1. Corps Reform Organizations Consolidate Weekly Updates
As a part of ongoing efforts to Reform the Corps of Engineers, national environmental and taxpayer organizations have begun working in collaboration on a variety of Corps Reform related activities. Beginning with this Corps Reform Update, American Rivers, National Wildlife Federation, and Taxpayers for Common Sense will be distributing a jointly created weekly Corps Reform Update to each organization's individual distribution lists. If you are a member of more than one of these lists, you may receive duplicate updates each week. We apologize for any inconvenience this may cause, but we urge you not to withdraw your name from any one organization's list, as those lists may be used by individual organizations to distribute important information about Corps Reform that may not be sent by another organization.
2. Congress Organizing Corps Reform Caucus
Get Your Representatives Talking!
Urge your Congressman/woman to join in the dialogue of a new HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES corps reform caucus.
Background:
Six House members are seeking support to launch a Corps Reform Caucus that would ensure that the construction projects of the Army Corps of Engineers are environmentally sensitive and less wasteful of taxpayers' dollars. The stated mission of the caucus would be to provide a forum for interested members of Congress to work together toward a financially and scientifically accountable Army Corps of Engineers.
When in action, the Army Corps Reform Caucus hopes to hold briefings and information sessions on Army Corps issues, gain support for legislative and regulatory initiatives that serve to promote and enhance the Army Corps' services, and act as a clearinghouse for the sharing of ideas and legislation between Members and interest groups.
TAKE ACTION NOW! Visit:
www.americanrivers.org/takeaction
To call your member directly, contact the switchboard at 202-224-3121 or visit www.house.gov
To learn more about efforts to reform the Army Corps, visit http://www.amrivers.org/template2.asp?cat=2&page=267&id=225&filter=-1
Contact Kelly Miller at kmiller@amrivers.org or 202-347-7550 x3008 with questions.
3. ARMY CORPS DELAYS MISSOURI RIVER DAM REFORMS UNTIL 2003: Recreation, Endangered Species Ignored Again, Environmental Groups Say
Today, twenty-four environmental groups said the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers' decision to delay certain Missouri River dam operation reforms until 2003 ignores the needs of the river's recreational users and brings three species closer to extinction.
The coalition of national and local conservation groups urged the Corps to reduce summer water flow releases from Gavins Point Dam in South Dakota to aid three federally endangered species: the interior least tern, piping plover, and pallid sturgeon. The groups also urged the Corps to increase spring dam releases if drought conditions improve.
The groups' letter to the Corps is available at http://www.americanrivers.org and http://www.environmentaldefense.org/programs/Ecosystems/ArmyCorps/Miss ouriRiver.html.
The Corps' plan and the US Fish and Wildlife Service's Biological Opinion are available at http://www.nwd-mr.usace.army.mil/mmanual/opinion.htm.
4. Corps Releases Report on Listening Sessions
The Army Corps of Engineers released a report on the outcomes of several listening sessions conducted last fall across the country. These sessions were heavily attended by reform activists who raised questions about the need for reform of the Corps of Engineers.
To see the report visit http://www.wrsc.usace.army.mil/iwr/waterchallenges/Docs/FinalNationalS ummary.pdf
5. Chief of Engineers to Respond to Office of Special Counsel Findings
Lt. General Robert B. Flowers, the Army Corps' Chief of Engineers, is expecting to release the Corps' response to a whistleblower complaint investigation conducted by the Office of Special Counsel and the Army's Inspector General =96 he was asked to respond within 60 days, which already came and went on February 6th. This investigation was conducted in response to a Whistleblower complaint filed by Donald Sweeney, a senior Corps economist who worked on the Upper Mississippi River Navigation Study.
For more information on the whistleblower complaint, visit http://www.environmentaldefense.org/programs/Ecosystems/Mississippi/
For more information on the OSC/IG investigation findings, visit http://www.osc.gov/armyroi.htm http://www.osc.gov/documents/osc_d8.pdf
For more information on the Upper Mississippi River Navigation Study, visit http://www.mvr.usace.army.mil/pdw/nav_study.htm
6. Friends of the Earth to Host Conference March 9-12
Friends of the Earth is hosting a Green Scissors Conference March 9- 12. This conference will bring together activist from around the country who are fighting to stop environmentally damaging and fiscally irresponsible road and water projects. If you are interested in attending the conference email gpsmith@igc.org. Space is limited.
(Note: Friends of the Earth and several other conservation and taxpayer groups release an annual Green Scissors report that highlights wasteful and environmentally harmful spending. Visit: http://www.foe.org/pub/Pub.html to view last year's report).
This page created and maintained by Chehalis River Council
Send comments or questions to the: Chehalis River Council