Here is a brief summary
Introduction
The
purpose of this bill is to develop a coordinated public-private
approach to reducing nutrient and sediment losses in the Upper
Mississippi River basin. Relying on existing federal, state
and local programs, the bill establishes a water quality monitoring
network and an integrated computer modeling program These
monitoring and modeling efforts will provide the baseline
data needed to make scientifically-sound and cost-effective
conservation decisions. The bi1l calls for an expansion of
four Natural Resource Conservation Service (NRCS) programs:
the Conservation Reserve Program (CRP), Wetland Reserve Program
(WRP), Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP), and
Wildlife Habitat Incentives Program (WHIP). Finally, the bill
contains provisions to protect the privacy of personal data
collected in connection with monitoring, modeling, and technical
and financial assessment activities.
Title
I - Citizen Water Council
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Creates
fifteen-person citizen water council. Three members from
each state Wisconsin, Minnesota, Iowa, Illinois, and Missouri.
Within each state delegation, two members will be selected
by the Governor, one appointed by Secretary of Agriculture.
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Council
to hold annual public meetings in each of the five states
for the purpose of formulating recommendations and seeking
public input about methods and priorities for reducing
sediment and nutrient losses.
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Responsibilities:
coordinates public and private efforts to reduce sediment
and nutrient loss; submits annual reports and quarterly
periodicals to the federal government and to the state
legislatures for each state along the upper and lower
Mississippi River
Title
11 - Interagency Working Group
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Establishes
Interagency Working Group to coordinate Federal nutrient
and sediment reduction efforts. Participants include:
the Secretary of Agriculture (chairperson of the Interagency
Working Group); the Secretary of the Interior, the Secretary
of Defense; the Administrator of the Environmental Protection
Agency, and the Administrator of the National Aeronautics
and Space Administration (or the designees of the respective
agency heads),
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Responsibilities:
to develop a coordinated plan and budget for the Federal
agencies participating in the Initiative.
Title
III - Water Quality Monitoring Network
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Designates
U.S. Geological Survey as lead agency in developing water
quality monitoring network
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Purpose;
to develop the baseline data needed to make scientifically-sound
and cost-effective conservation decisions aimed at reducing
soil and nutrient losses in the Upper Mississippi River
basin.
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Responsibilities:
to coordinate data collection, processing, archiving,
and distribution activities with other state and federal
agencies and NGOs.
Title
IV – Computer Modeling; Evaluation, Demonstration, and Outreach
Programs
Directs
the USGS, in collaboration with the Corps of Engineers and
NRCS, to establish a (GIS-based) computer-modeling program.
Modeling will identify significant sources ("hot spots")
of sediment and nutrients in the UMR basin, enabling better
targeting of conservation efforts.
Directs Secretary of Agriculture to evaluate benefits and
costs of land use practices designed to reduce sediment and
nutrient loss.
Establishes grant program to supplement non-Federal programs
being used to demonstrate new land practices designed to Reduce
sediment and nutrient loss (i.e., "model farms").
Directs Director of USGS to distribute information about nutrient
and sediment levels and about public and private sediment
and nutrient reduction levels over the Internet Also mandates
annual report on monitoring activities and report about modeling
activities very three years.
Title
V - Financial and Technical Assistance Under USDA Conservation
Programs
Title
VI - Protection of Personal Data
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Restricts
disclosure of data gathering sites and information and
data collected at those sites to other agencies or to
general public in order to insure the privacy of landowners
and other cooperating parties. Information released will
have been transformed into statistical or aggregate form
that does not allow identification of the individual landowner,
operator, or data-gathering site.
Title
VIII - Authorization of Appropriations
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There
is authorized to be appropriated such sums as may be necessary
to carry out this Act.
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Create
an Interagency Working Group of participating Federal
agencies in Order to develop coordinated and comprehensive
nutrient and sediment reduction efforts.
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Increase
and target existing technical and financial assistance
to the Conservation Reserve Program (CRP), Wetland Reserve
Program (WRP), Environmental Quality Incentives Program
(EQIP), and Wildlife Habitat Incentives Program (WHIP)
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Restrict
disclosure of data and information collected to other
agencies or to general public in order to insure the privacy
of landowners and other cooperating parties. Information
released will have been transformed into a form that does
not allow identification of the individual landowner,
operator, or data-gathering site.
Agencies
Involved
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U.S.
Geological Survey coordinates the development of the water
quality monitoring network and integrated computer modeling
system.
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U.S.
Department of Agriculture and Natural Resource Conservation
Service implement conservation programs, assist in development
of demonstration projects, and contribute to monitoring
and modeling efforts.
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Army
Corps of Engineers, Environmental Protection Agency, National
Aeronautics and Space Administration serve, with agencies
listed above, on Interagency Working Group.
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