WRDA Updates: Letter to the Corps from 74 Groups; Congress Gearing Up
In May, 74 conservation, civic, social justice, faith, and recreation organizations led by WPN members sent a comment letter to the Corps of Engineers on its implementation guidance for the Water Resources Development Act (WRDA) of 2020. Together, these organizations called on the Corps to prioritize natural and nature-based solutions, address environmental injustice, and increase the nation’s resilience to climate change in implementing key WRDA 2020 provisions. Thank you to all those who joined and encouraged others to join this letter!
Meanwhile, Members of Congress are gearing up to kick off development of the next WRDA package this summer. WPN members, please email Ilana at rubini@nwf.org to share ideas for proposals you would like to see in the next WRDA.
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Nominations for Corps Leadership Roles
Michael Connor has been nominated for the position of Assistant Secretary of the Army for Civil Works, the top civilian role overseeing the Corps of Engineers. Connor, a member of the Taos Pueblo Tribe, has prior experience including as the Deputy Interior Secretary in the Obama Administration, Commissioner of the Bureau of Reclamation, and counsel for the Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources. Earlier this year, Jaime Pinkham was appointed to the position of Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary of the Army for Civil Works. Pinkham, a member of the Nez Perce Tribe, has prior experience including as the Executive Director of WPN member the Columbia River Inter-Tribal Fish Commission (CRITFC) and on WPN member American Rivers’ Board of Directors. While Connor's confirmation is pending, Pinkham is also serving as Acting Assistant Secretary. We look forward to connecting WPN members with Corps leadership to advance WPN priorities.
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EPA to Restore Clean Water Act Section 401 Authority of States and Tribes
EPA recently announced that it plans to revise the previous administration’s guidance that had severely limited the role of states and Tribes in implementing water quality standards under Section 401 of the Clean Water Act.
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President’s Budget for 2022 Released
On May 28, the White House released the President’s Budget for Fiscal Year 2022, including the Civil Works budget of the Corps of Engineers.
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WPN Member Spotlight on the Mississippi River Network:
Mississippi River Town Hall & River Days of Action
Join with other WPN members and fellow Mississippi River enthusiasts nationwide to celebrate a new vision for the Mississippi River and launch a public petition for action during the Mississippi River Network’s River Days of Action!
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Attend the Mississippi River Town Hall (June 10, 6:00 PM CT) to engage with fellow Mississippi River enthusiasts and hear remarks from Congresswoman Betty McCollum of Minnesota's 4th District; Mayor LaToya Cantrell of New Orleans, Louisiana; Tillie Walton, river conservationist & philanthropist; and WPN members Mississippi River Network, Friends of the Mississippi River, and National Wildlife Federation. Enjoy cameo appearances from watch parties happening up and down the Mississippi River and learn about Congresswoman McCollum's vision for a Mississippi River Restoration & Resilience Initiative (MRRRI). You will also learn how to take action through a public petition for the River.
Please visit the Eventbrite page to RSVP and learn more about the June 10 Mississippi River Town Hall.
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WPN Member Highlights
WPN members, please email Ilana at rubini@nwf.org to share your own highlights, news, or resources.
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Recent Public Notices
This is a non-comprehensive list of Corps of Engineers public notices from the Federal Register and Corps district websites, and select notices from other federal agencies. Please visit FederalRegister.gov, Corps division and district websites, and other federal agencies' websites for additional public notices. Click here for examples of comments and letters submitted to the Corps by WPN members.
Corps of Engineers Notices
- Published 6/07: Solicitation of Applications for Stakeholder Representative Members of the Missouri River Recovery Implementation Committee (Application deadline 7/09)
- Published 5/21: Intent To Prepare an Environmental Impact Statement for the Lake Okeechobee System Operating Manual (LOSOM), FL
- Published 5/21: Draft environmental assessment for the proposed sanitary sewer upgrade project in Kindred, ND (Comment deadline 6/18)
- Published 5/20: Reissuance and Modification of Nationwide Permits; Correction to NWP 52 (Water-Based Renewable Energy Generation Pilot Projects) (Effective 5/20/2021; applicable beginning 3/15/2021)
- Published 5/20: Draft Environmental Assessment and unsigned Finding of No Significant Impact for proposed work at Center Hill Dam, DeKalb County, TN (Comment deadline 6/21)
- Published 5/20: Draft Environmental Assessment and unsigned Finding of No Significant Impact for proposed work at Wolf Creek Dam, KY (Comment deadline 6/21)
- Published 5/19: Record of Decision for CWA 404 Permit Strategy Aligned with the Placer County Conservation Program (PCCP) and Multi-tiered CWA 404 Permit Strategy for PCCP Covered Activities, CA
- Published 5/18: Apostle Island Marina Breakwater Draft Environmental Assessment and FONSI, WI (Comment deadline 6/18)
- Published 5/18: Clear Creek Point, LP, Clear Creek Marina, TX (Comment deadline 6/18)
- Published 5/17: Lock and Dam 22 Fish Passage Improvement Project Project Implementation Report With Integrated Supplemental Environmental Assessment, Upper Mississippi River (Comment deadline 6/16)
- Published 5/17: Bartlett Lake Marina 404 Permitting, CA (Comment deadline 6/15)
- Published 5/14: Comprehensive Environmental Document Phase II, Greater New Orleans (GNO) Area Hurricane Storm Damage Risk Reduction System (HSDRRS) (Comment deadline 7/13)
- Published 5/13: Hornell Water Pollution Control Plant Improvements, NY (Comment deadline 6/13)
- Published 5/12: Special Public Notice 21-16 Reinstatement of previously suspended 2017 and 2021 Nationwide Permits, PA
- Published 5/12: Final Supplemental Environmental Assessment (SEA) for the Channel Islands Harbor Breakwater and Jetty Repair Project, CA
- Published 5/10: Notice of Five-Year Review: Chemours Chambers Works FUSRAP Site Deepwater, NJ
- Published 5/04: Public Notice for the re-issuance of Regional General Permit SWG-1994-00026 for artificial reefs, TX
- Published 5/03: Notice of Availability - West Point Lake Shoreline Management Plan Update Draft Finding of No Significant Impact and Environmental Assessment, GA and AL
- Published 4/29: Proposed Collection; Comment Request on Economic Analysis of Beach Renourishment, Puerto Rico (Comment deadline 6/28)
Other Agency Notices
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