Mississippi River Basin Water Resource Weekly News

~Most of the Water News - None of the Spin~

This Week and Next
In the early morning hours of Wednesday (December 16), the House Rules Committee released a

2009-page, omnibus appropriations bill that would set levels of federal government discretionary spending for the remainder of the 2016 fiscal year. The bill is poised to be approved by House this Friday, before moving on to the Senate for debate and likely passage. On Wednesday, Congress passed another short-term spending extension known as a Continuing Resolution, giving lawmakers through December 22 to clear the long-term measure.

Most of the contentious environmental policy provisions (known as riders) that were being considered by negotiators did not make their way into the final draft, leaving a wake of discouragement and disappointment within the Republican faction. Following release of the measure, Sen. Roy Blunt (R-MO) noted that "it's a disappointment for those of us who wanted to see some real policy prohibitions and policy directions determined by the appropriations process.”  Riders not making the cut included language that would have blocked funding to implement the Clean Water (or Waters of the U.S.) Rule, and a proposed Interior Department "Stream Protection Rule."  To see a fuller summary of items in the omnibus legislation that may be of particular interest to Mississippi River Basin stakeholders, you can check out  this article.

Perhaps most importantly, the omnibus package includes a provision that House appropriators attached to a spending bill back in April - one that urges the U.S. Capitol Police Board to allow sledding on Capitol Hill. Now all that is needed is snow - no small feat in these climate-balmy times.

Up next? Not much - in Washington, DC, at least. As the holidays approach, lawmakers (and your FNB*) will by and large flee the capital once the omnibus spending legislation passes. That leaves us time to look ahead to 2016. As an aid to those who like to gaze into legislative crystal balls, here are the 2016 legislative calendars for the U.S. House and Senate. I would venture to guess that if past election year performance is an indication of future returns, not much will happen in 2016 on the federal legislative front (possible passage of a new Water Resources Development Act being a notable exception).

But did you know that so far this year, over 140,000 bills have been introduced in state legislatures? Next year should be equally as busy, and often those bills get passed and have a significant bearing on water resources. Here is a nice summary table should you care to see when your particular state house of concern will be in session in 2016.

*Friendly Neighborhood Blogger

Noteworthy @UpperMiss Twitter Postings for the Week

Water Quality -

• In the Ohio River's ‘Chemical Valley,’ a debate over good jobs and bad health: C8 in the region's water http://ow.ly/VQMS3
• GAO finds that the EPA broke the law with its social media push for the Clean Water (WOTUS) Rule; EPA disagrees with findings http://ow.ly/VTMHE
• Lack of spending bill rider leaves some farmers worried about future of Clean Water Rule http://ow.ly/W1nnG
• North Dakota researchers are concerned about the lack of reliable data about oil pipeline spills in the state http://ow.ly/VU1bk
• North Dakota regulators are considering easing a $2.4 million fine against a Texas company for a pipeline spill that went unnoticed for three months http://ow.ly/VU3kQ
• Cleanup under way on 42,000-gallon water and clay spill at North Dakota pipeline site http://ow.ly/VU1Xd
• National Academies: EPA should develop rigorous, risk-based guidelines for reuse of untreated residential wastewater, stormwater runoff http://src.bna.com/bzh
• St. Cloud State University study will look at impact on fish of pharmaceuticals that can enter rivers and lakes through wastewater treatment plant effluents http://ow.ly/VUaCv

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

• Supreme Court will consider whether federal determination that a wetland qualifies for Clean
  
  Water Act protection can be subject to court challenge http://ow.ly/VQWzL
• National Academies report: Data gaps prevent FEMA officials from understanding how rising prices for federal flood insurance will affect policyholders http://ow.ly/VYgMk
• S. 611, a bill to provide financial and technical assistance to small, rural drinking water systems, signed into law by President http://ow.ly/VQTH8
• Barges on the Ohio River in western Pennsylvania are diversifying their loads as coal shipments decline http://ow.ly/VQYjG
• Pair of towboats collide on the Lower Mississippi River near Memphis; one sinks as a result http://ow.ly/VYdqQ
• Army Corps of Engineers is inspecting New Orleans levee system as Mississippi River rises more than 12 feet above sea level http://ow.ly/VU1ue (related story below)
• Army Corps of Engineers New Orleans District, levee officials keep eye on rising Mississippi River http://ow.ly/W1l4D
• Water Environment Federation report: "Rainfall to Results: The Future of Stormwater" http://ow.ly/VU4nH
• New report examines proven strategies for reducing green infrastructure costs http://ow.ly/VU4Z0
• Interior Department announces plans for new Natural Resource Investment Center to leverage private capital to help meet water infrastructure and conservation needs http://ow.ly/VY9ms  (administration's fact sheet: http://ow.ly/VZ6o1)
• Pueblo Conservancy District's Arkansas River levee work expected to resume in February http://ow.ly/W1BuL

Agriculture -

• North Central Region Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education Program (NCR-SARE) seeks nominees Administrative Council http://ow.ly/W1w7s
• Field to Market releases Request for Proposals for the technical development of a revised Water Quality Metric http://ow.ly/W1wHw
• Lawyer of environmental, animal rights coalition tells court that two new Wyoming laws improperly bar them from gathering agricultural information http://ow.ly/VQLoV
• USDA issues long-awaited final rule guiding eligibility for farm program payments; story: http://ow.ly/VY8SP USDA release: http://ow.ly/VY8VI
• Several varieties of pigweed adapt rapidly to develop Roundup resistance and emerge as farm "super pest" http://ow.ly/VYfQl
• Iowa farmland values drop 3.9 percent from 2014 levels http://ow.ly/W1nXZ

Climate and Weather -

• NOAA Weekly US drought update: much of the Plains and Mississippi Valley dryness is alleviated except in the Dakotas and adjacent Minnesota; Indiana drought remains largely unchanged http://ow.ly/wmTdv
• USGS study confirms a wetter South Dakota climate east of the Missouri River over the last six and a half decades http://ow.ly/W1DYk

Biodiversity, Wildlife and Invasives -

• U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service reopens public comment period on proposed rule listing Big Sandy crayfish and Guyandotte River crayfish as endangered species (Kentucky and West Virginia) http://ow.ly/VTVmv
• Fish and Wildlife Service initiating 5-year status reviews under Endangered Species Act for several listed Mississippi River Basin plants and animals http://ow.ly/W1lZW
• Effort to keep Mississippi River Basin Asian carp out of the Great Lakes appears stymied http://ow.ly/W1ko0
• USFWS has not halted any of the 88,000 actions and developments considered potentially harmful to the nation’s endangered species over the past seven years http://ow.ly/VTWTF
• USFWS National Fish Passage Program awards $1.6 million to support Midwest fish passage projects, including these in the Mississippi River Basin: Eel River, Indiana, Wapsipinicon River Basin, Iowa, Moniteau Creek, Missouri http://ow.ly/VU9zz
• North Dakota Game and Fish Department proposes to extend aquatic invasive species prevention practices statewide http://ow.ly/VYjo1

In the Cities -

• Cincinnati Connects proposes 42-mile bicycle, pedestrian loop to link disconnected bike trails http://ow.ly/W1CCR

In the States-

• Minnesota state legislature scheduled to reconvene at noon on March 8, must adjourn by May 23 http://ow.ly/VYezj (here is a list of all the U.S. states' 2016 legislative calendars: http://ow.ly/VYeHV)
• Wisconsin DNR $3 million surface water management grant application deadline approaching (February 1) http://ow.ly/VYk0R
• National Association of State Budget Officers reports that states' spending will rise in 2015 for the sixth straight year, as states settle in to a slow-growth era http://ow.ly/VTYWR
• Pennsylvania DEP announces major reorganization of water management responsibilities http://ow.ly/VUcHY (organizational chart: http://ow.ly/VUcO1)
• Pennsylvania lawmakers aim for state budget bill by week's end http://ow.ly/VYqdx

Gulf Coastal Region-

• Jefferson Parish, Louisiana deciding how it will spend $20 million from BP settlement http://ow.ly/VQPOD
• Louisiana coastal project offers new shoreline stabilization and restoration solutions for wetlands http://ow.ly/VQQaS
• Gulf Coast Ecosystem Restoration Council announces initial activities that the Council will fund and prioritize for further consideration http://ow.ly/VTVZw (more: news article coverage http://ow.ly/VUbWS)
• Editorial, The Daily Comet: "It'll take more than common sense to save Louisiana's coast" http://ow.ly/VTY6B
• Nature: Mississippi River is the primary contributor of sediment for most coastal wetland development http://ow.ly/VTYxA

Forestry -

• EPA extends comment period until February 12 for "Opportunity to Provide Information on Existing Programs that Protect Water Quality from Forest Road Discharges" http://ow.ly/W1lrs

Resource Development -

• Environmental groups object to bankruptcy deal between West Virginia DEP and coal company Alpha Natural Resources Inc. over mine reclamation liabilities http://ow.ly/VYl18
• Groups file complaint with regulators over Arch Coal financial bonds guaranteeing reclamation in Wyoming http://ow.ly/W1uTx
• EPA publishes final rule setting Renewable Fuel Standards for 2014, 2015, and 2016 (effective February 12, 2016)  http://ow.ly/VQQSb
• Minnesota Supreme Court upholds lower court decision requiring an environmental study for the Sandpiper pipeline project http://ow.ly/VYpGU
• Opponents of proposed Bakken oil pipeline accuse Iowa DNR of trying to prevent them from
  
  publicly voicing objections http://ow.ly/W1sP4
• Part of Bakken pipeline would go over publicly owned Iowa land and water, including the Des Moines and Mississippi rivers; Iowa decision due in 2016 http://ow.ly/W1EuM
• Illinois regulators follow South Dakota's lead and approve their state's portion of the Bakken Pipeline http://ow.ly/W1Fuw
• Op-ed: Pennsylvania's pipeline infrastructure task force put industry first and the public last http://ow.ly/VQNBx
• Obama administration may appeal federal court ruling in Wyoming that temporarily blocks new regulations on fracking on federal land http://ow.ly/VQZ8X
• Frac sand industry officials are optimistic that 2016 will be a better year for the market in Wisconsin and Minnesota than 2015 http://ow.ly/VU30O
• Company aiming to build 255-mile pipeline to carry gas from shale across Ohio (partly in Mississippi River Basin) http://ow.ly/VYb8h

Federal Budget (You can follow the status of all of the fiscal year 2016 appropriation bills on this Congress.gov web page) -

• Proposed fiscal year 2016 omnibus appropriations bill released early on Wednesday morning (House vote anticipated on Friday) http://ow.ly/VY5DG

Events -

• Association of State Wetland Managers Webinar: "Improving Wetland Restoration "Success": What We've Learned So Far" December 15, 3 pm ET http://ow.ly/VUltY
• Mighty Quapaw Solstice-Christmas Party, at sunset on December 19, Banks of the Sunflower River, Clarksdale, Mississippi http://ow.ly/W1u1t
• FEMA offers advanced floodplain management course; April 11–14, July 11– 14, and August 29 – September 1, 2016, Emmitsburg, Maryland http://ow.ly/VQXBz

e-Newsletters, Publications, Journals, Multimedia  -

• Lower Mississippi River Dispatch No 325, December 14: Mountain Classroom: the Mighty Mississippi http://ow.ly/VUeHy
• Tulane Institute on Water Resources Law and Policy December 16 TUWaterWays "Water News and More" http://ow.ly/VZ8m8
• NW PAssages e-magazine December 2015 http://ow.ly/W1A9n
• Minnesota Pollution Control Agency Waterfront Bulletin for December 2015 http://ow.ly/W1HZP

Other news-

• Coal ash utilization, which had stalled between 2009 and 2013, increased significantly in 2014 in anticipation of December 2014 final federal coal ash rule http://ow.ly/VYlWo
• EPA changing name of its Office of Solid Waste and Emergency Response to the Office of Land and Emergency Management http://ow.ly/VTUz1
• EPA Announces 2015 Annual Environmental Enforcement Results  

Click to enlarge

Politics and People-

• It's increasingly unlikely that additional USEPA officials will gain Senate confirmation during this presidency http://ow.ly/VYcu9 (related table to the right)
• Iowa Gov. Terry Branstad (R) on Monday became the longest serving governor in U.S. history http://ow.ly/VQOe8
• Republican U.S. Rep. Charles Boustany announces run for Louisiana US Senate seat http://ow.ly/VTQcA
• American Farm Bureau Federation members will have four candidates to consider in January in vote for AFBF President http://ow.ly/VUfaD

Your Moment of Zen -

Capitol Hill This Week - What to Watch For

Below are the U.S. House and Senate committees' activities currently scheduled for this week that relate to Mississippi River Basin natural resources. The House is scheduled today (Monday) to consider a bill to ban plastic microbeads from cosmetic products: H.R. 1321 – the Microbead-Free Waters Act of 2015. The bill would require the manufacturing of plastic microbeads to stop by July 1, 2017, and the delivery of new cosmetic products containing microbeads to end by July 1, 2018. Microbeads have been found in rivers and lakes in developed areas around the world, raising environmental degradation concerns among scientists and environmental organizations.

In addition to committee activities, and floor action on rather non-controversial bills like the microbeads legislation, lawmakers in both the House and Senate will spend much of the week rushing to conclude negotiations on an omnibus 2016 fiscal year spending bill by Friday, December 11, when the current funding authority expires. Numerous disagreements over policies remain to be sorted out, and no agreement has been reached yet on an appropriate U.S. EPA funding amount. House Democrats received and quickly rejected a GOP offer last Wednesday, largely because of its "poison pill" policy riders. Democrats prepared and sent their Republican counterparts a counteroffer, which, among other things, would eliminate many of the environmental policy riders, and reauthorize and full fund the Land and Water Conservation Fund. For more details on the bill's status, see our summary here.

If reaching a deal before this Friday's deadline looks unlikely, lawmakers could pass another short term spending extension (called a Continuing Resolution); however, the House is scheduled to be in session only through December 18. A last-ditch safety net to avoid government closure may be to simply extend current funding levels for the remainder of the 2016 fiscal year, as Congress did about a year ago for the 2015 fiscal year. Known as a "cromnibus," such a measure would be a combination of a long-term omnibus spending bill and a shorter-term continuing resolution (or CR), avoiding most if not all of the contentious policy riders.

Where available, links are provided to the relevant committee web pages and appropriate pieces of legislation. Many Congressional proceedings are webcast live, and these may be, as well (follow the respective meeting or hearing link).  All times are Eastern. This information will be updated as warranted. 

Tuesday, December 8

• House Science, Space and Technology Subcommittee on Research and Technology hearing on the "Future of Biotechnology: Solutions for Energy, Agriculture and Manufacturing;" 10:00 AM, room 2318 Rayburn House Office Building.
• Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee legislative hearing to examine S. 2257 - the National Park Service Centennial Act, a bill "to prepare the National Park Service for its Centennial in 2016 and for a second century of protecting our national parks' natural, historic, and cultural resources for present and future generations;" 10:00 AM, room 366 Dirksen Senate Office Building.
• House Oversight and Government Reform Committee hearing "examining the (Department of Interior's proposed) Stream Protection Rule;" 2:00 PM, room 2154 Rayburn House Office Building.
• House Oversight and Government Reform Committee hearing entitled "Moving Ahead For Progress In The 21st Century (Map-21) Program Consolidation" (MAP-21 is meant to create a streamlined and performance-based surface transportation program and builds on many of the highway, transit, bike, and pedestrian programs and policies established in 1991); 2:00 PM, room 2247 Rayburn House Office Building.
• Senate Commerce, Science, and Transportation Subcommittee on Space, Science, and Competitiveness hearing entitled "Data or Dogma? Promoting Open Inquiry in the Debate over the Magnitude of Human Impact on Earth’s Climate;" 3:00 PM, room  253 Russell Senate Office Building.
• House Rules Committee meeting to set the rules for full House consideration of  H.R. 2130, the "Red River Private Property Protection Act" (designed to settle an ongoing dispute among landowners, and the state and federal governments over the ownership of land along the Red River, dividing Oklahoma and Texas); 3:00 PM, room H-313 U.S. Capitol Building.

Wednesday, December 9

• House Agriculture Subcommittee on General Farm Commodities and Risk Management hearing entitled "Commodity in Focus: Stress in Cotton Country;" 10:00 AM, room 1300 Longworth House Office Building.
• Senate Commerce, Science, and Transportation Committee meeting to consider several pieces of legislation, including:  S. 1886, the Coordinated Ocean Monitoring and Research Act, S. 1935, the Waterfront Community Revitalization and Resiliency Act of 2015, and S. 2276, the SAFE PIPES Act; 10:00 AM, room 253 Russell Senate Office Building.
• Senate Budget Committee hearing to "examine moving to a stronger economy with a regulatory budget;" 10:30 AM, room 608 Dirksen Senate Office Building (no link to a hearing page available yet).
• House Agriculture: Subcommittee on Biotechnology, Horticulture, and Research oversight hearing on "USDA's use of Census of Agriculture authority to acquire farmer's personal financial information;" 2:00 PM, room 1302 Longworth House Office Building.

Thursday, December 10

• House Science, Space and Technology Subcommittee on Environment and Subcommittee oversight hearing on the "Nation’s Weather Satellite Programs and Policies;" 10:00 AM, room 2318 Rayburn House Office Building.

Mississippi River Basin Water Resource Weekly News

~Most of the Water News - None of the Spin~

This Week . . .

Many Senators and House members left Washington soon after Thursday's votes, to begin an early weekend. Nonetheless, Congressional leaders remain guardedly optimistic that Republicans and Democrats can craft an omnibus 2016 fiscal year appropriations bill and stave off a December federal government shutdown. Negotiators hope to conclude negotiations on the bill by Friday, so that lawmakers have time to debate the legislation before the current funding authority expires on December 11.

Although agreement has been reached on most agency spending levels, negotiators still disagree on funding levels for the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) through the remainder of the 2016 fiscal year. And major spending bill disagreements remain over policy issues. House Democrats received and quickly rejected a GOP offer in the middle of the week, largely because of its "poison pill" policy riders, many relating to environmental issues. Democrats quickly provided a counteroffer, which, among other things, seeks an extension of the Land and Water Conservation Fund, as well as the elimination of numerous GOP policy riders. Among the water-related riders still in play are those blocking funding to implement the Waters of the U.S. rule, the Interior Department's proposed stream protection rule, and a Presidential executive order directing federal agencies to account for sea level rise and stronger storms when building infrastructure and making grants.

On Tuesday, House and Senate conferees finalized a $305 billion transportation bill.  The bill moved quickly through both chambers on its way to the President, who is expected to sign the measure today  (December 4), the latest highway spending deadline. Passage ends a succession of 36 short-term extensions over 20 years, and provides authority for surface transportation spending through 2020.

Of Mississippi River stakeholder interest, the bill would protect funding for mass transit, and increase money for pedestrian and bicycle programs, while adding new safety requirements for crude-by-rail shipments. Also agreed to is language allowing municipalities to use federal infrastructure and tax-exempt municipal bonds to finance upgrades to drinking and wastewater infrastructure (striking a 2014 Water Resources Reform and Development Act provision barring cities from combining the two funding mechanisms). The bill also includes language from the proposed Federal Permitting Improvement Act (S. 280), revising the process for federal approval of major infrastructure projects by establishing best practices, requiring coordination of federal agency review of projects, and shortening the period for challenges to final decisions for issuing project permits. Also approved was a Rep. Donna Edwards (D-MD) amendment that will require transportation planning agencies to study and provide for the mitigation of stormwater runoff impacts before construction.

The highway legislation reverses $3 billion in cuts to crop insurers that were included in the two-year budget agreement by finding offsets to those cuts within the dividend that the Federal Reserve pays to banks. Although the federal crop insurance program cost an average of $3.4 billion annually from fiscal years 2003 through 2007, it ballooned to an average of $8.4 billion annually in subsequent years through fiscal year 2013. So, crop insurance reform efforts

"Awwwwww"

are very likely to continue. The bill is free from unrelated riders, except for one reauthorizing the U.S. Export-Import Bank.

 And lastly, of interest to all . . . the transportation bill establishes a pilot program to let travelers bring cats and dogs on certain Amtrak trains.

To close out an unusually busy week on Capitol Hill, on Thursday the House passed the North American Energy Security and Infrastructure Act of 2015; a bill that contains contentious language streamlining the environmental permitting process under the National Environmental Policy Act - creating a new body to speed up the federal permitting process for large infrastructure projects. The House bill faces strong Democratic opposition in the Senate and the White House threatened to veto the bill earlier this week. The Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee developed its own, bipartisan energy bill earlier this year, which may form the starting point for negotiating compromise legislation with the House in 2016.

Finally, we turn to the U.S. Supreme Court, where the justices will hold their weekly conference

today, and discuss if they should consider a long-running wetland jurisdiction case, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers v. Hawkes Co. At issue is whether an Army Corps of Engineers' Clean Water Act jurisdiction decision can be challenged in court. In November, the Obama administration filed a petition with the Supreme Court regarding the Hawkes Co., Inc. appeal, and a related, Kent Recycling Services LLC v. U.S. Army Corps of Engineers appeal. The petition requested that the Court consider one case rather than tying the two together, suggesting that the Court keep the Kent Recycling case on hold while it considers the Hawkes case (to avoid unnecessary complications). The Pacific Legal Foundation, which represents both Kent Recycling and Hawkes Co., has urged the court to consolidate the two cases.

 . . . and Next Week
More of the same.  Spending bill deliberations will take center stage.  If reaching a deal on an omnibus spending package before the December 11 deadline looks unlikely, lawmakers could pass another short term spending extension (called a Continuing Resolution). However, it must be remembered that the House is scheduled to be in session only through December 18.  A last-ditch safety net to avoid government closure may be to simply extend current funding levels for the remainder of the 2016 fiscal year, as Congress did about a year ago for the 2015 fiscal year. Known as a "cromnibus," such a measure would be a combination of a long-term omnibus spending bill and a shorter-term Continuing Resolution (or CR), avoiding most if not all of the contentious policy riders.

There is a fairly robust list of water-related Congressional committee activities scheduled already for next week, and those can be found summarized on this web page (updated on-the-fly, as needed).

  Noteworthy @UpperMiss Twitter Postings for the Week

Water Quality -

• White House trying to protect waters of the United States rule during negotiations over fiscal year 2016 funding bill http://ow.ly/Vql2b
• Bill banning microbeads makes debut in Ohio Legislature; story: http://ow.ly/Vh7Fl (link to bill information: http://ow.ly/Vh7Rm)
• EPA developing guidelines to protect swimmers, boaters from threats posed by toxic algae in lakes and rivers http://ow.ly/Vhi3g
• EPA proposes public drinking water utilities' monitoring rule for Cyanotoxins http://ow.ly/VqmMc
• Letter to the Des Moines Register Editor: Would we be discussing water quality without [Des Moines Water Works] lawsuit? http://ow.ly/Vhw6q
• EPA requests scientific views on its Draft Recommended Aquatic Life Ambient Water Quality Criteria for cadmium http://ow.ly/VjUlS
• Minnesota's Inventory of Current Water Quality Standards Projects, 2014 to 2016, has been updated with project status as of November 2015 http://ow.ly/Vk8Vn (i.e., "projects to update, revise, develop or otherwise improve Minnesota’s water quality standards")
• State environmental officials oppose House energy bill's hydropower water quality certification provision http://ow.ly/Vn7II (link to bill: http://ow.ly/Vn8XD)  Related: White House, threatens to veto energy legislation, citing several of its regulatory provisions http://ow.ly/VnpsP
• Gallatin (Tennessee) Water Treatment Plant Cumberland River water source and treated water have no detectable levels of hexavalent chromium http://ow.ly/Vu2i0 (testing related to nearby coal burning power plant seen as a potential chromium source)
• Colorado supreme court will not settle dispute between governor and attorney general over suing federal government on water (WOTUS) and clean power issues http://ow.ly/Vu6iB  (link to court order: http://ow.ly/Vu6MJ)
• Greater Ouachita Water Company's North Monroe Water System (Louisiana) reported to be clear of "brain-eating" amoeba http://ow.ly/VunG8

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

• Pew Charitable Trusts: Rising nationwide tide of states' buyouts fights flooding http://ow.ly/Vub6i
• Army Corps of Engineers plans to draft Table Rock Lake Shoreline Management Plan
  
  and Environmental Impact Statement (White River Basin, Missouri and Arkansas) http://ow.ly/Vhmlu
• Bill to help fund repairs for water infrastructure in rural communities heads to President for signature http://ow.ly/VjSFf
• EPA extends comment period for draft 2011 National Wetland Condition Assessment report until January 6 http://ow.ly/VjUGV
• Court signals interest in deferring to EPA's regulatory expertise on 2008 water transfers rule http://ow.ly/Vn7c8 (Catskill Mountains Chapter of Trout Unlimited Inc. v. EPA, 2d Cir., No. 14-01823) (potentially precedent-setting nationwide)
• New "sediment counter" depicts amount of uncaptured sediment passing down the Mississippi River through Louisiana http://ow.ly/VqmeO
• WEF Stormwater Report: The Real Cost of Green Infrastructure-new insights on significant factors that influence green stormwater management costs http://ow.ly/VtVKx

Agriculture -

Click to enlarge

• Repeal of $3 billion crop insurance cut clears Congress as part of long term highway bill http://ow.ly/VtFCP
• Nature: In a world facing increasing stress from a growing population and climate change, soils are becoming ever more important http://ow.ly/Vhfrg
• Annual report by USDA's Economic Research Service released: Rural America At A Glance, 2015 Edition http://ow.ly/Vk9Sl
• General enrollment period for USDA's Conservation Reserve Program begins December 1, ends February 26 http://ow.ly/Vl8FX
• Central Nebraska farmer taps into a growing national interest in cover crops http://ow.ly/VnkHw

Click to enlarge

Climate and Weather -

• NOAA weekly drought update: Midwest saw minor drought improvements along Illinois-Indiana border; Plains saw improvements in abnormally dry areas http://ow.ly/wmTdv
• NOAA Climate Prediction Center monthly drought outlook for December: Drought likely to develop across central and eastern Montana, persist in North Dakota, and dissipate in central and southern Plains, Lower Ohio Valley http://ow.ly/SQXLJ

Biodiversity, Wildlife and Invasives -

• House Oversight and Government Reform subcommittee members criticize work of National
  
  Invasive Species Council http://ow.ly/VnjyV (link to hearing archive: http://ow.ly/VnjGG)
• Government Accountability Office report faults Aquatic Nuisance Species Task Force for not setting up system to track activities, measure progress on goals to minimize aquatic invasive species impacts http://ow.ly/VjVGr
• Montana Governor to decide soon whether Yellowstone National Park bison will be allowed to roam outside certain tribal lands http://reut.rs/1XxQqEH
• Western governors want to take lead on establishing measures to mitigate human damage to greater sage grouse habitat http://ow.ly/VopYl
• National Academies of Sciences Report: Interior Department Landscape Conservation Cooperatives program is working as designed http://ow.ly/VtWzk

In the Cities -

• Op-ed by Mississippi River mayors (The Hill): "In Paris, the stakes could not be higher" http://ow.ly/VuIjb (related: Mississippi River Cities and Towns Mayors' Initiative's "Global River Talks: Sustaining the World’s Food-Producing Rivers;" COP21: Paris, France; streaming live over the Internet, December 8; 11:45 AM ET http://ow.ly/UZrj2)
• Mayors on a mission to Paris to save Mississippi River http://ow.ly/VjPvN (Des Moines Register editorial by Roy D. Buol, mayor of Dubuque)

In the States-

• Minnesota finance officials project that the state will have a nearly $1.9 billion surplus next
  
  year, with $71 million slated to environmental funds http://ow.ly/VtJbw
• With extra cash sitting in the state treasury, Minnesota legislative leaders say they want to cut taxes in 2016 http://ow.ly/VnRix
• Wisconsin DNR seeks public input on a new grant program using state Wetland Conservation Trust Program funds http://ow.ly/VtJL9 (deadline Dec. 28)
• Wisconsin Organic Advisory Council has four openings for individuals interested in shaping future of organic farming and food http://ow.ly/VtZlS
• Illinois state budget standoff between Governor and Legislature could continue through the November 2016 elections http://ow.ly/Vn6AU
• Few details emerging as Pennsylvania budget impasse lingers http://ow.ly/VooK8
• North Dakota continues to see a drop in revenue from oil and gas produced on federal lands http://ow.ly/VnrzO
• How State Economies Are Performing: a summary of key economic indicators by state (pull-down menu at bottom of article) http://ow.ly/Vu0DF

Gulf Coastal Region-

• Recycled oyster shells from New Orleans area restaurants could help protect the coast http://ow.ly/VjRCA
• Anadarko Petroleum Corp. ordered to pay $159.5 Million for its stake in 2010 Gulf spill http://ow.ly/Vn8lH
• Louisiana State University and RAND Corp study: Continued Louisiana coastal land loss could cost state and national economies tens of billions dollars a year http://ow.ly/VtDug

Energy Resource Development -

Renewable Fuel Standard

• EPA finalizes 2014, 2015, and 2016 volume requirements and percentage standards that apply under the RFS program; EPA rule web page: http://ow.ly/VhRt8
• EPA sets final multiyear Renewable Fuel Standard figures http://ow.ly/VjOUu  (AgriPulse story)
• Iowa agriculture interests say that the EPA's new biofuel-blend levels are a "gut punch for consumers and farmers" http://ow.ly/Vk5Aw

Other Energy Resource Development News

• ABC News: Even coal is barely surviving in coal country and coal is about the only thing that Central Appalachia has http://ow.ly/VjP4p
• On 2-1 vote, South Dakota regulators approve Bakken oil pipeline through state; add conditions to protect landowners http://ow.ly/Vk67l
• Hand recount confirms that an anti-fracking ballot initiative in Youngstown, Ohio last month failed to gain voter approval http://ow.ly/VnCt6
• State-funded study recommends safety improvements for pipeline network connecting North Dakota's Bakken Shale oil field http://ow.ly/Vu947
• Environmental groups appeal judge's decision to suspend new rules on oil and gas drilling on federal lands pending legal challenge http://ow.ly/VuocY

Federal Budget (You can follow the status of all of the fiscal year 2016 appropriation bills on this Congress.gov web page) -

• Citing dozens of "poison-pill" riders, House Democrats reject Republican initial year-end government funding bill http://ow.ly/Vo7C9

Events - Information on all past and future events listed here each week can be viewed in the on-line calendar, located above and to the right (and here as a stand-alone calendar) 

• South Dakota Gov. Dennis Daugaard annual state budget address, December 8, 1 PM CT http://ow.ly/VtPGJ
• RESTORE Council meeting, December 9, 10 AM CT, Mississippi Coast Coliseum Convention Center, Biloxi (9 AM open house) open to public http://ow.ly/VtE0Z
• Save the date: House Speaker Ryan announces January 12, 2016 as date President Obama is invited to deliver his State of the Union address to Congress http://ow.ly/Vk4WV
• U.S. Conference of Mayors' winter meeting, Washington, D.C., January 20-22 http://ow.ly/VnQLI

e-Newsletters, Publications, Journals, Multimedia  -

• Lower Mississippi River Dispatch No 324, November 30 http://ow.ly/VhtDe
• Tulane Institute on Water Resources Law and Policy December 2 TUWaterWays e-newsletter http://ow.ly/VqvaS
• Minnesota Pollution Control Agency December 2015 Industrial Stormwater News http://ow.ly/Vu9wk
• Montana Watershed Coordination Council's December 3 Watershed News http://ow.ly/Vueps

Other news-

• Stockholm University research covering 100 large hydrological basins worldwide finds
  
  humans are using up far more of Earth’s water than previously thought http://ow.ly/VtUfE (study abstract http://ow.ly/VtUdf)
• Federal judge throws out lawsuit seeking to require U.S. EPA to regulate concentrated animal feeding operations ammonia emissions http://ow.ly/Vquw4
• House and Senate negotiators strike agreement on a five-year, $305 billion highway bill http://bit.ly/1NnNDTN
• The Water Institute of the Gulf is currently hiring for: Communications Associate, Data Manager, Coastal Ecology Research Technician, Research Positions, Graduate Research Assistant in Coastal Ecology http://ow.ly/VjRq5
• From @RiverLifeUMN: many people involved in water conversations often take for granted issues peripheral to their main area concentration http://ow.ly/VnDy5

Your Moment of Zen -

Mississippi River Basin Water Resource Weekly News - Special Post-Holiday Monday Edition

~Most of the Water News - None of the Spin~

This Week in Washington
The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) will release three years’ worth of biofuel blending

requirements, known as the Renewable Fuels Standard (or RFS) today (Monday), the court-mandated RFS release deadline.  The RFS will establish renewable volume obligations for last year, this year, and the next. The 2016 obligations will attract the most interest, since 2015 is nearly over, and the 2014 numbers will be based on actual data.  No matter how high or low the EPA sets the 2016 renewable fuel volume obligation, one or more lawsuits will likely follow.  Should the obligations be too high, oil industry stakeholders such as the American Petroleum Institute will complain.  And if the volume is too low, renewable fuel interests (including the Renewable Fuels Association, backed by some farm groups) will be prone to file suit.  Corn is a major feedstock used in ethanol production, and from a Mississippi River Basin perspective, the RFS is an important driver impacting how much land is placed by farmers into corn production - a collective land use decision that has significant ramifications for the environmental and economic health of the River region.

House members and Senators return to Capitol Hill this week following their Thanksgiving recess. A draft fiscal year 2016 omnibus discretionary spending bill will probably be released during the week. Democrats are said to be unhappy with the low levels of funding being provided for EPA and Interior Department programs, and will push for increases during floor debates in both chambers. The measure will be accompanied by an unknown number of riders that would restrict funding for the implementation of select environmental and energy programs (possibly including the Interior Department's proposed Stream Protection Rule and the administration's final Clean Water (or "Waters of the United States) Rule). Strategists believe that the administration may swallow some otherwise unpalatable environmental riders in exchange for Republicans easing up on proposed refugee restrictions.

The middle of the week should see the beginning of House floor debate on a comprehensive Energy and Commerce Committee energy bill. Opposed by most Democrats, the bill includes some of the Department of Energy's quadrennial review recommendations, and focuses on energy infrastructure improvements. Of interest to Mississippi River Basin stakeholders will be amendments likely to be considered during the floor debate, including those designed to expedite permit (including environmental impact) reviews of certain pipeline projects and reauthorize the Land and Water Conservation Fund, as well as Democratic amendments addressing climate change). While some may be submitted for consideration, don't expect to see any amendments that mention the RFS (see above) to make the House floor, since the issue is divisive even within the Republican caucus.  You can check out the current list of filed amendments here.

Finally, this week the House and Senate will either have to reconcile two competing federal surface transportation authorization bills ahead of Friday's (December 4) deadline, or pass yet another in a long line of authority extensions. The measure authorizes many highway and rail programs, including those relating to trails and scenic byways, of interest to river advocates.  House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee Chairman Bill Shuster (R-PA-9) promised that the most recent short-term extension would be the “last.” And while Sen. James Inhofe (R-OK) has said that the House and Senate bills could be reconciled “in a matter of hours,” one hour in congressional time often translates to weeks or months beyond the hallowed halls of Congress.

You can check out the latest listing of Mississippi River Basin- and Coastal Louisiana-related Congressional committee activity for the week at this web site.  The listing will be updated throughout the week as needed.

This Week in Paris

While most congressional lawmakers will be in Washington this week, the President and many of his top environmental and energy agency officials will not; having traveled en masse to Paris, France for negotiations (scheduled to take place first at a technical level, then at the ministerial level) to potentially establish climate action thresholds that participating countries agree to meet. Agency heads who will accompany the President include Department of Energy Secretary Ernest Moniz, EPA Administrator Gina McCarthy, Interior Department Secretary Sally Jewell, Agriculture Department Secretary Tom Vilsack and the head of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Kathryn Sullivan.


Noteworthy @UpperMiss Twitter Postings for the Week

Water Quality -

• Iowa state legislature under pressure on improving Iowa's water quality and how to pay for it http://ow.ly/VgA43
• Rep. Bob Gibbs (R-Ohio-7) presses USEPA about its authority to block Army Corps of Engineers' Clean Water Act permits http://ow.ly/V3PqT (news article: http://ow.ly/V3PPQ)
• Justice Department maintains “EPA gave a reasonable explanation, grounded in the statute, for its decision not to make a necessity determination” of states' need for nitrogen and phosphorus water quality standards (Gulf Restoration Network case) http://ow.ly/V3KYS
• Missouri Coalition for the Environment sues Kansas City, Mo., area amusement park over Clean Water Act violations  (Missouri Coalition for the Environment v. Worlds of Fun LLC, W.D. Mo., No. 4:15-cv-00901, filed 11/16/15) http://ow.ly/UXVxj (MCE press release: http://ow.ly/UXW5T)
• Can the Greater Des Moines Partnership task force on water quality clean up Iowa's water? http://ow.ly/UY7vw
• Earthjustice files petition for review in U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit over Environmental Protection Agency's revised wastewater effluent limits for power plants http://ow.ly/V10zI (The rule requires power plants to use controls to manage discharges of arsenic, selenium, nitrates, mercury, zinc and other pollutants) - related links below
• Sierra Club files challenge to EPA's recently published wastewater effluent limits for power plants in the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit http://ow.ly/V3LVQ
• Power utilities sue EPA over recently promulgated effluent limits to regulate discharges of metals and toxics http://ow.ly/VgNGh
• Pennsylvania DEP fines Chesapeake Appalachia $1.4 million for southwestern Pennsylvania stream impacts caused by well pad landslide http://ow.ly/V12mp
• National Mining Association petition urges Congress to defund Interior Department's proposed stream protection rule http://ow.ly/V15xO
• Environmental groups sue West Virginia landowner over alleged water pollution  from closed mountaintop mining site http://ow.ly/VgCLM
• Three environmental advocacy groups sue Coal-Mac Inc., over alleged Clean Water Act violations at West Virginia mines http://ow.ly/VgOcX

Waters of the United States Rule

• 90 House members sign letter urging House leaders to include Waters of the U.S. rule-blocking riders to omnibus spending bill http://ow.ly/V20V8
• Over 400 environmental organizations ask Congress to avoid appropriations bill riders undermine Clean Water Rule http://ow.ly/UXXNk (also see: Environmental groups' November 19 letter to Congress opposes any riders undermining Waters of the United States rule http://ow.ly/UT54H)
• Colorado AG pushes back on Governor's efforts to limit her power to challenge federal policy (including WOTUS rule) on behalf of state http://ow.ly/UY2eq (related story below)
• Two Western attorneys general are suing federal government over high-profile environmental issues against their governors’ wishes http://ow.ly/UY8uD
• In bid for more transparency, administration publishes national database listing approved jurisdictional determinations made under Clean Water Act since September http://ow.ly/VgtIg

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

• South Dakota Department of Environment and Natural Resources adds lake levels map to online interactive database maps http://ow.ly/V3OZJ
• Water policy and law professor: US farmers who fear that cities and industries covet their irrigation water are not irrational http://ow.ly/V3ZJV
• Resources for the Future: on average, roughly half of people in 100-year floodplains purchase flood insurance http://ow.ly/V416q
• Concern grows over dwindling water supplies in small Kansas county home to nation's second-largest hog feeding operation http://ow.ly/VgLu7

Agriculture -

• Updated USDA analysis shows U.S. farm income falling 38 percent between 2014 and 2015 - the biggest single-year drop since the 1980s http://ow.ly/V4mEr
• NRDC Report: Climate-ready soil can cut crop losses, save trillions of gallons of water,
  
  remove carbon from the air http://ow.ly/UT7nC
• Some Nebraska farmers push for property tax discount as revenues fall http://ow.ly/UTb8K
• National Geographic - "Apocalypse pig: The last antibiotic begins to fail" http://ow.ly/UXNEf
• While all eyes are on human numbers, it’s the rise in farm animals that is laying waste to the planet http://ow.ly/UXR9d
• Illinois appeals court rules insurer has duty to defend a nuisance suit brought by property owners against neighboring hog factory http://ow.ly/V11Qi
• Des Moines Register: What to prescribe for Iowa's eroding topsoil? http://ow.ly/VgjAk
• General Mills working with 25 farmers to help them to adapt more sustainable practices http://ow.ly/VgEAC

Climate and Weather -

• World Meteorological Organisation: Global average temperatures in 2015 are likely to be the warmest on record http://ow.ly/V3IRa
• Rep. Lamar Smith's (R-Tex.) confrontation with NOAA researchers over  groundbreaking climate change study is provoking a national backlash from scientists http://ow.ly/V46hr

Biodiversity, Wildlife and Invasives -

Photo: Tom Baker for MPR News

• Yellowstone bison marked for death could be spared by relocation plan http://ow.ly/UTt72
• University of Arkansas - Monticello researcher tracks mallards, migration and mercury contamination http://ow.ly/UY9ov
• Minnesota Department of Natural Resources seeks applications for statewide Aquatic Invasive Species Advisory Committee http://ow.ly/V137s
• Photo-essay: Migrating tundra swans pause for food, rest along Mississippi River http://ow.ly/V13QC
• Construction of Mississippi Basin-Great Lakes Basin Asian carp barrier at Eagle Marsh, Indiana nears completion http://ow.ly/VgOXo

In the Cities -

• Authorities critical of delays and lack of clarity in Pittsburgh metro area multibillion-dollar sewage, stormwater, and CSO overhaul http://ow.ly/UXQsP and http://ow.ly/UXQFI

In the States-

• Louisiana: Gov. Bobby Jindal’s plan to close a $487 million deficit "kicks some things down the road again," leaving trouble for next Governor http://ow.ly/UXRKF
• Jindal's proposed Louisiana state budget cuts include $6.4 million from coastal agency http://ow.ly/UXSvC (environmental community reaction: http://ow.ly/UXSy8)
• Pennsylvania Senate Environmental Resources and Energy Committee plans to hold a hearing on Sewage Facilities Act http://ow.ly/Vgz4Z
• Pennsylvania Governor acknowledges that a plan to resolve the five-month state budget impasse is in "deep peril" http://ow.ly/V1jD9

Gulf Coastal Region-

• Loyola University panel: Upcoming climate change talks in Paris could hold key to future of Louisiana's rapidly eroding coastline http://ow.ly/V0ZFg

Forestry -

• 5-year review of Farm Bill-mandated Forest Action Plans and effective water quality protections (prepared by Dovetail Partners) http://ow.ly/V0WCV

Resource Development -

• New report shows U.S. ethanol production rates hit record levels in mid-November http://ow.ly/Vgymd
• EPA finding of no widespread, systemic drinking water impacts from fracking is being challenged by agency's own scientists http://ow.ly/UT8l0
• Cabot Oil and Gas Corp. backs EPA's finding of no 'widespread, systemic' water problems due to hydraulic fracturing http://ow.ly/V3SNR
• North Dakota lawmakers setting aside money to reclaim legacy drilling sites where companies are no longer responsible for cleanup http://ow.ly/UYvwx
• Youngstown, Ohio officials will conduct a hand recount of an anti-fracking ballot initiative that failed this month http://ow.ly/UYwe3
• About 25% of Iowa property tracts needed for proposed Bakken oil pipeline could face condemnation by the state http://ow.ly/V1c6C
• South Dakota regulators expected to decide today whether to allow construction of the Dakota Access pipeline through state http://ow.ly/VgxRG

Renewable Fuel Standard

• EPA RFS decision could come down this week (ahead of November 30 court-ordered deadline); no hint of what position will be (AgriPulse news audio) http://ow.ly/UXMuL
• EPA Ethanol (RFS) ruling would have big Indiana impact http://ow.ly/UXO4y

Federal Budget (You can follow the status of all of the fiscal year 2016 appropriation bills on this Congress.gov web page) -

• Lobbyist rider strategy: Obama administration might be willing to accept environmental riders in return for Republicans yielding on refugees http://ow.ly/V4hUi
• Environmental policy riders, funding for Interior Department and the Environmental Protection Agency, other roadblocks hinder getting a budget deal done by Dec. 11 deadline http://ow.ly/V3MoX

Events - Information on all past and future events listed here each week can be viewed in the on-line calendar, located above and to the right (and here as a stand-alone calendar) 

• Agenda for December 4, Minnesota Legislative Water Commission meeting includes Agricultural Water Quality Certification Program update http://ow.ly/UTQoW
• Mississippi River Cities and Towns Mayors' Initiative's "Global River Talks: Sustaining the World’s Food-Producing Rivers;" COP21: Paris, France; December 8; 11:45 AM ET http://ow.ly/UZrj2
• USEPA Farm, Ranch, and Rural Community Federal Advisory Committee; Public Teleconference; December 11, 2-3:30 PM ET http://ow.ly/V3JIv
• 2016 Infrastructure Week to highlight lack of investment in U.S. infrastructure (including water and wastewater), May 16-23, 2016 http://ow.ly/UTJfG

e-Newsletters, Publications, Journals, Multimedia  -

• Lower Mississippi River Dispatch No 321, November 20 http://ow.ly/UTpVP
• Lower Mississippi River Dispatch No 322, November 23 http://ow.ly/V16Gm
• National Water Quality Monitoring Council's National Water Monitoring News e-newsletter (Fall 2015; 11th edition) http://ow.ly/V1lid
• Tulane Institute on Water Resources Law and Policy, November 24 TUWaterWays e-newsletter http://ow.ly/V1x3B
• Freshwater Biology Special Issue: Extreme Events in Running Waters http://ow.ly/V1O1N
• Rock River (Wisconsin) monthly recovery e-newsletter for December http://ow.ly/VguEq

Other news-

• Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources seeks to fill multiple Nonpoint Source Coordinator positions http://ow.ly/V1imJ
• Sen. John Barrasso (R-Wyo.) unveils new Land and Water Conservation Fund reauthorization bill, requiring significantly more money for states http://ow.ly/UTMBc (news story: http://ow.ly/UTMWw)
• Compared with other disciplines, conservation has been rather slow to incorporate digital technology into its methodological toolkit http://ow.ly/V0XwI

Politics and People-

• New Pew survey shows sweeping distrust of federal government by virtually every measure http://ow.ly/UXZuR
• Land Trust Alliance names Andrew Bowman as new president http://ow.ly/V3Q80
• State Rep. John Bel Edwards (D) elected Louisiana governor in runoff election against U.S. Sen. David Vitter (R) http://ow.ly/UXN4C
• Vitter announces Senate retirement after losing Louisiana gubernatorial race http://ow.ly/UXOm2
• Rep. Charles Boustany (R-La.) plans a 2016 run for David Vitter’s U.S. Senate seat http://ow.ly/V1944

Your Moment of Zen -

Capitol Hill This Week - What to Watch For

Below are the U.S. House and Senate activities currently scheduled for the week that relate to Mississippi River Basin and Coastal Louisiana water resources. Links are provided to the relevant committee web pages and appropriate pieces of legislation.

In addition to Committee activity, today (Monday), the House is scheduled to consider S.611 - the Grassroots Rural and Small Community Water Systems Assistance Act - a bipartisan bill passed by the Senate in June that would reauthorize the Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA's) program providing technical assistance to small public water systems).

The middle of the week should see the beginning of House floor debate on a comprehensive Energy and Commerce Committee energy bill. Opposed by most Democrats, the bill includes some of the Department of Energy's quadrennial review recommendations, and focuses on energy infrastructure improvements. Of interest to Mississippi River Basin stakeholders will be amendments likely to be considered during the floor debate, including those designed to expedite permit (including environmental impact) reviews of certain pipeline projects and reauthorize the Land and Water Conservation Fund, as well as Democratic amendments addressing climate change. You can check out the current list of filed amendments here.

A draft fiscal year 2016 omnibus discretionary spending bill will probably be released during the week. Democrats are said to be unhappy with the low levels of funding being provided for EPA and Interior Department programs, and will push for increases during floor debates in both chambers. The measure will be accompanied by an unknown number of riders that would restrict funding for the implementation of select environmental and energy programs (possibly including the Interior Department's proposed Stream Protection Rule and the administration's final Clean Water (or "Waters of the United States) Rule). Strategists believe that the administration may swallow some otherwise unpalatable environmental riders in exchange for Republicans easing up on proposed refugee restrictions.

Finally, this week the House and Senate will either have to reconcile two differing long-term federal surface transportation authorization bills ahead of a Friday (December 4) deadline, or pass yet another in a long line of authority extensions. The measure would authorize many highway and rail programs, including those relating to trails and scenic byways, of interest to river advocates.

Many Congressional proceedings are webcast live, and those listed below should be, as well (follow the respective meeting or hearing link). All times are Eastern. This information will be updated as warranted.

Monday, November 30

• House Rules Committee meeting to set the rules for the full House consideration of H.R. 8, the North American Energy Security and Infrastructure Act of 2015; 5:00 PM. room H-313 Capitol Building (possibly continuing into Tuesday, December 1, at 3:00 PM).

Tuesday, December 1

• Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee hearing to receive testimony on the Department of Interior's proposed Well Control Rule and "other regulations related to offshore oil and gas production;" 10:00 AM, room 366 Dirksen Senate Office Building.
• House Oversight and Government Reform Subcommittee on the Interior hearing "examining invasive species policy" (the impacts of non-native species and the effectiveness of the National Invasive Species Council); 2:00 PM, room 2154 Rayburn House Office Building.

Wednesday, December 2

• Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition and Forestry hearing on the agriculture industry’s role in combating global hunger; 10:00 AM, room 328 Russell Senate Office Building.
• House Natural Resources Subcommittee on Federal Lands legislative hearing to review H.R. 3556, the "National Park Service Centennial Act," a draft bill that would raise funding for the National Park Service ahead of its 2016 centennial; 10:00 AM, room 1324 Longworth House Office Building.

Capitol Hill This Week - What to Watch For (UPDATED)

Big-ticket legislative items will consume the attention of Congress this week, ahead of its planned Thanksgiving week recess. Surface transportation program authorization expires on Friday, and House and Senate conferees will work early in the week to resolve a handful of differences between the Senate and House long-term bill versions.  House and Senate appropriators will be working this week on an omnibus 2016 fiscal year spending package that both meets the conditions of the bipartisan budget deal signed into law three weeks ago, and that can pass both chambers while avoiding a Presidential veto over policy riders.  Republicans plan to propose a number of spending bill riders (or amendments) that address contentious energy and environmental policies, including one restricting funding to implement the final Waters of the U.S. rule.  The continuing resolution currently funding the federal government expires on December 11. The alternatives to passing an omnibus bill by then are a federal government shutdown or yet another short-term extension.

Below are the U.S. House and Senate activities currently scheduled for this week that relate to Mississippi River Basin and Coastal Louisiana water resources.  Links are provided to the relevant committee web pages and appropriate pieces of legislation.  Many Congressional proceedings are webcast live, and these may be, as well (follow the respective meeting or hearing link).  All times are Eastern. This information will be updated as needed. 

Tuesday, November 17

• Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee hearing to examine past wildfire seasons to inform and improve future Federal wildland fire management strategies; 10:00 AM, room 366 Dirksen Senate Office Building.
• House Energy and Commerce Committee meeting to mark up several bills, including S. 611, the Grassroots Rural and Small Community Water Systems Assistance Act; and H.R. 1321, the Microbead-Free Waters Act of 2015;  4:00 PM, room 2123 Rayburn House Office Building.

Wednesday, November 18

• Senate Environment and Public Works Committee hearing examining the International Climate Negotiations; 9:30 AM, room 406 Dirksen Senate Office Building.
• House Budget Committee hearing entitled, "Does Biennial Budgeting Fit in a Rewrite of the Budget Process?" 9:45 AM, room 210 Cannon House Office Building. 
• House Natural Resources Committee legislative hearing on "Protecting America's Recreation and Conservation Act" (discussion draft) to "reauthorize and reform the Land and Water Conservation Fund;" 10:00 AM, room 1324 Longworth House Office Building.
• House Science, Space and Technology Committee hearing on the "Administration’s Empty Promises for the International Climate Treaty;" 10:00 AM, room 2318 Rayburn House Office Building.

Thursday

• NEW - Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee business meeting to consider several pieces of legislation, including S. 556, the "Bipartisan Sportsmen’s Act of 2015," a bill "to protect and enhance opportunities for recreational hunting, fishing, and shooting," and the nomination of Suzette M. Kimball, Ph.D. to be Director of the United States Geological Survey; 9:30 AM, room 366 Dirksen Senate Office Building.

Capitol Hill This Week - What to Watch For (UPDATED)

The House stands in recess until November 16, and the Senate chambers will be darkened this Wednesday, November 11, for Veterans' Day, leaving very little room for Congressional activities.  Behind the scenes this week, Senate appropriators will be busy drafting an omnibus spending bill after receiving new spending allocations that reflect the bipartisan budget deal signed into law two weeks ago (H.R.1314 - the Bipartisan Budget Act of 2015).  Congress is facing a December 11 deadline to pass spending legislation for the current fiscal year.  The topic of spending bill "riders" that limit funding for contentious federal programs and initiatives is sure to arise between now and then.  Last week, Sen. Lisa Murkowski (R), Chairwoman of the Interior and Environment Appropriations Subcommittee (that oversees spending bills relating to the U.S. EPA and the Interior Department) reiterated the Republican plan to put forward multiple riders, including one restricting spending to implement the Waters of the U.S. rule.

Thus far only two Senate committee hearings are scheduled this week relating to Mississippi River Basin water resources: a hearing regarding spending on unauthorized programs (see this Congressional Budget Office fiscal year 2015 summary of "Unauthorized Appropriations and Expiring Authorizations," which includes the presently-unauthorized Land and Water Conservation Fund), and a Wisconsin field hearing in Stevens Point (a Wisconsin River town) on federal regulations.

Links are provided below to the relevant committee web pages.  Many Congressional proceedings are webcast live, and these may be, as well (follow the hearing link).  This information will be updated as warranted.

Thursday, November 12

• Senate Budget Committee hearing to examine spending on unauthorized programs; 10:30 AM, room 608 Dirksen Senate Office Building (No details or hearing link are yet available).

Friday, November 13

• NEW - House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee roundtable on “The Importance of Port, Waterway, Flood Control, and Ecosystem Restoration Improvements to the Nation’s Economy: Concepts for the Next Water Resources Development Act;” 9:30 AM CST; Formal Conference Room (fourth floor), Louisiana Supreme Court, 400 Royal St., New Orleans
• Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs field hearing on the "Impact of Federal Regulations: A Case Study of Recently Issued Rules;" 1:00 PM CT, Dreyfus University Center, 230 Laird Room (1015 Reserve Street, Stevens Point, WI 54481).