The U. S. Fish and Wildlife Service will brief congressional staff on their Great Lakes restoration and protection efforts. This briefing will focus on the many tangible actions, past and present, that the Service's Environmental Contaminants Program has implemented to address contaminant issues as part of a larger effort to achieve the vision of restored, protected and sustainable Great Lakes. The Great Lakes are threatened and degraded by toxic substances from contaminated sediments; industrial and municipal point sources; oil and chemical spills; nonpoint sources including atmospheric deposition; agricultural and urban runoff; contaminated groundwater; and cycling of chemicals within the Lakes.  The briefing will be held on May 19th at 10:00 a.m. in S-212 of the Capitol Visitor's Center.

For more information contact Joy Mulinex at the Great Lakes Task Forces.

• USDA Mississippi River Basin Initiative Funding Announcement
• April 15 Mississippi River Basin Congressional Briefing Materials
• Publications and Articles of Note
• Conference, Event and Meeting Announcements
• Federal Legislative Updates
• America's Commitment to Clean Water Act
• WRDA 2010
• Clean Estuaries .Act
• Flood Insurance Reform and Priorities Act
• 2012 Farm Bill
• Atrazine Legislation
• Federal Budget and Appropriation Update

On Wednesday, May 5th, Dr. Jill Rolland from USDA's Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) will brief congressional staff on the work that they have been doing regarding VHS, the current regulatory status, and the latest on funding.  The briefing will be held in SC-4, beginning at 10:00 a.m.

For more information contact Joy Mulinex at the Great Lakes Task Forces.

The Northeast-Midwest Institute, in coordination with the Northeast-Midwest Congressional Coalition is sponsoring a film screening on infrastructure with Rep. Brian Higgins (NY-27).  The film, Beyond the Motor City, part of PBS's Blueprint America series focuses on the transportation infrastructure of Detroit and its ability to transform the way people are transported.  The film touches on infrastructure disinvestment and auto-centric cities juxtaposing them with cities using a variety of modes and modern infrastructure.  The event will feature statements by the Congressman as well as a discussion with the film's director, Aaron Woolf.

The screening will take place on the evening of Tuesday June 1 at the Buffalo & Erie County Historical Society in Buffalo, NY.

For more information contact Fritz Ohrenschall, 202-464-4020, at the Northeast-Midwest Institute.