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W E E K L Y  U P D A T E      September 4, 2018
 
In This Issue
Upcoming Briefing
Farmer Aid
This Week in Washington


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Briefing on September 5th to Address Great Lakes Regional Green Infrastructure
Join the Great Lakes Commission and Northeast-Midwest Institute for a briefing and report launch for:

Great Lakes Regional Green Infrastructure Policy Analysis:
Addressing Barriers to Implementation

Wednesday, September 5, 2018 
2:30 p.m. - 4 p.m. EDT

Cannon House Office Building
Room 122
27 Independence Avenue Southeast
Washington, D.C. 20003

Please RSVP by August 31.
 
 
 
Throughout the Great Lakes basin, communities are faced with growing stormwater management challenges.  Green infrastructure (GI) can serve as a key aspect of local stormwater solutions by decreasing the volume of water running into sewers and streams and improving water quality by trapping sediment and nutrients. GI includes a broad variety of stormwater management tactics like natural features and rain gardens, green roofs, and porous pavement, that mimic nature and increase infiltration of stormwater. 
Local communities are generally at the forefront of stormwater management, challenges, and innovation, but municipalities' capacity to develop GI is heavily influenced by federal, state, and provincial policy. Many policies and funding programs can foster GI implementation, while others either do little to incentivize GI or amplify unnecessary barriers. This report is targeted to federal, state, and provincial policymakers that can help create enabling conditions for local GI progress. The key policy recommendations identified are designed to reduce barriers and provide a stronger foundation for communities to advance GI.
Farmers of Specific Crops Can Now Apply for Payments from Farmer Aid Package

To address the increasing harm to the U.S. agricultural sector from the ongoing trade war between the U.S. and some of its major trading partners, primarily China, the U.S. Department of Agriculture today is moving ahead with its aid package targeted at the U.S. agriculture sector. 

The USDA has now opened its Market Facilitation Program  for applications for financial aid from farmers of selected crops.  Farmers will be able to receive payments for only half of their yield, and it is unclear how soon the money will be distributed. 

Totaling $4.7 billion in handouts to farmers, the package includes $3.6 billion for soybeans, $290 million for pork, $277 million for cotton, $156 million for sorghum, $127 million for dairy, $119 million for wheat, and $96 million for corn, according to Bloomberg BNA. The direct aid is part of a larger, $12 billion aid package that will also include other provisions, like $1.2 billion to purchase crop surpluses.

With no end in sight for the trade hostilities with China, the USDA has indicated that it will continue to evaluate further payments and relief in the coming months.

For more information, please contact Eric Heath, Senior Policy Counsel for the Mississippi River Basin Program at the Northeast-Midwest Institute.

This Week in Washington

Now that the House has returned from its August recess, both the House and Senate are in session this week.   The following are hearings and markups of interest to the region.

Wednesday

The Joint Conference Committee on the Farm Bill will hold a meeting of conferees on H.R.2, to provide for the reform and continuation of agricultural and other programs of the Department of Agriculture through fiscal year 2023.  9 :30 AM | 325 Russell SOB.

The Committee on Natural Resources will hold a full committee markup on a number of bills listed here.   10:15 AM | 1324 Longworth House Office Building.

Thursday  

The House Committee on Energy and Commerce's Subcommittee on Environment will hold a hearing entitled "Perfluorinated Chemicals in the Environment: An Update on the Response to Contamination and Challenges Presented."  10:00 AM | 2123 Rayburn HOB.

Friday

The House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure will hold a briefing entitled "Building a 21st Century Infrastructure for America: Water Resources Projects and Policy, Part II."  9:00 AM  | Check Committee website for location.


NEMWI: Strengthening the Region that Sustains the Nation