Hello From Chicago . . . There's No Place Like Home

USDA NRCS Chief Jason Weller
Addressing NCER 13 Plenary Session

Hello from the Chicago, Illinois region and the Fifth National Conference on Ecosystem Restoration, where the theme of the week is "The Spirit of Cooperation."  It has been a week filled with thought-provoking and professionally-delivered presentations on restoration, and has provided ample opportunity to network with friends, government officials, contractors, scholars and others.   The presentation abstracts and PowerPoint slides will be available on the NCER web site soon, for those interested in mining the rich store of information presented at the conference.

In the meantime, here are the "top ten" take-away lessons from this year's conference.  Or here, at least, are the overarching themes that I heard emerging among the hundreds of talks, panel discussions and poster-presentations.*

Dorothy in "The Wizard of Oz"

1. The key step in any successful ecosystem restoration effort is when people say, "This place is really important to us." Then they care.  Then they take responsibility for the place's protection and restoration.  Then they become accountable.
2. Despite all of the talk of public-private partnerships and conservation through cooperation (well-warranted talk), a surprisingly large number of people still look first, often or always to the Federal government to fund, require and catalyze restoration.
3. History demonstrates that Federal funding, requiring and catalyzing are not at all the primary components of successful ecosystem restoration, and oftentimes not as important as has been suggested.
4. People physically close to the ecosystem in question (the wetland, river, lake, forest, prairie or wherever) view restoration as a "place" issue, as in "my place has been harmed."  People in more distant locations tend to view restoration as a "pollution" issue, as in "pollution or damage has occurred."  
5. That difference in perspective is nuanced but important.  The two flow from and tap into different values.  And values drive commitment to and accountability for action.
6. Economic and ecologic issues are two sides of the same restoration coin, and both speak to "place" at their root (derived, as they are, from the Greek "oikos," meaning "home"). 
7. It's all about relationships in the end (and at the beginning and throughout).
8. Voluntary, private actions often work.
9. Regulatory-driven actions sometimes work, too.
10. Dorothy was right.  "There's no place like home."

* Heard, that is, through the filter of a small-town boy who grew up to be a systems ecologist and somehow landed in Washington, DC.

Capitol Hill This Week - What to Watch For

Below are the U.S. House and Senate activities currently scheduled this week that relate to Mississippi River Basin natural 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).  All times are Eastern, except for the Monday field hearing.

Monday (field hearing):

• House Natural Resources Subcommittee on Water and Power oversight field hearing on “Stopping Federal Land and Water Grabs: Protecting Property Rights from Washington, DC Edicts;”  1:00 PM CDT; Theater of the West Plains Civic Center, 110 St. Louis St., in West Plains, Missouri 

Tuesday

• Senate Energy and Natural Resources Public Lands, Forests and Mines Subcommittee hearing to receive testimony on a variety of public lands bills, including S. 1294, to designate as wilderness certain public land in the Cherokee National Forest (Tennessee); and S. 1300, to amend the Healthy Forests Restoration Act of 2003 to provide for the conduct of stewardship end result contracting projects; 10:00 AM; room SD-366 Dirksen Senate Office Building 

Wednesday

• House Appropriations Committee's markup of the fiscal 2014 Interior and Environment spending bill; 10:30 AM; room 2359 Rayburn House Office Building
• Senate Energy and Natural Resources National Parks Subcommittee hearing to receive testimony on a variety of National Parks bills, including S. 1151, to reauthorize the America's Agricultural Heritage Partnership (Iowa); S. 1339, to reauthorize the Ohio & Erie Canal National Heritage Canalway; and S. 1328, to authorize the Secretary of the Interior to conduct a special resource study of the archaeological site and surrounding land of the New Philadelphia town site (Illinois); 2:30 PM; room SD-366 Dirksen Senate Office Building

Thursday

• House Natural Resources Committee oversight hearing on “Transparency and Sound Science Gone Extinct?: The Impacts of the Obama Administration's Closed-Door Settlements on Endangered Species and People;” 10:00 AM; room 1324 Longworth House Office Building
• Senate Judiciary Subcommittee on Oversight, Federal Rights and Agency Action hearing on "Justice Delayed: The Human Cost of Regulatory Paralysis;” 2:00 PM; Room 226 of the Dirksen Senate Office Building (this hearing is noteworthy in that it is the inaugural hearing for this new subcommittee, and this Senate subcommittee may in the end serve to blunt House GOP measures that would limit Federal regulations coming out of the House)

Mississippi River Basin Water Resource News of the Week

~Virtual Newspaper for an Aquatic World~

This Week and Next
Formal activity regarding the farm bill floundered this past week, as House leaders pondered how to go about addressing the nutrition title that was stripped out of its version of the bill but is included in the Senate version.  According to House Agriculture Committee Chairman Frank Lucas (R-OK), either the House will move to address nutrition legislatively relatively soon, or the chamber will need to decide formally to conference with the Senate, anyway.  In a word, the situation is "fluid."  And it's "murky."  Okay, that's two words, but you get the idea.  You can read more under the "Farm Bill" heading, below, and see the latest farm bill update here.  Elsewhere this week, the House moved two 2014 spending bills in committees that contain restrictive environmental riders and steep cuts to environmental and natural resource programs.  But in the end they will mean little, as Congress appears to be headed toward a September budgetary showdown and a likely Continuing Resolution (see, "Federal Budget," below).

Next week should be a fairly lightweight one legislatively on Capitol Hill, with only a few oversight and public lands and parks hearings scheduled (see our Mississippi Basin-related listing here).  Many eyes will be firmly fixed on the August calendar and the upcoming five-week Congressional recess (officially beginning August 6, but effectively starting August 2).

USGS Briefing Describes How Health of Nation’s Streams Is Being Degraded

On July 19, over 80 attendees heard of new U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) findings regarding the ecological health of the Nation’s streams during a public briefing at the U.S. Capitol.  USGS National Water Quality Assessment (NAWQA) Program and state representatives used the occasion to describe the results and implications of a national assessment on stream health, emphasizing the degradation of the nation's streams that the assessment cataloged, the importance of evaluating various stream health indicator and stress factors, and the implications the study findings have for establishing protection and restoration goals and priorities.  To see a recap of the briefing and its highlights, and for other study resources, follow this link to the study web page, and visit this briefing summary article. 

Notable @UpperMiss Twitter Postings for the Week

Water Quality -

• GOP grills nominee for U.S. EPA's water office, Ken Kopocis, during Senate Committee hearing http://ow.ly/nh25J
• Senate EPW Committee Chair seeks speedy vote on EPA nominees but faces GOP concerns over water office http://ow.ly/nh5se
• Lawsuit could test the Scope of the Clean Water Act permit exemptions for agriculture ow.ly/ncIwH
• The Gazette (IA) editorial: "Awash in ‘nutrients’" If voluntary measures won't work look for tougher EPA talk and mandates ow.ly/nfprU
• Iowa State University Extension agricultural engineer talks about ways to reduce nitrate losses ow.ly/nfoLS
• Iowa Ag Secretary: regulating fertilizer application would make landowners miserable; not improve water quality  http://ow.ly/nh7SU and http://ow.ly/njblg
• Southeast Indiana Soil and Water Conservation Districts Breaking New Ground in Water Quality Trading ow.ly/nfox2
• Oklahomans in conflict over extent of water pollution caused by coal industry ow.ly/ncLg0
• Groups push EPA for strict treatment options in upcoming coal- and steam-fired power sector effluent limitation guidelines http://ow.ly/nh6fE
• Report: Water pollution permits for most coal-fired power plants lack heavy metal, other toxin discharge limits http://ow.ly/ngZ8o
• Office of Surface Mining director, Republicans spar over stream protection rule during contentious House hearing http://ow.ly/ngZEx
• EPA releases new National Stormwater Calculator to help inform land-use decisions, reduce stormwater runoff pollution http://ow.ly/nhtZf
• Minneapolis area beaches close Wednesday after tests reveal unsafe levels of E. coli bacteria http://ow.ly/njvQ7

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

• Mississippi River will fall rapidly over next seven to 10 days, from 36 feet to about 21 feet in Vicksburg, MS area http://ow.ly/nluzb
• News coverage: Army Corps releases review of hotly-contested Mississippi River levee project (in Missouri) ow.ly/nemXi

  

  St. Johns Bayou – New
  Madrid Floodway Area
  

  
  

• Army Corps releases long-awaited draft St. John's Bayou-New Madrid Floodway project environmental impact statement ow.ly/nemGW (Army Corps' web site)
• Louisiana agency sues 97 oil companies for allegedly damaging numerous sensitive wetlands http://ow.ly/njxvC  http://ow.ly/njwA4   http://ow.ly/njx5s  http://ow.ly/njxhn
• Republican senators suggest Obama administration is purposefully overstating benefits of proposed cooling water rules ow.ly/nekMS
• EPA seeks Endangered Species Act review of pending cooling water rule on power plant, industrial facility intakes ow.ly/ncJ7s
• Corps of Engineers moves closer to decision on how to 'armor' New Orleans area levees ow.ly/nehk1
• World’s biggest reinsurer calls for investment in better prevention measures in flood-prone areas, flood planning ow.ly/ncDcs
• H2O Partners "Getting to Know Flood Reform" 19-minute video overview of 2012 Biggert-Waters Flood Insurance Reform Act http://ow.ly/njTmq
• Environmental groups sue to halt 47-mile Illiana Expressway project (IL & IN) near Midewin National Tallgrass Prairie http://ow.ly/nk1d4

Farm Bill-

• Democrats wary of House Majority Leader Cantor's farm bill plan; while Speaker Boehner works to reassure key players http://ow.ly/nlpH6
• Senate Agriculture Chairwoman announces seven Democrats picked for farm bill conference committee with House http://ow.ly/nlsi6
• "Perspectives on the 2013 Farm Bill" - new essay series by agriculture and rural America leaders from Farm Foundation http://ow.ly/nj4qg
• House Agriculture Committee Chairman Lucas (R-OK) speculates during interview on prospects for farm bill conferencing http://ow.ly/nj5Bw
• The next steps in the farm bill debate are no clearer than earlier efforts have been http://ow.ly/ngSgk
• House Majority Leader Cantor vague on process for Continuing Resolution, farm bill conference ow.ly/n9nxF
• Conservative groups' lobbying efforts have been unable to reduce congressional support for farm programs ow.ly/nelEC
• House GOP leaders still determining if nutrition funding and reform bill can be passed separate from farm bill ow.ly/neiSw
• National Journal Online: “Farm Bill’s Roots in Old Laws Should Be Sustained” ow.ly/ncChe
• Senators of both parties are rejecting removal of food-stamp funding from a multiyear farm bill ow.ly/ncBO2
• Divided House GOP can't agree on food stamp bill, dimming hopes for a pre-August farm bill conference with Senate ow.ly/ncBlY

Agriculture -

• Two nominees to fill top Agriculture Department positions receive Senate Agriculture Committee plaudits at hearing http://ow.ly/nh2vW
• Senate Agriculture, Nutrition and Forestry Committee approves 2 top USDA post nominations; sends on for full Senate vote http://ow.ly/nlroj
• Bioethanol mandate’s squeeze on corn is starting to worry some Senate Democrats http://ow.ly/ngTsQ
• Iowa - the "king of corn" state - will have to import corn this year to meet livestock and bioethanol demands http://ow.ly/nj6g7
• Renewable Fuel Standard critics: corn ethanol preempts advanced biofuels, is more polluting than gasoline, drives up food, feed costs http://ow.ly/nj6PM (link to House hearing page, with testimony: http://ow.ly/nj6V9
• Corn growers square off against ethanol foes in House Energy and Commerce Subcommittee hearing http://ow.ly/njaEL
• House Republicans express doubts over Renewable Fuel Standard repeal push at hearing; seek to forge reform consensus http://ow.ly/nk20y
• Report: Wild relatives of food crops have a potential worldwide value of $196 billion ow.ly/nfq6T
• Coalition of farmers asks federal regulators to further scrutinize Monsanto Co.'s new soybean and cotton offerings ow.ly/ncNqk
• Kansas court hearing set for airborne photographer stem from "ag-gag" law charges re: agricultural operations ow.ly/ncMVf
• Nature magazine: Microbiologists try to work out whether antibiotic use on farms fuels epidemic of drug-resistant bacteria http://ow.ly/njva8
• USDA to place 1.7 million acres into conservation land easements under 45th Conservation Reserve Program sign-up ow.ly/nejbJ

Climate and Weather -

July U.S. Seasonal Drought Outlook
(click to enlarge)

July 23 U.S. Drought Monitor Map
(click to enlarge)

• NOAA: Midwest, Lower Mississippi Valley precipitation deficits build over past 30-90 days; Plains drought eases a bit http://ow.ly/njdVC
• NOAA Climate Connection June monthly e-newsletter ow.ly/ncEAQ
• NOAA's Climate Prediction Center begins issuing monthly drought outlook at end of each month ow.ly/ncEbv

Biodiversity, Wildlife and Invasives -

Emerald Ash Borer

• House Natural Resources subcommittee holds hearing on two bills to combat the spread of  invasive Asian carp - News article: http://ow.ly/nltKd  Library of Congress pages for two bills: H.R. 358 and H.R. 709
• Invasive Asian carp turning up dead by the hundreds on Missouri River in MO, SD and NE http://ow.ly/nlv0h
• Invasive Emerald Ash Borer confirmed in a second Iowa location; quarantine to be issued by state ow.ly/neoqO
• Minnesota agricultural officials increase invasive plant eradication efforts due to environmental, health worries http://ow.ly/njwfC
• Spending bill would ban Interior Department from creating new national wildlife refuges without Congressional consent ow.ly/nemax
• Proposed House bill would permanently extend tax relief for landowners who donate lands for conservation ow.ly/nelU9
• New class of pesticides may be at the root of bee, bat and amphibian die-offs ow.ly/ncM0A
• Iowa Department of Natural Resources plans osprey releases in two locations http://ow.ly/njbfg
• White House Council on Environmental Quality: Obama administration releases 2013 Asian Carp Control Strategy http://ow.ly/nk7q5
• Fish and Wildlife Service extends Endangered Species Act protection to West Virginia fish threatened by mining, drilling http://ow.ly/nlrcX

In the States-

• Head of Oklahoma's Department of Environmental Quality plans to retire on October 1 http://ow.ly/nh0R1
• Minnesota Pollution Control Agency concludes 65 second quarter enforcement cases; nearly 30% stormwater runoff-related http://ow.ly/njgNL

Gulf Coastal Region-

• Louisiana Coastal Master Plan calls for reintroducing Mississippi River sediment, freshwater into historic floodplain ow.ly/ncF6O

Forestry-

• October event to highlight developments in Minnesota's forests and forestry over the past five years; look to future ow.ly/nelcC

Resource Extraction -

• State regulators are weighing options for promulgating best practices for hydraulic fracturing operations http://ow.ly/n7GBk
• DOE study in Ohio River Basin indicates that fracking chemicals didn't migrate; taint water supply aquifers ow.ly/negEV
• Wisconsin sand mine developers: "We intend to be great" corporate citizen ow.ly/ncNLY
• House Republicans revive efforts to prevent Interior Department from toughening mountaintop coal mining restrictions http://ow.ly/nlpoJ

Federal Budget -

• GOP House appropriators discuss potential terms for stopgap funding bill  to keep government working past September http://ow.ly/ngTLt
• House Republican budget strategy collapsing as members struggle to meet Budget Committee spending caps ow.ly/new3k
• House cuts $2.8 Billion from EPA funding; places regulatory-blocking riders in Fiscal Year 2014 spending bill ow.ly/neo4d
• House subcommittee approves $24.3 billion fiscal 2014 natural resources spending bill that zeroes out many conservation programs http://ow.ly/nh1k5
• House GOP natural resources spending bill contains new round of deep cuts to environment, wildlife programs ow.ly/neklq
• House subcommittee approves natural resources spending bill after key Democratic appropriator walks out of session http://ow.ly/nh0uX

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

• Public meetings to be held by Mississippi River Commission during August from LaCross, WI to Morgan City, LA http://ow.ly/n7Ewe
• Chi–Cal Rivers Fund kick-off event August 7; 2:30 PM CDT, Chicago, IL http://ow.ly/nhTu5
• World Water Week; September 1-6; Stockholm, Sweden http://ow.ly/nkgCC

e-Newsletters, Publications and Journals -

• Institute for Agriculture and Trade Policy, July, 2013 e-newsletter ow.ly/nevE7
• The Horinko Group July 2013 "sustainabulletin" ow.ly/ncOvq
• Minnesota Pollution Control Agency's July River Connections e-newsletter covers many River basin protection issues http://ow.ly/njP88

Other news-

Department of the Interior "Streamer" Mapping Tool

• New Streamer tool maps thousands of connections among U.S. rivers; here is Mississippi River Basin example: ow.ly/ncFSb
• Reps. Mike Thompson and Jim Gerlach hold press conference, introduce bill to "incentivize conservation" http://ow.ly/nhW5h
• House passes (265-155) Coal Residuals Reuse and Management Act; would block EPA from regulating coal ash as hazardous http://ow.ly/nk0hC and http://ow.ly/njOzV
• Newly-released St. Croix River State Water Trail virtual tour ow.ly/ncDVh
• 1 Mississippi campaign announces new history page to give "taste of [region's] incredible historical opportunities" http://ow.ly/ngXek
• Chi–Cal Rivers Fund launched to promote restoration an health of the Chicago and Calumet River watersheds http://ow.ly/nhTu5
• USDA ERS: "Food insecurity increased in most states over the last decade" http://ow.ly/nj5QK (highest increases in five Mississippi River Basin states)
• One week into her tenure, new U.S. EPA Administrator Gina McCarthy reshuffles top managers http://ow.ly/nls4i

Political Scene -

• Sen. Tammy Baldwin (D-WI) appointed to choice seats on three Senate Energy and Natural Resources subcommittees http://ow.ly/njacV
• WSJ/NBC poll of U.S. adults puts congressional disapproval at all-time high: 83% http://ow.ly/nj8Q4 (results: http://ow.ly/nj8X8)
• Iowa and Minnesota Republicans included in the Roll Call's list of seven "most dysfunctional state parties" http://ow.ly/ngYnE
• POLITICO analysis of evidence exposes holes in GOP claims of ideological biases at the Environmental Protection Agency ow.ly/ncKX8
• Midland University President Ben Sasse (R) files paperwork to run for Nebraska US Senate seat http://ow.ly/ngNbP
• DSCC memo: Democrats fully expect to compete in West Virginia, Montana, and South Dakota US Senate races http://ow.ly/ngXPi
• Rand Paul (R-KY) in "tough spot" in 2014 Kentucky US Senate race http://ow.ly/nj4WJ
• Minnesota businessman Scott Van Binsbergen (R) eyeing 2014 bid against U.S. Rep. Collin Peterson (D-MN-7) http://ow.ly/nj79y
• Former Rep. Bobby Schilling (R) to attempt comeback in 2014 against Rep. Cheri Bustos (D-IL-17), reprising 2012 race  http://ow.ly/nj7w7
• 2014 Louisiana Senate race shaping up to be very competitive, as GOP attempts to unseat Sen. Landrieu (D-LA) http://ow.ly/nj9Le

Last Word - "We went into battle thinking they were on our side, and we find out they’re shooting at us." - Rep. Mick Mulvaney (R-SC), speaking of the conservative think-tank, the Heritage Foundation, an its advocacy arm (Heritage Action).  Mulvaney is a conservative who urged splitting the food stamp programs (or SNAP) into a separate measure from the farm bill in hopes of enacting changes to SNAP. Mulvaney added that Heritage Action's refusal to back the farm bill even after SNAP funding was removed "undermines the credibility of the organization."

USGS Briefing Describes How Health of Nation’s Streams Is Being Degraded

On July 19, over 80 attendees heard of new U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) findings regarding the ecological health of the Nation’s streams during a public briefing at the U.S. Capitol.  USGS  National Water Quality Assessment (NAWQA) Program and state environmental agency representatives used the occasion to describe the results and implications of a national assessment on stream health, emphasizing the degradation of the nation's streams that the assessment cataloged, the importance of evaluating various stream health indicator and stress factors, and the implications the study findings have for establishing protection and restoration goals and priorities.

Among the key study findings noted at the briefing by Daren Carlise, Ecology Studies Coordinator for the NAWQA Program, were:

• 83 percent of assessed streams across the country exhibited some degradation, as indicated by at least one altered biological community.
• Assessments of stream health that are limited to the evaluation of a single biological community are likely to underestimate the impacts of land and water use on the health of the stream. 
• Annual high or low stream flows were modified in 86 percent of the assessed streams.  Natural fluctuations of flows are critical to stream health because they build and maintain physical habitats, influence physical and chemical characteristics of water, and provide important life-stage cues for aquatic organisms.
• Stream health is often reduced because of multiple factors, including increased temperatures, nutrient pollution or pesticide pollution.
• Understanding the interacting natural and human factors that influence aquatic communities is essential to implementing effective management strategies and protecting stream health.

The PowerPoint presentations from the briefing have been posted on the NAWQA "Ecological Health in the Nation's Streams" web site.  That NAWQA report page also has direct links to the report, itself, along with links to a Fact Sheet, Press Release and Frequently Asked Questions.   A full video of the proceedings will be made available on-line within the next several weeks.

The briefing was moderated by Bill Wilber, Chief of the NAWQA Program, and speakers included not only Carlisle, but also David McKinney, Chief of Environmental Services, Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency, and Peter Ode, Director, Water Pollution Control Laboratory, California Department of Fish and Wildlife. 

The event was co-sponsored by Sen. Benjamin Cardin (D-MD), and Reps. Donna Edwards (D-4-MD) and Jim Moran (D-8-VA), and was held in cooperation with the USGS Office of Water Quality and NAWQA Program. Rep. Edwards welcomed the  attendees at the beginning of the briefing, stressing the importance of USGS research in providing a foundation for urban, green infrastructure and agricultural mitigation activities in large watersheds.  The event was co-hosted by the Northeast-Midwest Institute and the Water Environment Federation.

For more information or questions regarding the survey scope or results, you can visit this NAWQA project Internet site, or contact Bill Wilber at wgwilber@usgs.gov or 703-648-6878.

Capitol Hill This Week - What to Watch For

Below is a listing of activities currently scheduled this week in the U.S. House and Senate that relate to Mississippi River Basin natural 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). All times are Eastern.

Tuesday

• House Committee on Energy and Commerce hearing - overview of the Renewable Fuel Standard: Stakeholder Perspectives; 9:45 AM; room 2123 Rayburn House Office Building 
• House Appropriations Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies Subcommittee markup of fiscal 2014 Interior and EPA appropriations bill; 10:00 AM, room B-308 Rayburn House Office Building
• Senate Environment and Public Works Committee hearing on three EPA nominations, including the nomination of Kenneth Kopocis to be Assistant Administrator for the Office of Water; 10:00 AM, room 406 Dirksen Senate Office Building
• Senate Agriculture, Nutrition and Forestry Committee hearing on two USDA nominations  - Krysta Harden and Robert Bonnie for Deputy Secretary of Agriculture and Under Secretary of Agriculture for Natural Resources and Environment, respectively; 10:30 AM, room 328-A Russell Senate Office Building

Wednesday

• House Joint Economic Committee hearing on America's crumbling infrastructure; 9:30 AM, location TBD
• House Natural Resources Committee markup of public lands bills, including S. 304, from Sen. Thad Cochran (R-MS) that would transfer federal land along the Natchez Trace Parkway to the state of Mississippi; 10:00 AM, 1324 Longworth House Office Building
• House Science Space and Technology Energy and Environment Subcommittees'  hearing on EPA's investigations of hydraulic fracturing; 10:00 AM, room 2318 Rayburn House Office Building

Thursday

• House Natural Resources Subcommittee on Fisheries, Wildlife, Oceans and Insular Affairs legislative hearing on several bills, including: H.R. 358 (McCollum), To direct the United States Fish and Wildlife Service, in coordination with the Army Corps of Engineers, the National Park Service, and the United States Geological Survey, to lead a multiagency effort to slow the spread of Asian Carp in the Upper Mississippi and Ohio River basins and tributaries, and for other purposes. “Strategic Response to Asian Carp Invasion Act.” And H.R. 709 (Ellison), To authorize the Secretary of the Army to take actions to manage the threat of Asian carp traveling up the Mississippi River in the State of Minnesota, and for other purposes. “Upper Mississippi Conservation and River Protection Act of 2013.” 10:00 AM; 1324 Longworth House Office Building
• Senate Energy and Natural Resources Subcommittee on Water and Power hearing on aging U.S. water infrastructure; 2:30 PM, room 366 Dirksen Senate Office Building

Mississippi River Basin Water Resource News of the Week

~Virtual Newspaper for an Aquatic World~

Farm Bill Heading Toward House-Senate Conference Committee

The House on Tuesday sent its version of the farm bill to the Senate for its consideration, almost a week after narrowly passing the pared-back measure (after Republican leaders stripped out the nutrition title).  That was the initial step in a process that should lead to the formation of a conference committee tasked with attempting to reconcile the House bill with a Senate-passed version.  The Senate responded on Thursday by amending the House bill, inserting the text of the Senate-passed version in lieu of the House language.  The Senate then formally requested a conference with the House on the bill, and authorized the appointment of conferees to the conference committee.

The most glaring difference between the two measures is the absence in the House bill of the nutrition title, which authorizes, among other programs, the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (or "SNAP"), commonly known as food stamps.  In addition to the SNAP differences, the House's version would do away with the "permanent law" provisions that revert farm bill policy back to the original (1938 and 1949) farm bill language once a current farm bill’s authority lapses. The threat of reverting to the permanent law is effectively a hammer that has been kept in place over the years to make sure Congress does not simply let the farm bill expire.  The House bill also cuts deeper into conservation program funding than the Senate bill, and would not require farmers to meet conservation requirements to receive federal subsidies for crop insurance (the Senate bill does).  To read the latest summary of prospects for reconciling the two bills and for an overview of the conference committee process, see here, and also see the numerous media articles, below, under the "Farm Bill" heading.

House Passes Energy and Water Spending Bill Setting Up Showdown With Senate
Last week, following two days of debate, the House passed its version of the Energy and Water Development and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, H.R. 2609 on a roll call vote of 227 - 198. The spending bill provides funding for, among other agencies, the Army Corps of Engineers. Total funding for the Army Corps was reduced to $4.676 billion, compared to the $4.98 billion appropriated during fiscal year 2013 and the  $4.726 billion requested in the President's fiscal year 2014 budget proposal. A  political showdown now looms between the House and the Senate and their respective spending bills over a contentious Clean Water Act jurisdiction provision in the House bill and also over the amount of funding authorized by the respective measures; the Senate bill would spend $4 billion more than is provided by the House-passed bill.   To read more details on how the measures might impact the Mississippi River Basin, see this article.

Notable @UpperMiss Twitter Postings for the Week

Water Quality -

• Minnesota Pollution Control Agency: hot temperatures create environment ripe for harmful algae growing in state lakes http://ow.ly/n0IIj
• U.S. Geological Survey National Water-Quality Assessment Program releases national assessment of stream health report http://ow.ly/mXWNy
• Growers press FDA to drop planned requirement for irrigation water to meet EPA's water quality criteria for bacteria http://ow.ly/mYZRq
• NPR: Heavy rains send Iowa's precious soil downriver http://ow.ly/mZ5iS
• New Orleans is taking steps to use rainwater to help residents, the environment and the city http://ow.ly/n0rDA
• Environmentalists petition EPA to expand universe of properties subject to Clean Water Act stormwater permits http://ow.ly/n35ze

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

• Smaller utilities seek to limit the impacts of EPA's water rule for power plants http://ow.ly/mZ0aM
• National Marine Fisheries Service raises questions about Louisiana proposal to build Mississippi River diversion http://ow.ly/n0JkE
• Senate's Homeland Security spending bill would prevent FEMA from raising flood insurance rates on certain properties http://ow.ly/n34qV
• NY Times: Some homeowners would win federal flood insurance premium one-year relief under Senate spending bill provision http://ow.ly/n3ab8
• Arkansas and Missouri hearing witnesses fear designation of White River as a Blueway could lead to unwanted regulation http://ow.ly/n5gtd
• Interior Secretary has "paused" controversial Blueways program designed to recognize conservation of valuable watersheds http://ow.ly/n3R3X
• Obama Officials Push Private Sector Role In Water Infrastructure, Criticized by Some In Environmental Community http://ow.ly/n3YBn
• House eyes Army Corps funding bill without Senate bill's EPA water infrastructure loan pilot program for big cities ow.ly/n3YXU

Farm Bill-

• Senate takes the first steps to request a formal farm bill conference with the House http://ow.ly/n7uPm
• Senate sends the Senate farm bill to the House in order to form a conference committee http://ow.ly/n7wRj
• House Agriculture Committee Chair: "conversations can and will begin immediately’ with the Senate on the Farm Bill" http://ow.ly/n2Qt3
• Senate Agriculture Committee Chairwoman warns of political fallout if no farm bill is enacted http://ow.ly/n0tff
• Senate pushes House on farm bill - calls for House to begin conferencing process http://ow.ly/n0qPL
• Some speculate that Congress would never again pass a farm bill if 1949 legislation is repealed, as House bill would do ow.ly/mY3qq
• CBS ‘Face the Nation’ host: House farm bill is welfare for large corporations; fails to provide nutrition assistance http://ow.ly/mY44y
• Washington Post editorial board: "The House’s farm bill is a perfect disgrace" ow.ly/mXUu1
• Rep. Steve King (R-IA-4): House’s decision to split farm bill was "bad tactic," unnecessarily politicizing the issue http://ow.ly/mY2r8
• Sen. Durbin (D-IL): House-passed farm bill with no money for nutrition programs will be dead on arrival in Senate http://ow.ly/mY2IQ
• House leaders indicate they expect to vote on the food-stamp portion of farm bill "in the next week or two" http://ow.ly/mY3El
• Although a short-term political win, GOP's farm bill victory could prove fruitless for policy reform in the long run http://ow.ly/mY4QG
• 243 food and farm organizations call on Congress to work immediately on producing "final full and fair Farm Bill" http://ow.ly/n7xbz

Agriculture -

• EWG report: simple conservation practices make huge difference in protecting soil, streams in agricultural watersheds http://ow.ly/mXVcZ
• EPA prepares to approve barley as renewable fuel (biofuel) feedstock http://ow.ly/mYZcg
• Op-ed: Tie crop subsidies to good conservation practices to avoid reprises of Midwest storm soil erosion events http://ow.ly/n0Gbt
• Corn and Soybean Digest interview with USDA NRCS Acting Chief Jason Weller http://t.co/pNvU0J0uuq

July 16 U.S. Drought Monitor Map
(click to enlarge)

Climate and Weather -

• Last week drought or abnormal dryness areas expanded in parts of Mississippi Basin; were "trimmed" some in Minnesota http://ow.ly/lzFWU

Biodiversity, Wildlife and Invasives -

• Rep. Earl Blumenauer (D-OR-3) to introduce bill banning chemicals linked to bee deaths http://ow.ly/mYYDu
• Army Corps plan to save Missouri River's endangered pallid sturgeon spawns controversy http://ow.ly/mZ1M6
• Illinois communities feeling the effects of emerald ash borer http://ow.ly/mZ55x
• Farmers and scientists are looking for new ways to battle invasive weeds, including "barnyard grass" http://ow.ly/n33OX
• Environmentalists considering renewable fuel standard (RFS) suit against EPA over invasive feedstock plant concerns http://ow.ly/n5ebn
• Alien Forest Pest Explorer web tool provides state and county-wide distributions of damaging forest invasive species http://ow.ly/n3SHT

Gulf Coastal Region-

• U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service's newly-released "Vision for a Healthy Gulf of Mexico Watershed" http://ow.ly/mXWfo (PDF file)
• Datu Research July 9 report:  “Wildlife Tourism and the Gulf Coast Economy” http://ow.ly/mXWqS (PDF file)
• Study: Coastal habitats shield people and property from sea-level rise and storms; study: http://ow.ly/mYCwA news coverage: http://ow.ly/mYCuA
• First-ever US map shows where natural habitats protect coastlines from rising seas, catastrophic storms http://ow.ly/n0H8v
• Louisiana Governor praises construction of three barrier islands, while urging Congress to fund coastal restoration http://ow.ly/mZ20p
• U.S. cannot fully account for Gulf of Mexico environmental destruction caused by BP disaster with current methods http://ow.ly/mZ4Fi

Forestry-

• American chestnut tree future may rest in hands of two groups with very different approaches http://ow.ly/mYYoc
• New study: “A highly aggregated geographical distribution of forest pest invasions in the USA” http://ow.ly/n3Tjw

Resource Extraction -

• Pollution worries abound in frac sand waste streams http://ow.ly/mZ3XT
• Largely overlooked in fracking debate is the emerging fight in U.S. heartland over mining sand http://ow.ly/mZ489

Federal Budget -

• House Appropriations Committee approves slimmed down NOAA fiscal year 2014 spending bill http://ow.ly/n46qq

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

• Mississippi River Photo Exhibit headed down the River throughout summer, fall (Facebook page: http://ow.ly/n38bz) schedule: http://ow.ly/n384c

Mississippi River Photo Exhibit Photograph

• State Level Nutrient Reduction Strategies Webinar-Analyzing NRCS Ag-BMP Effects on Water Quality; July 24 11 AM EDT http://ow.ly/mXZve
• This is St. Croix River, River Awareness Week-a celebration and associated clean-up of the River, and its tributaries http://ow.ly/mY6Sa
• EPA Watershed Academy Webcast: "Perspectives on the Impact to Public Health of Harmful Algal Blooms" July 25 1 pm EDT http://ow.ly/n0oS3
• 2013 International Low Impact Development Symposium; University of Minnesota; August 18-21; Saint Paul RiverCentre http://ow.ly/n0rWq
• Implementing Green Infrastructure at Multiple Scales; The Conservation Fund; September 9-12, Shepherdstown, WV ($650) http://ow.ly/n0sdG

e-Newsletters, Publications and Journals -

• USDA NRCS Soil Health Communications Update: July 2013 http://ow.ly/n64Cz (PDF file)
• U.S. Water Alliance July "NewsWaves" e-newsletter http://ow.ly/mXVrx
• The Wetlands Initiative's 2012 Annual Report covering Midwest wetland resource restoration http://ow.ly/mXVIU (PDF file)
• The National Academies' Board on Agriculture and Natural Resources quarterly newsletter http://ow.ly/mXW5E
• Water Environment Federation Monthly Stormwater Report http://ow.ly/mXXuy
• July 9 http://ow.ly/mXYzz and July 16 http://ow.ly/n2PcJ Water Headlines from EPA's Office of Water
• American Farmland Trust July E-News: Conservation at Risk in Farm Bill; Development Threatens Farmers Markets http://ow.ly/n7wr5

Other news-

• Pressure builds in Congress for overhauling landmark National Environmental Policy Act http://ow.ly/mYDAt
• Research: When Dread Risks Are More Dreadful than Continuous Risks: Comparing Cumulative Population Losses over Time http://ow.ly/n31zD
• Interior Secretary supports tying conservation funding to assistance programs for some rural communities http://ow.ly/n5d1p

Political Scene -

• Senate votes 59-40 to confirm McCarthy as new EPA administrator ow.ly/n7we6
• Kentucky Secretary of State decides to run against Mitch McConnell (R-KY) in 2014 for Kentucky US Senate slot ow.ly/mzWDx
• Kentucky Secretary of State Grimes represents Democrats' best shot to unseat U.S. Senate Minority Leader McConnell http://ow.ly/n5dhW
• Former Montana governor Schweitzer won’t run for U.S. Senate seat, leaving Democrats scrambling for viable candidate ow.ly/mXU9r
• Republican Joni Ernst “six-stop statewide campaign introduction tour” to launch race for Iowa U.S. Senate seat http://ow.ly/n0q8u
• Sioux Falls, Republican Annette Bosworth plans to enter South Dakota U.S. Senate race http://ow.ly/n0qmW
• Liz Cheney to challenge Wyoming Sen. Enzi (R) in 2014 in the Republican US Senate primary http://ow.ly/n2RPn

Last Word -

"Man, it’s pushing a big boulder up a tall hill." - House Agriculture Committee Chairman Frank Lucas (R-OK) (left), speaking on Wednesday's AgriTalk radio program regarding his efforts to craft a separate House nutrition bill that would be able to get the 218 "yes" votes needed to pass the measure in that chamber. On the right is the painting "Sisyphus," by Titian. In Greek mythology, Sisyphus was a king of Ephyra condemned to an eternity of rolling a boulder uphill then watching it roll back down again. No comparison between Congress and the story of Sisyphus is either intended or implied.

Capitol Hill This Week - What to Watch For

Below is a listing of activities currently scheduled this week in the U.S. House and Senate that relate to Mississippi River Basin natural 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).  All times are Eastern.

Tuesday

• Senate Commerce, Justice, Science and Other Agencies Appropriations Subcommittee Markup of FY14 Commerce, Justice, Science, and Related Agencies Appropriations bill; 10:00 AM, room 192 Dirksen Senate Office Building
• Senate Homeland Security Appropriations Subcommittee Markup of Homeland Security Fiscal Year 2014 Appropriations bill (including FEMA); 11:00 AM, room 138 Dirksen Senate Office Building

Wednesday

• House Natural Resources Committee Oversight Hearing on “The Department of the Interior Operations, Management, and Rulemakings;” 10:00 AM, 1324 Longworth House Office Building
• House Appropriations Committee Markup of Commerce, Justice, and Science Appropriations Bill; 10:00 AM, 2359 Rayburn House Office Building
• House Natural Resources Subcommittee on Water and Power Oversight Hearing on “A Washington, DC-Based Bureaucratic Invention with Potential Water Conservation and Property Rights Impacts: The National Blueways Order;” 2:00 PM, 1334 Longworth House Office Building

Thursday

• House Small Business Subcommittee on Agriculture, Energy and Trade Hearing on potential climate plan effects on small businesses; 10:00 AM, 2360 Rayburn House Office Building
• Senate Environment and Public Works Committee Hearing on climate change science;10:00 AM, 406 Dirksen Senate Office Building
• Senate Appropriations Committee Markup of Commerce, Justice, and Science Appropriations Bill; 10:00 AM, 106 Dirksen Senate Office Building

Friday

• House Natural Resources Public Lands and Environmental Regulation Subcommittee Hearing on public lands bills, including S. 304, from Sen. Thad Cochran (R-MS) that would transfer federal land along the Natchez Trace Parkway to the state of Mississippi; 9:00 AM, 1324 Longworth House Office Building