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Briefing Scheduled on Asian Grass Carp
Tuesday, February 6, 2018 at
2:30 PM
234 Cannon House Office Building
A briefing by the Northeast-Midwest Institute on Tuesday, February 6, at 2:30 PM will exami
ne
perspectives from federal and state officials, conservation NGOs, and sportsmen groups about invasive Asian grass carp in the Great Lakes.
The topics and speakers will include:
- Risk assessment of grass carp and the differences of the governance approaches compared to other invasive Asian carp
- Dr. John Dettmers, Great Lakes Fishery Commission
- Great Lakes State efforts and response to grass carp
- Dr. Seth Herbst, Michigan Department of Natural Resources
- Mr. Rich Carter, Ohio Department of Natural Resources
- Current research on grass carp
- Dr. Leon Carl, U.S. Geological Survey
- Conservation and sportsmen perspectives - what's at risk?
- Mr. Dan Eichinger, Michigan United Conservation Clubs
- Mr. Matt Misicka, Ohio Conservation Federation
- Mr. Gildo Tori, Ducks Unlimited
For more information, please contact
Matthew McKenna
, Director of the Great Lakes Washington Program at the Northeast-Midwest Institute.
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Hypoxia Task Force Report to Congress Presented at Capitol Hill Briefing
The 2017 Gulf Hypoxia Task Force Report was the focus of a Northeast-Midwest Institute briefing on Capitol Hill on January 31. Nutrient pollution in the Mississippi River and the Gulf of Mexico were the central focus as well as the role of the Task Force in building long-lasting relationships with various agencies and stakeholders to address the issue.
A summary of the briefing, a full audio recording, and copies of the presentation slides can be found
here.
The panelists, from universities as well as state and federal agencies, discussed the Task Force's 2017 report, including many important science-based conclusions that are relevant to upcoming pieces of legislation, such as the Farm Bill. The briefing provided an opportunity for Congressional staff and other interested stakeholders to learn about the report and the ongoing efforts to shrink the annual dead zone in the Gulf.
For more information, contact
Sri Vedachalam
, Safe Drinking Water Policy Program Director, at the Northeast-Midwest Institute.
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Importance of the Soo Locks to the American Steel Industry Highlighted at Capitol Hill Briefing
The economic and navigational impact of the Soo Locks in Sault St. Marie, Michigan
was the focus of a briefing hosted by the Northeast-Midwest Institute on Capitol Hill on January 31. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE), which is currently conducting an economic reevaluation study of the feasibility of building a second 1,000-foot commercial shipping lock in Sault Ste. Marie, gave a presentation highlighting the importance that the Locks play in the supply chain of the U.S. steel industry. Additionally, a representative from the American steel industry was in attendance to discuss the importance of the Soo Locks to the American manufacturing sector.
A summary of the briefing can be found here.
For more information, please contact
Matthew McKenna
, Director of the Great Lakes Washington Program at the Northeast-Midwest Institute.
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EPA Administrator Gives Testimony
to Senate EPW Committee
EPA Administrator Scott Pruitt gave testimony last week before the Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works. He was greeted with praise from EPW Chairman John Barrasso (R-WY) for the EPA's accomplishments during Pruitt's tenure. Pruitt has drifted towards state-perspective decision making unlike the previous administration which took a more holistic approach to environmental rules and regulations.
This was followed by criticism from Sen. Tom Carper (D-DE) during his opening remarks, declaring he wanted "real answers" from Pruitt. He deemed climate change the greatest environmental challenge of our time and expects Pruitt to follow through on his proposed initiatives and to stop ignoring the timelines laid out in the Clean Air Act as well as the Clean Water Rule. He stated that there has been clear failure to act on Pruitt's part and expects better results this coming year.
Sen. Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) echoed Carper's statements while also addressing Pruitt's "War on Lead." The EPA currently deems a healthy level of lead in a person's blood is 15ppb, but Duckworth emphasized that the true healthy limit should be zero. In the proposed budget for FY2018, the President cut the Lead Risk Reduction program out of the EPA's budget as well as slashing funds for the Ground & Drinking Water Department. When asked if he would commit to making sure these programs received proper funding, Pruitt failed to answer yes or no.
For more information, please contact
Matthew McKenna
, Director of the Great Lakes Washington Program at the Northeast-Midwest Institute.
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This Week on Capitol Hill
The House will be in session Monday through Wednesday of this week. The Democratic Caucus will be holding their three-day annual retreat Wednesday through Friday.
The Senate continues to negotiate an immigration reform bill.
With the current continuing resolution funding the federal government expiring at the end of Thursday, February 8, Congress will consider passing another continuing resolution to avoid a government shutdown this week.
A full list of key Congressional committee activity that impacts the region can be viewed below:
Tuesday, February 6
Wednesday, February 7
- The Senate Environment and Public Works Committee will hold a nomination hearing for Andrew Wheeler to be Deputy Administrator of the EPA at 9:30 AM in 406 Dirksen Senate Office Building.
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NEMWI: Strengthening the Region that Sustains the Nation
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