WASHINGTON, April 30 -- The Congressional Research Service issued the following report (No. R45997) on April 29, 2021, entitled "Federal Regional Commissions and Authorities: Structural Features and Function" by Michael H. Cecire, intergovernmental relations and economic development policy analyst: This report describes the structure, activities, legislative history, and funding history of seven federal regional commissions and authorities: the Appalachian Regional Commission; the Delta Regiona  more

MADISON, Wisconsin, April 28 -- The U.S. Department of Agriculture's Natural Resources Conservation Service Wisconsin office issued the following news release on April 27, 2021: The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) today announced it is investing $330 million in 85 locally driven, public-private partnerships to address climate change, improve the nation's water quality, combat drought, enhance soil health, support wildlife habitat and protect agricultural viability, including 3 projects in  more

TALLAHASSEE, Florida, May 1 -- The Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services issued the following news release: Yesterday, Agriculture Commissioner Nikki Fried and the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services submitted formal public comment on the U.S. Department of Agriculture's implementation of the President's Executive Order on Tackling the Climate Crisis at Home and Abroad. As part of the Executive Order, the USDA was directed to collect stakeholder input on a   more

ST. JAMES, Louisiana, April 28 (TNSRep) -- Friends of the Earth issued the following news release on April 27, 2021: 175 organizations today called on 30 leading banks and financiers not to fund the construction of Formosa Plastics' $12 billion "Sunshine Project" petrochemical plant in St. James, Louisiana. Signatories to the letter from RISE St. James include residents and community groups, major U.S. civil society organizations, and international groups concerned about toxic air pollution ca  more

WASHINGTON, May 1 -- The House Science, Space and Technology Subcommittee on Space and Aeronautics issued the following testimony by Michael A. Meyer, lead scientist for the Mars Exploration Program of NASA's Science Mission Directorate, as part of a video conference hearing entitled "What Do Scientists Hope to Learn with NASA's Mars Perseverance Rover?" on April 29, 2021: * * * I am honored to appear before this Subcommittee to discuss Mars science and the role that the Perseverance rover pla  more

WASHINGTON, May 1 -- The House Science, Space and Technology Subcommittee on Space and Aeronautics issued the following testimony by Bethany L. Ehlmann, professor of planetary science and associate director of the Keck Institute for Space Studies at the California Institute of Technology, president of the Planetary Society, and co-investigator of the Mars Perseverance mission, as part of a video conference hearing entitled "What Do Scientists Hope to Learn with NASA's Mars Perseverance Rover?" o  more

BATON ROUGE, Louisiana, April 28 (TNSPer) -- Louisiana State University issued the following news release: LSU College of the Coast & Environment Professor Nancy Rabalais is among the 120 newly elected National Academy of Sciences members recognized for her distinguished achievements in original research. She is also among the 59 women who have been elected, the most women elected in a single year to the National Academy of Sciences. Rabalais is an LSU Department of Oceanography & Coastal Scie  more

MERRIFIELD, Virginia, April 29 (TNSPol) -- The National Wildlife Federation issued the following news release: A broad coalition of 133 conservation, farmer and rancher, sportsmen, and wildlife groups urged the leadership of the U.S. House and U.S. Senate agriculture committees in a letter to ensure the forthcoming infrastructure package includes robust funding for Farm Bill conservation programs and farmer assistance. They specifically urged Congress to double the investment in Farm Bill conse  more

WASHINGTON, April 30 -- Sen. Roy Blunt, R-Missouri, issued the following news release on April 29, 2021: U.S. Senator Roy Blunt (Mo.), a member of the U.S. Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation, and U.S. Senator Richard Blumenthal (Conn.) introduced the Forage Fish Conservation Act to protect forage fish. These small fish serve as the primary food source for larger fish, other aquatic life, and birds in ecosystems like the Mississippi River, benefitting local environments an  more

VICKSBURG, Mississippi, May 1 -- The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers-Vicksburg District issued the following news release: The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) Vicksburg District has selected Davita Baloue as chief of Contracting. Baloue will serve as the district's principal procurement and contracting official. In this role, she will have unlimited monetary authority to contract for supplies, services, construction and architect-engineer services, utilities, and agreements using a variety o  more

VICKSBURG, Mississippi, May 1 -- The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers-Vicksburg District issued the following news release: Regulatory Division team members from the U.S. Army Corp of Engineers (USACE) Vicksburg District were recently recognized by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) for their contributions to the MS SLOPES tool development. USFWS presented the honorees with the Environmental Leadership Award, a distinction known as the Environmental Review and Permitting Champion. Their ef  more

VICKSBURG, Mississippi, May 1 -- The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers-Vicksburg District issued the following news release: The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) Vicksburg District's Levee Safety Center was recently recognized by USACE Headquarters (HQ USACE) for exceptional contributions to dam and levee safety. Social scientist Katie Noland was selected as the 2021 Levee Safety Professional of the Year for her excellence in levee safety contributions. Award nominations were received agency-wi  more