MONTEREY, California, Aug. 4 (TNStalk) -- The Monterey Bay Aquarium, a non-profit that focuses on conservation of the ocean, issued the following agency statement on Aug. 3, 2022: * * * On July 27, 2022, the Senate reached a deal to use the budget reconciliation process to pass legislation that will invest approximately $300 billion in deficit reduction, and $369 billion in energy security and climate change programs, over the next 10 years. However, the agreement also includes measures that u  more

GULFPORT, Mississippi, Aug. 2 -- The Environmental Protection Agency issued the following news release: The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced over $11 million in grant funding for projects promoting a Healthy and Resilient Gulf of Mexico watershed. These awards will improve water quality, habitat, community resilience, and environmental education in the Gulf of Mexico watershed. A total of 26 projects were awarded in three EPA regions ( Region 4: 14 projects, Region 6: 11 pro  more

MERRIFIELD, Virginia, Aug. 5 (TNStalk) -- The National Wildlife Federation issued the following statement on Aug. 4, 2022, with 131 organizations: * * * A broad coalition of 132 conservation, farmer and rancher, and hunting and angling groups, and food and agriculture companies highlighted the "transformative" investments the Inflation Reduction Act will make in Farm Bill conservation programs and the bill's support for climate-smart agricultural practices. "Farmers, ranchers, and foresters a  more

WASHINGTON, Aug. 6 -- The Federal Communications Commission issued the following statement on Aug. 5, 2022, by Commissioner Geoffrey Starks on an action entitled "Affordable Connectivity Program, Third Report and Order" (WC Docket No. 21-450): * * * The Affordable Connectivity Program (ACP) has successfully supported over 13 million American households get affordable or zero-cost broadband access. Through the ACP, we have made great strides in decreasing the digital divide and ensuring that, a  more

WASHINGTON, Aug. 4 (TNSres) -- The U.S. Department of Commerce's National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration issued the following news release: * * * Low river discharge is a key factor contributing to this year's dead zone * * * NOAA-supported scientists announced that this year's Gulf of Mexico "dead zone"- an area of low to no oxygen that can kill fish and marine life - is approximately 3,275 square miles. That's more than 2 million acres of habitat potentially unavailable to fish and  more

WASHINGTON, Aug. 2 -- The U.S. Department of Commerce's National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration issued the following news release: NOAA and its partners are launching a new pilot project to study flooding on the Mississippi River and how to better protect the most vulnerable communities. The pilot project, "Building Knowledge to Support Equitable Climate Resilience," which includes a $150,000 NOAA investment in FY22 and in-kind services from partners at the Cooperative Institute for Re  more

WASHINGTON, Aug. 5 (TNSrep) -- The U.S. Department of the Interior's U.S. Geological Survey issued the following report on Aug. 4, 2022, entitled "Sediment and Nutrient Retention on a Reconnected Floodplain of an Upper Mississippi River Tributary, 2013-2018." Here are excerpts: * * * ABSTRACT The connection of rivers with their floodplains has been greatly reduced in agricultural drainage basins, especially in the Upper Mississippi River Basin. The restriction of the Mississippi River from i  more