Week of February 27th, 2017
Mississippi River Basin News
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This Week in Washington
The Trump administration has released a 2018 budget aiming to cut EPA funding up to 25% and decrease staffing by 20%. These cuts in budget include $9.8 million in grants for states to tackle lead cleanup, and a 70% decrease in the EPA climate protection program. The estimated total cut in budget is approximately $2.2 billion. Despite these cuts the new EPA administrator, Scott Pruitt, has been vocal about protecting water infrastructure grants along with industrial and hazardous waste cleanup. His plans to improve water infrastructure could be extremely beneficial to the Mississippi River Basin's economy. Many have raised concerns over this budget including the Officers of the Environmental Council Of the States (ECOS). They point to the lack of input allowed by directly affected states, primarily Michigan which is struggling with remediation of its drinking water infrastructure due to lead contamination.

Additionally President Trump has signed an executive order asking the EPA and the U.S. Army Corp of Engineers to review the Clean Water Rule in order to rescind or revise it. The Clean Water Rule expanded the scope of federally protected waterways protected under the Clean Water Act. While the goal is to allow more room for economic growth, many point to the economic benefit of these waterways being clean and healthy as more important. The order is most likely just the beginning of a lengthy process involved in the reevaluation of environmental regulation.       

The Mississippi River Cities and Towns Initiative held a press conference urging the administration and congress to preserve federal programs that produce a significant return on investment to the country through an $8 billion infrastructure policy plan. The group of mayors from the Mississippi River Basin outlined the importance of disaster response in the wake of continued seasonal flooding along with stressing the economic impact of the river's ecological health on the nation.

The House Committee on Agriculture's subcommittee on Conservation and Forestry held a hearing titled The Next Farm Bill: Conservation Policy. The hearing revolved around testimonies from farmers and ranchers in support of conservation and the protection of natural resources. 

News From Around the Basin

NEMWI: Strengthening the Region That Sustains the Nation