Region-

• Army Corps adds 600+ new acres in Louisiana to Delta National Wildlife Refuge through dredging http://ow.ly/jCxZg
• Louisiana Coastal Protection and Restoration Authority approves $767.3 million 2014 restoration and protection plan http://ow.ly/jCxPQ
• National Wildlife Federation report: Gulf still impacted by 2010 BP oil spill; news: http://bit.ly/12bCPX8 report: http://bit.ly/10tkrEf
• LSU spent nearly $1 million on legal fight over firing of coastal researcher critical of Army Corps levee management http://ow.ly/jHU5O
• St. Bernard Parish (LA) Council deliberates issues surrounding various coastal flooding and pollution disasters http://ow.ly/jHUD8

Resource Extraction -

• Unlocking Illinois shale reserve could bring both economic windfall and environmental disaster potential http://ow.ly/jCz3F
• "A Boom With No Boundaries" film explores how Theodore Roosevelt National Park (ND) is being affected by oil and gas drilling http://bit.ly/12bBG1H
• North Dakota’s recent oil rush has brought jobs and prosperity to the state; writer asks at what price http://thebea.st/YPL33F

Federal Budget -

• White House says President Barack Obama's 2014 budget blueprint to be released April 10 ow.ly/jy2TU

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

• Wachiska Audubon to host talk on 2011 Missouri River flood; April 11; Lincoln, NE http://ow.ly/jCBtB
• Army Corps to begin Spring water management public meetings in Missouri River basin next week (MT, ND, SD, NE, MO) http://ow.ly/jMkim

e-Newsletters, Publications and Journals -

• National Water Quality Monitoring Council online National Water Monitoring News http://ow.ly/jCycK (PDF file)
• Tulane Institute on Water Resources Law and Policy's April 2 WaterWays e-newsletter link here http://ow.ly/jcEII
• Weekly Newsletter from EPA's Office of Water: Water Headlines for April 2 http://bit.ly/XGRjf6

Other news-

• Ohio River Trail Council planning for water trail from Pennsylvania into Ohio and West Virginia http://bit.ly/XZKml9
• Many ecologists now question the oft-held concept that nature is unchanging and humanity is a destroying intruder http://ow.ly/jM05R

Political Scene -

• Republican Rep. Bill Cassidy will challenge Democratic Sen. Mary L. Landrieu in 2014 Louisiana US Senate race http://bit.ly/12e48jy
• Rep. Bill Cassidy could have company soon in GOP race to challenge Louisiana Democratic Sen. Mary L. Landrieu http://bit.ly/Zc9WcM

Last Word -
"What we want and what we need has been confused." R.E.M. in their song, "The Finest Worksong."  On this date in 1980, the musical group R.E.M. played their first show when they appeared at St. Mary's Episcopal Church in Athens, Georgia.

Mississippi River Basin Water Resource News for the Week-Early Edition

~Virtual Newspaper for an Aquatic World~

National Rivers and Streams Assessment Draft Report Released for Comment

Biological Conditions by Ecoregion
(Click to Enlarge)

The U.S. EPA Office of Water's Assessment and Watershed Protection Division on Monday (March 25) released its draft report of the National Rivers and Streams Assessment 2008-2009 (NRSA) for public review during a 45-day comment period. The NRSA report describes the results of the nationwide survey of river and stream conditions that was conducted during the summers of 2008 and 2009, and also describes  survey methods, and future actions and challenges.  This is the first time a  national monitoring study of the overall condition of rivers and streams has been conducted using a statistically-valid random sample approach.   55% of U.S. river and stream miles do not support healthy biological communities when compared to least disturbed areas.  In the Mississippi River Basin, the Upper Midwest, Southern Appalachian and Coastal Plain ecoregions fared worse than the national average.  Of the stressors examined during the survey, phosphorus and nitrogen are the most ubiquitous, and biological communities were seen to be at increased risk when  phosphorus and nitrogen levels were observed to be high.  Links to and discussion of related information can be found here.

White House Releases Updated Principles and Guidelines for Water Resources Projects - Immediate Fate Uncertain
Last Friday (March 22), the Obama Administration's Council on Environmental Quality (CEQ) released an updated version of the Principles and Guidelines (or "P&G") designed to "govern how Federal agencies evaluate proposed water resource development projects." The P&G, which have long been anticipated by the nation's water resource stakeholders, include a final set of Principles and Requirements that according to the CEQ lay out "broad principles to guide water investments, as well as draft Interagency Guidelines for implementing the Principles & Requirements." The Guidelines outline the "detailed methodology for conducting implementation studies under the new Principles and Requirements," according to the CEQ announcement. The public will have an opportunity to comment on the draft Interagency Guidelines beginning on Wednesday, March 27 during a 60-day comment period. The schedule for implementing the revised Principles and Standards in not at all certain, however, due in part to a rider added at the last minute to the 2012 Fiscal Year federal appropriations bill that was effectively extended by the recently passed (Fiscal Year 2013) continuing resolution. The rider would block the Army Corps of Engineers from implementing P&G updates.  Links to both the draft P&G and Interagency Guidelines can be found under the "Resources" section of this CEQ web page.  For more discussion on the impact of the P&G, the currently-open public comment period, and the uncertain fate of the P&G implementation, see this article.

Notable @UpperMiss Twitter Postings for the Week
Water Quality -

• Groups criticize West Virginia DEP emergency rule that weakens water quality limits for aluminum http://ow.ly/jxIi1
• EPA revises West Virginia report on impaired streams after state left over 1000 miles of polluted waterways off list http://ow.ly/jqEip
• EPA proposes adding 255 more waterways to West Virginia’s list of "impaired waters" http://ow.ly/jqdu8
• Delta Farm Press article: nurient pollution lawsuit vs USEPA is environmentalist "attack" on "Mid-South agriculture" http://ow.ly/jqKtV
• Target Corp. signs agreement with Minnehaha Creek Watershed District (MN) to work on stormwater runoff reduction http://ow.ly/jjSQv
• Wyandotte County and Kansas City, KS agree to address unauthorized raw sewage overflows and reduce stormwater pollution http://ow.ly/jjW90
• Evansville, 9 other Indiana cities, under consent decree with Environmental Protection Agency to deal with stormwater http://bit.ly/11BQL8O
• Activists protest Iowa proposal said to make it easier for livestock operators to avoid water pollution oversight http://ow.ly/jqk4c
• MN Pollution Control Agency posts 100+ comments received on draft South Metro Mississippi River Turbidity Impairment http://ow.ly/jqGTU
• Debate continues on whether fracking wastes should be barged down the Ohio River, as company awaits approval bit.ly/YCteYs

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

• Mississippi River in Arkansas "a little more spry" following winter's snow and rain http://ow.ly/jkq2x
• Washington Post - World Water Day: A forceful reminder that the U.S. is running out of fresh water http://ow.ly/jkzjh
• White House Council on Environmental Quality releases revised Principles and Guidelines for federal water projects http://1.usa.gov/16T4Mms
• Army Corps of Engineers: Missouri River flow above its navigable portion will be 81 percent of average in 2013 http://bit.ly/16T3IPi
• Saint Joseph News-Press editorial: Common sense needed in the Missouri River’s management http://ow.ly/jqJiO
• New system to restore wetlands could reduce massive floods, aid crops bit.ly/ZxJKFQ
• Vicksburg, Mississippi officials watching newly redesigned Mississippi River bank structures during rainy weather bit.ly/16ia6i0
• Forbes article previewed: inland waterways "barge business has become a ward of government largesse" onforb.es/WWFsb2
• Tennessee governor rejects Georgia effort to access Tennessee River water bit.ly/YCYQxg
• $234 million to be spent on over 100 projects along Missouri River to stabilize Army Corps' dams and levees system bit.ly/YCr7DU
• Reps. Rodney Davis and Bill Enyart meet with America’s Central Port officials to share Mississippi River concerns http://ow.ly/jxGXI

Agriculture -

• Oregon State Univ. engineers develop new interactive system to create networks of small Midwest farmland wetlands bit.ly/WWH18Q
• Executive summary available for 2012 Leadership for Midwestern Watersheds meeting on  farmer engagement, targeting conservation, scaling watershed lessons http://ow.ly/jkKe4
• Will farm planting get off to a slow start with cooler than average Midwest tempertures? http://dlvr.it/37Vnh9
• Who holds Congress' attention these days when it comes to farm policy: Big agriculture? http://politi.co/16T5Ruk
• Dept of Energy awards $925,000 to Southern Research Institute to further develop turning biomass into bio-oils http://ow.ly/jqQlT
• Is the farmland price bubble poised to burst? dlvr.it/382y6L
• Farm land auction prices in 2011-flood-impacted Nebraska about half what they were before the flooding http://ow.ly/juFuI
• US corn supplies shrink at fastest pace in almost 40 years as ethanol demand drains reserves http://ow.ly/juEa7
• USDA announces several senior level staff changes http://ow.ly/juEvl

Climate and Weather -

March 26 U.S. Drought Monitor Map
(Click to Enlarge)

• Midwest drought impact eases a bit; Plains remain locked in dryness http://droughtmonitor.unl.edu/
• NOAA forecast: Historic U.S. drought that laid waste to grain and corn belt is unlikely to ease before mid-year  http://ow.ly/jjSri
• EPA National Water Program publishes 2012 Highlights of Progress: Responses to Climate Change http://ow.ly/jqTCp
• Agriculture and climate experts say drought conditions may deteriorate more rapidly this year than last bit.ly/ZY25Mc
• Dry, cold western Midwest spring gives the term "extreme" a workout; drought persists; cold puts planting on hold bit.ly/ZY1x93

In the States -

• Arkansas Department of Environmental Quality told to improve public notification of pending permits http://bit.ly/16T8hJz

In the Cities -

• Declining Midwestern cities: Where do we go from here to remain sustainable and efficient? bit.ly/WWI3BP
• Design to begin of New Orleans port's new Mississippi River Intermodal Terminal Project bit.ly/16i9FUJ
• Green Infrastructure passes Kansas City, MO test, as City official says stormwater solutions made economic sense bit.ly/YCtKWu
• Permeable Streets Plan for 17 block area of Charles City, IA results in reduced flooding and requests for duplication bit.ly/ZXSo0g
• Mayor Greg Fischer makes changes to and finalizes his "Sustain Louisville" (KY) plan http://ow.ly/jxIHO

Biodiversity, Wildlife and Invasives -

• Public donations to Wisconsin's endangered resources program is at ten-year low and dropping http://bit.ly/YzADoL
• In search of a control, finding a market for millions of pounds of invasive Mississippi River Asian carp is not easy bit.ly/YCZA5t
• New proposals floated to permanently fund fight against invasive aquatic species in Minnesota bit.ly/YCYpCW
• U.S. sees land conservation as a way to help animals and plants adapt to climate change usat.ly/YCXrXg
• Umbrella strategy released Tuesday to protect U.S. fish, wildlife and plants from climate change impacts bit.ly/ZvORGu

Gulf Coastal Region-

• New La State U database aggregates world’s storm surge information http://ow.ly/jqFMW Gulf Coast news article: http://ow.ly/jqFT6
• New study: Extreme storm events of Hurricane Katrina magnitude will occur more frequently because of climate change bit.ly/YCpmH1

Resource Extraction -

• Some environmental groups harshly critical of new partnership aiming to create new fracking standards http://ow.ly/jjR1y
• Illinois fracking bill drafted with help of environmental; industry groups delayed over union-backed hiring amendment http://ow.ly/jjTzt
• EPA announces formation of new panel to peer-review agency’s hydraulic fracturing research http://ow.ly/jq9Xk
• Large-scale frac sand mining operations could kick off soon in South Dakota, if mining companies get their way http://ow.ly/jqh6V
• Frac sand development provides Minnesota jobs, but state lawmakers caution against too rapid growth bit.ly/ZvXqRH
• Study Confirms: Largest Oklahoma Earthquake Linked to Oil Extraction Wastewater bit.ly/YEQ13d

Federal Budget -

• U.S. Senate passes its 1st budget in four years on 50-49 vote http://bit.ly/16T53Wt  (now on to unlikely reconciliation with House version)
• Reconciling the House and Senate-passed budget plans is probably impossible, and neither will be put into effect http://lat.ms/16T654O
• Senate's fiscal year 2014 spending bill provides detailed spending road map for US science agencies; summaries here: http://ow.ly/jqPv0

Events -  Information on all past and future events listed here can be viewed in the on-line calendar on this Blog page and here as a stand-alone calendar.

• Waters of Wisconsin Day; April 9, noon-8 PM CDT; Madison, Wisconsin and via live webcast http://ow.ly/jkvs0
• 2013 Missouri River Institute Research Symposium; April 4; 9 AM-4:30 PM, University of South Dakota, Vermillion http://ow.ly/jqIoz
• Mississippi River Commission posts notice of its upcoming lower Mississippi River public meetings: April 8-12 bit.ly/Yg7mQp (PDF)
• Free Webcast on newly-released “Draft National Rivers and Streams Assessment 2008-2009” April 3, 1-3 pm EDT 1.usa.gov/GB3KhT
• Illinois RiverWatch Citizen Scientist Program training workshops for new and trained volunteers; late March - April bit.ly/YCxlnp
• St. Charles, MO Missouri River Clean-up set for April 6; 9 AM - noon http://ow.ly/jxHdE

e-Newsletters, Publications and Journals -

• The Horinko Group March Newsletter focuses on Mississippi River lock and dam system; water infrastructure http://ow.ly/jraVB
• St. Croix River Association March 22 e-newsletter http://ow.ly/jkNZv
• US EPA's March issue of Watershed News is now on-line http://1.usa.gov/11BGnO
• Tulane Institute on Water Resources Law and Policy's March 25 WaterWays e-newsletter link here http://ow.ly/jcEII
• Weekly Newsletter from EPA's Office of Water: Water Headlines for March 26 http://ow.ly/jqTak

Other news-

• Mississippi River "Rivers for Change" paddling trip leads to more trips tying recreation with environmental education http://ow.ly/jjRPc
• Hennepin County (MN) Board of Commissioners is seeking applicants for a vacancy on the Lower Minnesota River Watershed District Board http://ow.ly/jjVot
• Kentucky environmental agency denies pending landfill permit for coal ash storage near Ohio River in Trimble County http://ow.ly/jkuhj
• National Fish and Wildlife Foundation and USDA-NRCS announce new Conservation Partners Program grant round http://ow.ly/jkxB2
• Illinois River Road National Scenic Byway mixes built and natural resources into a national treasure http://bit.ly/YzAYI2
• New congressional caucus and mayoral initiative put focus on Mississippi River bit.ly/ZycJJR
• McKnight Foundation awards multiple grants to organizations working for a sustainable Mississippi River bit.ly/YCy9IN
• IL Governor says Sister Rivers/Lakes agreements with overseas partners is way to discuss common challenges; concerns 1.usa.gov/ZXU9KM

Political Scene -

• U.S. Sen. Tim Johnson (D-SD) to retire, lifting GOP hopes in battle for Senate seat http://ow.ly/jq9IG
• Ashley Judd decides against US Senate (Kentucky) run bit.ly/Yg7Kyh

Last Word -
"Always look on the bright side of life." - Sung in Monty Python's "Life of Brian" by Eric Idle, who celebrates his birthday this Friday. And for the musically inclined, here is an audio-visual version of the Last Word from Sir Eric, sung at Royal Albert Hall with the London Philharmonic Orchestra and Chorus (from his "Always Look on the Bright Side of Life Sing-Along").

National Rivers and Streams Assessment Draft Report Released for Comment

The U.S. EPA Office of Water's Assessment and Watershed Protection Division announced on Monday (March 25) that it was releasing its draft report of the National Rivers and Streams Assessment 2008-2009 (NRSA) for public evaluation and comment during a 45-day comment period. The NRSA report describes the results of the nationwide survey of river and stream conditions that was conducted during the summers of 2008 and 2009, and also describes survey methods, and future actions and challenges. This is the first time a national monitoring study of the overall condition of rivers and streams has been conducted using a statistically-valid random sample approach.

Biological Condition by Ecological Region
(click to enlarge)

According to the draft NRSA, 55% of U.S. river and stream miles do not support healthy biological communities when compared to least disturbed sites in similar ecological regions. In the Mississippi River Basin, the Upper Midwest, Southern Appalachian and Coastal Plain ecoregions fared worse than the national average, while the Northern and Southern Plains came out better than the average. Nationally, "fair conditions" were observed in 23% of river and stream miles, and only 21% were found to be in "good condition" and supporting healthy aquatic biological communities. Of the stressors examined during the survey, phosphorus and nitrogen are the most ubiquitous, and biological communities were seen to be at increased risk when phosphorus and nitrogen levels were observed to be high.

Interested parties can link to the report on this National Rivers and Streams Assessment web site. The Federal Register notice announcing the report's release and and additional background on the topic can be viewed here. Comments on the NRSA must be received by 11:59 p.m. May 9, and can be sent by email to nrsa-hq@epa.gov.

UPDATED: White House Releases Updated Principles and Guidelines for Federal Water Projects; Implementation Schedule Uncertain

On Friday (March 22), the Obama Administration's Council on Environmental Quality (CEQ) released an updated version of the Principles and Guidelines (or "P&G") designed to "govern how Federal agencies evaluate proposed water resource development projects." The P&G, which have long been anticipated by the nation's water resource stakeholders, include a final set of Principles and Requirements that according to the CEQ lay out "broad principles to guide water investments, as well as draft Interagency Guidelines for implementing the Principles & Requirements." The Guidelines outline the "detailed methodology for conducting implementation studies under the new Principles and Requirements," according to the CEQ announcement. Links to both the Principles and Requirements and the draft Interagency Guidelines can be found under the "Resources" section of this CEQ web page.

The public will have an opportunity to comment on the draft Interagency Guidelines beginning on Wednesday, March 27 during a 60-day comment period. The CEQ indicates that the draft Guidelines will "incorporate feedback from the public and stakeholders before being finalized."  The Principles and Requirements are set to take effect 180 days after the publication of the final Interagency Guidelines.  The schedule for implementing the revised Principles and Standards in not at all certain, however.  This uncertainty is due in some part to a rider added at the last minute to the 2012 Fiscal Year federal appropriations bill that was effectively extended by the recently passed (Fiscal Year 2013) continuing resolution.  The rider would block the Army Corps of Engineers from implementing updates to the Principles and Guidelines.  The rider states in its entirety:
"Water Resources Principles and Guidelines. - No funds are provided for the line item proposed for Water Resources Principles and Guidelines, as this is considered a new start. No funds provided to the Corps shall be used to develop or implement rules or guidance if an update or replacement to the document dated March 10, 1983, and entitled "Economic and Environmental Principles and Guidelines for Water and Related Land Resources Implementation Studies" is finalized during the fiscal year period covered by the Energy and Water Development Act for 2012. The Corps shall continue to use the Water Resources Principles and Guidelines in effect as of the date of enactment of this Act during that same period."

In the Water Resources Development Act of 2007 (WRDA) Congress directed the Secretary of the Army to revise the P&G that had guided water resources project planning for the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Bureau of Reclamation, Natural Resources Conservation Service and the Tennessee Valley Authority since the early 1980s. The Obama Administration sought to update and expand the scope of the P&G (i.e., to cover all federal agencies that undertake water resource projects, not just the four agencies currently subject to the P&G).  As part of that effort, the CEQ released its "Proposed National Objectives, Principles and Standards for Water and Related Resources Implementation Studies" in December, 2009 (those Principles and Standards have more recently become known as the "Principles and Requirements").  The "Principles" portion of the Principles and Requirements are described in the P&G as the "overarching concepts the Federal government seeks to promote through Federal investments in water resources now and into the foreseeable future," and include:

• Healthy and Resilient Ecosystems
• Sustainable Economic Development
• Floodplains
• Public Safety
• Environmental Justice
• Watershed Approach

The CEQ received a considerable amount of comment on the standards it proposed in 2009, including a rather critical analysis submitted by the National Academy of Sciences (NAS). The NAS report from the National Research Council (NRC), along with supporting materials, can be found here.  The update released on Friday has been widely anticipated since the 2009 release and 2010 comment period, and is expected by most to have incorporated at least some of those public comments and NAS concerns.  In the version released on March 22, the Principles and Requirements now apply to the following agencies:

• Department of the Interior
• Department of Agriculture
• Department of Commerce
• Environmental Protection Agency
• Army Corps of Engineers
• Federal Emergency Management Agency
• Tennessee Valley Authority

In announcing the release of the updated P&G, CEQ Chair Nancy Sutley stated in a media release that "This much needed update of the 30-year-old Principles and Guidelines will help agencies better evaluate and expedite water projects that grow our economy and are essential for protecting our communities from floods, droughts, and storms."

The CEQ states that "the updated Principles and Requirements include a number of important changes that modernize the current approach to water resources development. They allow communities more flexibility to pursue local priorities; take a more comprehensive approach to water projects that maximizes economic, environmental, and recreational benefits; promote more transparent and informed decision-making across the Federal Government; and ensure responsible taxpayer investment through smart front-end planning so that projects proceed more quickly, stay on budget, and perform better."

Mississippi River Basin Water Resource News for the Week

~Virtual Newspaper for an Aquatic World~

Water Resources Development Act Moves Out of Senate Committee with Ease
Members of the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee used a perfunctory March 20 working session to unanimously pass its 2013 version of the Water Resources Development Act (S. 601) (known as "WRDA"), moving the bill on to the full Senate for anticipated action in late April or May.
The bill, crafted largely through negotiations between Committee Chair Barbara Boxer (D-CA) and Ranking Member David Vitter (R-LA), would authorize new flood protection, navigation and ecosystem restoration projects nationwide, while taking steps to reform the Army Corps of Engineers project planning and management processes. The bill now includes nine amendments added as a block (or en bloc), and a manager's amendment from the Chairwoman and Ranking Member. For more details on the bill, amendments and their future, see this blog update and links to additional news coverage, below.

Mississippi River Mayors and Legislators Announce New Congressional River Caucus and River Agenda

Mayors and legislators at Capitol Hill
press event (click to enlarge)

In a briefing centering on the job-creating potential and economic driving force of the Mississippi River, mayors and lawmakers from along the length of the River met on Capitol Hill on Thursday to formally announce a new Mississippi River Congressional Caucus, and the Mississippi River Cities and Towns Initiative's 2013 River-focused policy platform.  Sen. Tom Harkin (D-IA), and Reps. Stephen Fincher (R-TN), Rick Crawford (R-AR), Tim Walz (D-MN) and Ron Kind (D-WI) co-chair the newly formed, bicameral Mississippi River Congressional Caucus (along with Sen. Roy Blunt (R-MO), and gave introductory remarks in officially launching their bipartisan effort.

The announcement of the mayor's policy "platform to restore and sustain the Mississippi River" was moderated by the Initiative's co-chair, Dave Kleis, Mayor of St. Cloud, Minnesota. Including Kleis, seven of the eleven mayors at the event each presented one of seven corresponding priority issues, which range from directing limited Federal resources where they can be most effective to passage of a fiscally-sustainable Water Resources Development Act that addresses the way the Army Corps of Engineers manages water resources projects to a Farm Bill that contains a national sodsaver provision and links farmland conservation to receipt of Federal insurance subsidies. To read more event details, and a list of the mayors' priority issues, as well as link to a summary of the mayor's 2013 policy platform, see this article.

Notable @UpperMiss Twitter Postings for the Week  

Water Quality -

• NPR (Louisville): Water Advocates Discuss Dead Zone and Need for Stricter Water Standards http://ow.ly/j9tsn
• American Society of Civil Engineers 2013 Report Card for America’s Wastewater Infrastructure: "D" http://ow.ly/jf9QK
• Iowa Citizens for Community Improvement: Iowa hog farm bills would increase water pollution http://ow.ly/jiyRg

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

• National Research Council report: FEMA should look beyond levees to manage flood risk http://ow.ly/jgoJ4 (free webinar-info below under Events)
• ASCE 2013 Report Card for America’s Infrastructure: water/wastewater related grades all fall within the D to D-minus range http://ow.ly/jf9GF
• Louisiana Dems' bills would authorize Mississippi River dredging to minimum 50-foot depth from mouth to Baton Rouge http://ow.ly/j05w4
• Congressional trio (Sen. Durbin, Reps. Enyart & Davis) say bill would target weather's effects on Mississippi River http://ow.ly/j06zR
• Sen. Blunt places hold on EPA nominee, as deadline for resolving differences in Mississippi River St. Johns Bayou-New Madrid Floodway Project passes   http://ow.ly/jaETc and http://ow.ly/jdkeq
• Wisconsin PR story on "Mississippi River Navigation Concerns" (audio) http://ow.ly/jdf6q
• Sens. Boxer and Vitter file new Senate water resources development bill; expect Senate floor action in April or May http://ow.ly/jf4fI
• Sen Durbin (D-IL) addresses waterways council on need to upgrade Mississippi River infrastructure http://ow.ly/jf7K6
• Illinois Corn Growers Association President touts benefits of proposed Mississippi River Navigation Sustainment Act  http://ow.ly/jhi91

WRDA

• House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee bipartisan listening session with port stakeholders held on Thursday in WRDA ramp-up http://ow.ly/jf4Yj
• Amendments on invasive species, wetlands conservation and National Flood Insurance Program added to Senate WRDA bill passed by Committee http://ow.ly/jgp8n
• Senate Environment and Public Works Committee votes unanimously to approve a new Water Resources Development Act http://ow.ly/jhnpe

"When the Levee Breaks" by Led Zeppelin and New Orleans-Hurricane Katrina Photos

(in recognition of “Flood Safety Awareness Week”)

Farm Bill-

• Des Moines Register Letter to the editor: Conservation link needed to crop insurance aid http://ow.ly/j9JPJ
• Rep. Kristi Noem (R-SD): work on Farm Bill will begin once Congress finishes its budget work http://ow.ly/jcJj1
• With final spending bill now passed, the total FY 2013 cut to mandatory farm bill conservation is $562 million http://ow.ly/jjJnm

Agriculture -

• USDA Deputy Secretary Kathleen Merrigan - a strong advocate of local and organic food - to resign in May http://ow.ly/iZTNP
• President’s Council of Economic Advisers report includes chapter on Challenges and Opportunities in U.S. Agriculture http://ow.ly/j9bBx
• Days of promise fade for bioethanol industry in nation's Corn Belt http://ow.ly/j9TLg
• Economists and banking regulators warn that current farmland price boom, like so many before it, could end badly http://ow.ly/jcJGI
• Nebraska’s agricultural land markets remain strong, with an overall increase of 25 percent in the last year http://ow.ly/jjKdw
• USDA will trim direct subsidy payments to 350,000 farmers by about $152 million to comply with sequestration http://ow.ly/jf5Xx
• 11 lawmakers send letter to House Appropriations Committee leadership requesting livestock disaster program funding http://ow.ly/jf6vW
• House Energy and Commerce Committee plans to ‘review all aspects’ of the renewable fuels standard http://ow.ly/jf7hH
• U.S. House leaders urge colleague support of sodsaver legislation; send “Dear Colleague” letter http://ow.ly/jhjtn
• American Farmland Trust’s national survey of land trusts re: protecting farm and ranch land completed; results here: http://ow.ly/jjLo1

Climate and Weather -

U.S. Drought Monitor Map
Click to Enlarge

• Above-average rainfall needed in U.S. Midwest and Great Plains to replenish drought-parched  soil http://ow.ly/jhnFu
• Here is the latest NOAA/NWS/NCEP/Climate Prediction Center drought update: http://droughtmonitor.unl.edu/
• NOAA: U.S. drought may persist from California to Texas while improving slightly in the Great Plains http://ow.ly/jjKt7
• NPR: About a dozen Wisconsin communities have created task forces to address regional symptoms of climate change http://ow.ly/iZUk9
• USDA 193-page report: Climate change will hurt crops and livestock in Arkansas; nationwide http://ow.ly/ja3Gv
• USDA's NRCS helps to mitigate drought impacts with good drought plans and conservation systems http://ow.ly/jcFfV
• Crop insurance indemnities have risen to nearly $16 billion for 2012 crop year; rising in the wake of the drought http://ow.ly/jcJuh
• With little relief expected, USDA urges farmers and ranchers to prepare for dry spring http://ow.ly/jf7ut
• U of Illinois report shows that Midwest was hit hardest in terms of 2012's drought and crop insurance loss experience ow.ly/jf73b

In the Cities -

• Minneapolis planning and pollution control agencies want to reclaim brownfield sites along Mississippi River http://ow.ly/j9Pbg
• St. Louis Metro area "Great Rivers Greenway" new infographic: "The Power of our Greenways" http://ow.ly/jdfCy
• St. Louis Mayor Slay, other mayors, demand more federal focus on Mississippi River http://ow.ly/jhhSn
• Mississippi River mayors call for more River dam and lock funding http://ow.ly/jjGJw
• Mayors from communities along the Mississippi River press for Federal River focus http://ow.ly/jjH3c
• Mississippi River mayors want to work with federal lawmakers to sharpen the national focus on the waterway http://ow.ly/jjUGS
• Mississippi River drinking water source not an easy sell to the Twin Cities' east metro suburbs http://ow.ly/jcF4R

Biodiversity, Wildlife and Invasives -

• Research: Asian carp reproductive habits more adaptable than previously thought-news: http://ow.ly/jhjU5 abstract-http://ow.ly/jhkA8
• Study: Asian carp spawn in more river areas than previously known, showing 
• their adaptability http://ow.ly/jiuHm
• Over 100 people alleged to have illegally trafficked in Missouri paddlefish and their eggs for production of caviar http://ow.ly/iZSig
• Biologists report record-level trout numbers in Upper Missouri River http://ow.ly/jhitA
• Audubon Society's "Top 40" U.S. birding trails list includes places in AR, OK, LA and the Great River Birding Trail http://ow.ly/jizG5

Gulf Coastal Region-

• Response continues at Louisiana bayou fire site south of New Orleans, after a tug and barge collide with pipeline http://ow.ly/j9sI7
• Report: most recent Mississippi River freshwater diversions have not slowed the ongoing loss of Louisiana’s wetlands http://ow.ly/j9O0q
• NOAA releases draft damage assessment and restoration plan for 2005 barge oil spill in Gulf of Mexico federal waters http://ow.ly/jf3KI

Resource Extraction -

• Ohio drillers report using nearly three times as many surface water withdrawal facilities for water sources so far in 2013 http://ow.ly/j9UuA
• University of Tennessee wins approval from state commission for its hydraulic fracturing plan on U of TN forest land http://ow.ly/j9Qoo
• Some US energy companies; environmental groups agree on voluntary standards for hydraulic fracturing in PA, WV & OH http://ow.ly/jiyrP
• Report: rural KY residents near mountaintop mining sites at significantly higher risk of cancer death; other disease http://ow.ly/j9SVP
• State Senate committee rejects Tennessee mountaintop coal mining ban http://ow.ly/jiwi0

Federal Budget -

• Senate passes Fiscal Year 2013 bill to avoid shutdown, starts work on budget http://ow.ly/jgo8Q
• Congress approves a short-term government funding measure for remainder of Fiscal Year 2013; turns sights to 2014 http://ow.ly/jirWr
• Fiscal Year 2013 spending bill will spare a lucky few programs from sequestration cuts http://ow.ly/jf23n
• U.S. Senate appears set to approve its first budget resolution (for Fiscal Year 2014) in four years http://ow.ly/jjCDQ
• House approves Budget Committee Chairman Paul Ryan's 2014 budget plan in a 221-207 vote http://ow.ly/jjEeu
• Trying to reconcile Senate's and House's two future budget visions will consume Washington in coming months http://ow.ly/jjJSs
• Behind the scenes GOP congressional leaders' discussions have moved on to the looming debt ceiling fight with Obama http://ow.ly/jf6h6

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

• March 26 webinar on new NRC report: Levees and the National Flood Insurance Program: Improving Policies and Practices http://ow.ly/jivf1
• NOAA’s National Weather Service has designated March 18-22 as Flood Safety Awareness Week http://ow.ly/j8SpT
• Mississippi River Gulf of Mexico Hypoxia Task Force Public Meeting; April 18, Louisville, Kentucky ow.ly/jaGiZ
• MO Dept of Conservation sets March 23 for annual cleanup at Missouri and Mississippi rivers' confluence (4 locations) http://ow.ly/jcLtq
• U.S. agriculture industry celebrates the 40th anniversary of National Ag Day - March 19; National Ag Day web site: http://ow.ly/jdg3s
• America’s Grasslands Conference; August 12-14 in Manhattan, Kansas http://ow.ly/jeZnb call for presentations: http://ow.ly/jeZv1
• Water Infrastructure Summit, Washington, DC; April 16; re: economic need for resilient water infrastructure systems http://ow.ly/jf0bl
• March 21 is recognized as the International Day of Forests, to celebrate the importance of all types of forests http://ow.ly/jhiOf

e-Newsletters, Publications and Journals -

• Tulane Institute on Water Resources Law and Policy's March 18 WaterWays e-newsletter link here http://ow.ly/jcEII
• New Council for Agricultural Science and Technology paper: Food, Fuel, and Plant Nutrient Use in the Future http://ow.ly/jcMRd
• Weekly Newsletter from EPA's Office of Water: Water Headlines http://ow.ly/jdpHw
• Water Environment Federation e-newsletter http://ow.ly/jf15D
• American Farmland Trust March e-newsletter http://ow.ly/jiwvN

Other news-

• Illinois outdoors: "Tripping down the Illinois River Road" http://ow.ly/iZgrK
• Activists hope to draw attention to Mississippi River pollution by walking its entire length http://ow.ly/j8XeD
• Gulf Restoration Network blog on The Mississippi River Collaborative http://ow.ly/jcEvQ
• Army Corps may have to pay overtime at its 6 Missouri River dam power plants to cover for sequestration-furloughed staff http://ow.ly/jipwR

Political Scene -

• Conservative groups argue that new poll shows Sen. Mark Pryor (D-AR) is vulnerable in 2014 race http://ow.ly/jf3t3
• Widely expected inside the Senate that Mississippi Sen. Thad Cochran will be the next GOP senator to retire http://ow.ly/jhnkV
• Democrat Rob Zerban may run again against Republican Rep. Paul Ryan in Wisconsin for U.S. house seat http://ow.ly/jiwZO
• Energy and Natural Resources Committee votes to move Sally Jewell Interior Secretary nomination to Senate floor http://ow.ly/jjMF1

Last Word -

Sen. Tom A. Coburn (R-OK)

"Washington is dysfunctional, but it's dysfunctional in a dysfunctional way." - Sen. Tom Coburn (R-OK), in a March 10 Meet the Press interview.