We know all about the “innovative, cost-effective solutions”. We also know Big Ag will deny, deny, delay, fund the Governor’s inaugural ball, suddenly we’re holding government meetings at Farm Bureau headquarters, and that legislative leaders have determined that it’s tactically better to disappoint rural citizens and those who care about health, food and water than to ruffle a feather of Big Ag. What I want to know is…When will the federal government come down on Iowa? The sooner the better…. Rural citizen and crop-share farmer, Donna _____ From: Iowa Discussion, Alerts and Announcements [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of Charles Winterwood Sent: Saturday, December 13, 2008 4:41 PM To: [log in to unmask] Subject: Fw: Fwd: Water News Release (HQ): Finalists for Grants to Improve the Gulf of Mexico U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Finalists for Grants to Improve the Gulf of Mexico Contact: Enesta Jones, (202) 564-4355/7873 / [log in to unmask] ( Washington , D.C. - Dec. 12, 2008) A total of $3.7 million is available to help selected organizations reduce pollutants that contribute to the oxygen-depleted zone in the northern Gulf of Mexico . The 10 finalists will support agricultural conservation measures, restore wetlands and riverbanks, monitor water quality, and create a variety of innovative, market-based programs to improve water quality. "This seed money will grow innovative, cost-effective solutions to speed up the cleanup of impaired watersheds in the Mississippi River Watershed and cut the size of the Dead Zone in the Gulf of Mexico ,” said Benjamin H. Grumbles, EPA’s assistant administrator for water. These projects under the EPA’s Targeted Watersheds Grants Program will reduce the sources of pollutants, including runoff from developed land, soil erosion, agricultural fertilizers, and sewage and industrial discharges. Parts or all of 31 states drain into the watershed that flows into the Gulf of Mexico . The organizations are: * Conservation Technology and Information Center ( West Lafayette , Ind. ) for the Wabash River Watershed * Electric Power Research Institute ( Palo Alto , Calif. ) for the Ohio River Basin * Iowa State University (Ames, Iowa) for the Raccoon River Watershed, Walnut Creek Watershed, and Boone River Watershed * The Miami Conservancy District ( Dayton , Ohio ) for the Great Miami River Watershed * The Nature Conservancy ( Nashville , Tenn. ) for the Lower Hatchie River Watershed, Loosahatchie River Watershed, and Wolf River Watershed * The Ohio State University ( Columbus , Ohio ) for the Upper Scioto Watershed * The Wetlands Initiative ( Chicago ) for the Lower Illinois River-Lake Senachwine Watershed * University of Kentucky ( Lexington , Ky. ) for the Green River Watershed and Kentucky River Watershed * West Virginia University ( Morgantown , W. Va. ) for the Kanawha River Watershed * World Resource Institute (Washington, D.C.) for the Ohio River Basin, Upper Mississippi River Basin and Lower Mississippi River Basin - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - To unsubscribe from the IOWA-TOPICS list, send any message to: [log in to unmask] Check out our Listserv Lists support site for more information: http://www.sierraclub.org/lists/faq.asp Sign up to receive Sierra Club Insider, the flagship e-newsletter. Sent out twice a month, it features the Club's latest news and activities. Subscribe and view recent editions at http://www.sierraclub.org/insider/ - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - To unsubscribe from the IOWA-TOPICS list, send any message to: [log in to unmask] Check out our Listserv Lists support site for more information: http://www.sierraclub.org/lists/faq.asp