ESA is now accepting applications for its 2019 Katherine S. McCarter Graduate Student Policy Award. Offered each year, this award gives graduate students an all-expense paid trip to Washington, DC for science policy training with opportunities to meet with lawmakers on Capitol Hill.<\/p>\n
Visit the\u00a0ESA website<\/a>\u00a0for more information and details on application requirements.\u00a0The deadline to apply is\u00a0Jan. 13, 2019.<\/p>\n Trump Administration Moves to Redefine Clean Water Rule, Can\u2019t Seem to Locate Applicable Scientific Studies<\/a><\/strong> Congress Passes 2018 Farm Bill, Funds and Sets Policy for Agriculture and Forestry Programs through 2023<\/a> Congress<\/a> Executive Branch<\/a><\/strong> Courts<\/a><\/strong> States<\/a><\/strong> International<\/a><\/strong> Scientific Community<\/a><\/strong> Federal Register Opportunities<\/a><\/strong> ESA In the News<\/a><\/strong> <\/a> The Consortium of Aquatic Science Societies issued a statement decrying the rule. In a separate\u00a0statement issued by ESA<\/a>, President Laura Huenneke rejected the Trump administration\u2019s efforts to weaken the \u201cWaters of the United States\u201d rule. \u201cToday\u2019s action by the EPA undermines the use of the best available science showing strong benefits of protecting wetlands and upland watersheds,\u201d she says. \u201cThis proposed rule will affect the commercial and recreational fishery industries that depend on clean water for fish habitat. It will also require taxpayers to pay for costly infrastructure to prevent flooding that wetlands currently provide at no cost by absorbing stormwater. Finally, we know that pollution and contaminants in wetlands move into the food chain through fisheries, ultimately affecting public health.\u201d<\/p>\n Defining the Clean Water Act\u2019s \u201cWaters of the United States\u201d provision has been an ongoing debate, almost since the passage of the CWA in 1972. Narrower definitions have been traditionally pushed by business interests that want less oversight; broader definitions have been backed by environmentalists relying on sound science-with the judiciary often prevailed upon to referee.<\/p>\n The Ecological Society of America opposes this new proposed definition- as well as the Feb. 2017 Executive Order that prompted it- because of its disregard of the sound science which informed the previous 2015 WOTUS rule issued during the Obama administration. Along with other scientific organizations such as The Society of Wetland Scientists, American Fisheries Society and American Institute of Biological Sciences, ESA urged the White House and Congress to defend the 2015 WOTUS rule when it was reviewed by the Sixth Circuit Court last year. In societies\u2019 letter of support, it endorsed the\u00a0amici curiae<\/em>\u00a0brief filed by wetland and aquatic scientists. The letter stated, \u201cThe Clean Water Rule was developed using the best available science, technical experts, and >1,000 peer-reviewed scientific studies. The\u00a0amici curiae\u00a0<\/em>brief\u00a0describes how wetlands, streams, and adjacent waters significantly affect the chemical, physical, and biological integrity of traditional navigable waters, interstate waters, and the territorial seas.\u201d<\/p>\n As outlined by E&E News, the water resources that would now fall within the new proposed rule\u2019s definition include: traditionally navigable waters, tributaries, impoundments, wetlands adjacent to traditionally navigable waters, some ditches, and some lakes and ponds.<\/p>\n E&E News also reports in a separate article that it obtained a slideshow prepared by the EPA and Army Corps under a Freedom of Information Act request to the agencies that finds, \u201cat least 18 percent of streams and 51 percent of wetlands nationwide would not be protected under the new definition.\u201d That 18 percent is comprised of streams, creeks, washes, and ditches that do not flow continuously, known as \u2018ephemeral streams\u2019. EPA Office of Water chief Dave Ross when asked for specifics about what would not be covered under the new rule claimed to reporters during an EPA press call held Dec. 10. \u201cIf you see percentages of water features that are claimed to be in, or reductions, there really isn\u2019t the data to support those statistics,\u201d Ross said. \u201cNo one has that data.\u201d As to wetlands, they would have protection only if they are connected to another federally protected waterway, which is a narrower application as well. These changes in federal protection are a departure from both the George W. Bush and Obama administrations.<\/p>\n The complete exclusion of protection for ephemeral streams that only flow after heavy rains or snowmelt makes the proposed WOTUS problematic, especially in regions where they predominate such as the arid Southwest. A 2008 EPA report, \u201cThe Ecological and Hydrological Significance of Ephemeral and Intermittent Streams in the Arid and Semi-arid American Southwest<\/a>,\u201dexplains that ephemeral and intermittent streams make up approximately 59% of all streams in the United States excluding Alaska), and over 81% in the arid and semi-arid Southwest (Arizona, New Mexico, Nevada, Utah, Colorado and California) according to the U.S. Geological Survey National Hydrography Dataset. The same EPA report goes on to state, \u201cthat ephemeral and intermittent streams provide the same ecological and hydrological functions as perennial streams by moving water, nutrients, and sediment throughout the watershed.\u201d It also notes that \u201c[ephemeral streams provide] wildlife habitat and migration corridors; support for vegetation communities to help stabilize stream banks and provide wildlife services; and water supply and water-quality filtering[.]\u201d<\/p>\n Previous Republican and Democratic administrations protected ephemeral streams if they had a hydrological, biological or chemical impact on larger downstream waters. Although these streams do not flow continuously, when they do run, they carry any buildup of pollution or waste in their path to the larger waterbodies these streams feed. These waterbodies are often connected to fishing areas and drinking water sources. By eliminating existing federal protections, those stream-carried pollutants will go unchecked. To decide to no longer protect ephemeral streams because of their seasonal flow is akin to allowing a large polluting vehicle to be exempt from emission regulations because it is only driven three months of the year.<\/p>\n Related to the ephemeral stream issue is the removal of existing protections for wetlands. With a little over half of wetlands being dropped from the definition, this could result in serious problems for wetlands, their ecological systems, and nearby waterways. As the Washington Post reports, \u201cProtection of wetlands and head waters are \u201ccritically important areas for the health of rivers and drinking water supplies for Americans all over the country,\u201d said Bob Irvin, president of American Rivers, a nonprofit advocacy group seeking to protect and restore waterways. He said that even though the connection between bodies of water may not appear on the surface, \u201cthere may be connections through groundwater.\u201d<\/p>\n There will be a 60-day public comment period on the\u00a0proposed rule<\/a>, starting from the proposal\u2019s Federal Register publication in the Federal Register. EPA and USACE are required to review all comments. If past reactions to previous changes to the WOTUS definition are any indication, this proposal will face lengthy court challenges.<\/p>\n <\/a> The $867 billion bill largely cuts the most controversial measures in the House version and contains strong funding for agricultural research and conservation programs.<\/p>\n An\u00a0explanatory statement<\/a>\u00a0that accompanies the bill acknowledges the funding for agricultural research has declined since 2003 and pledges to reverse this trend. The Agriculture and Food Research Initiative (AFRI), which provides competitive grants for agricultural research, is reauthorized through 2023 with only minor revisions. In the 2014 Farm bill, lawmakers authorized up to $700 million for AFRI. The final 2018 Farm Bill keeps this authorization level, although appropriations have only provided around $400 million for AFRI in recent fiscal years. The Senate version of the bill proposed eliminating the USDA\u2019s rangeland research program, the final bill reauthorizes the program through 2023. Lawmakers legalize hemp and also identify several high priority research areas, including pollinator research and nutrient management.<\/p>\n The bill renames the USDA\u2019s Research, Education, and Economics Mission Area to the Office of The Chief Scientist, which oversees the USDA\u2019s research agencies, including the Agricultural Research Service and the National Institute of Food and Agriculture.<\/p>\n The bill establishes a pilot program entitled the Agriculture Advanced Research and Development Authority (AGARDA), to be administered by the Office of the Chief Scientist with authorized appropriations of up to $50 million from FY 2019-2023. The chief scientist will appoint an AGARDA director who will develop a strategic plan within a year for the program in consultation with the National Agricultural Research, Extension, Education, and Economics Advisory Board, the National Academies and others.<\/p>\n The bill\u2019s final version of the Forestry Title removes measures that would have exempted forest management projects from National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) review,\u00a0however, it does contain a NEPA exemption for greater sage-grouse and mule deer habitat improvement projects that are up to 4,500 acres and \u201cbased on the best available science.\u201d\u00a0The bill also creates a Water Source Protection Program for the Forest Service to work with nonfederal partners on watershed restoration projects and a grant program for forest restoration projects.<\/p>\n The bill\u2019s Energy Title contains considerable mandatory funding for the Renewable Energy for America Program that helps install renewable energy and energy efficiency technologies on farms, ranches and in rural businesses. The Biomass Crop Assistance Program and the Biomass Research and Development Program are eliminated from mandatory funding.<\/p>\n Agricultural conservation programs are fully funded in the bill. The total acreage allowed under the Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) is increased from 23 to 27 million acres by 2023 with instructions to enroll 30 percent of all acres within continuous CRP. To fund this, lawmakers have reduced the rate paid per acre. The Working Lands for Wildlife Program is also expanded and formalized into law. This program improves high priority landscapes for multiples species such as the sage grouse, quail and lesser prairie chicken. Lawmakers reduce funding for the Conservation Stewardship Program, but they increase funding for the Environmental Quality Incentives Program to a projected $200 million per year. The Agricultural Conservation Easement Program is increased to $2.25 billion over the length of the Farm Bill. This bill also creates a \u201csoil health and income protection pilot program\u201d in the prairie pothole region and provides $25 million a year for conservation innovation grants.<\/p>\n The American Bird Conservancy\u2019s\u00a0press release<\/a>\u00a0applauds the bill and highlights the Regional Conservation Partnership Program \u2013 this program\u2019s funding triples from $100 million a year to $300 million a year. Other major conservation groups, including the\u00a0Nature Conservancy<\/a>\u00a0and the\u00a0National Wildlife Federation<\/a>, celebrated the passage of the 2018 Farm Bill.<\/p>\n <\/a> Senate:\u00a0<\/strong>Sen. Joe Manchin (D-WV) will serve as the ranking member on the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee in the 116th<\/sup>\u00a0Congress. The current ranking member, Sen. Maria Cantwell (D-WA), will become the ranking member of the Senate Commerce, Science and Technology Committee, replacing Sen. Bill Nelson (D-FL) who lost his bid for re-election. Manchin is a strong supporter of coal mining who once\u00a0shot a carbon cap and trade bill<\/a>\u00a0in a campaign ad.<\/p>\n Seismic Testing:<\/strong>\u00a0A bipartisan group of 93 Members of Congress signed a\u00a0letter<\/a>\u00a0opposing NOAA Fisheries\u2019 decision to issue five marine mammal Incident Harassment Authorization permits to companies planning to conduct seismic testing in the Atlantic Ocean. These seismic surveys are the first step toward energy development in the Atlantic continental shelf. The lawmakers, led by Rep. John Rutherford (R-FL), write that the seismic survey will harm marine mammals, fish and coastal economies. Furthermore, communities and public officials will not have access to the results of seismic testing and will not be able to use that information to make decisions about offshore energy development.<\/p>\n Migratory Bird Treaty Act:<\/strong>\u00a0Sen. Chris Van Hollen (D-MD) sent a\u00a0letter<\/a>\u00a0to Interior Secretary Ryan Zinke on department\u2019s enforcement of the Migratory Bird Treaty Act. In a May hearing, Zinke told Van Hollen that he was \u201cnot correct\u201d in stating that the Interior Department\u2019s reinterpretation of the Migratory Bird Treaty would mean that oil companies would no longer pay fines for bird deaths resulting from oil spills. Van Hollen notes Zinke\u2019s statements at that hearing are inconsistent with other guidance from the Interior Department.<\/p>\n Legislative Updates<\/strong><\/p>\n <\/a> NSTC:<\/strong>\u00a0The White House National Science and Technology Council (NSTC) released a\u00a05-year strategic plan<\/a>\u00a0for science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) education. The plan spans across the federal government\u2019s $3 billion investment in STEM education. Workforce training and partnering with industry and community organizations are a focus of the plan rather than traditional educational settings.<\/p>\n BLM:<\/strong>\u00a0The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) released its\u00a0final Environmental Impact Statements<\/a>\u00a0for revisions to the 2015 sage-grouse conservation plans in Utah, Colorado, Idaho, Nevada\u00a0and\u00a0Northern California and Wyoming. The 2015 conservation plans were the result of unprecedented collaboration between federal agencies, industry, states and conservation groups. The new plans eliminate the \u201csage grouse focal area\u201d designation on around 9 million acres of sage grouse habitat. The governors of Oregon and Montana declined to make major revisions to their state\u2019s sage grouse conservation plans\u00a0and\u00a01.8 million acres sage\u00a0grouse focal\u00a0areas remain in those states. This revision opens the land to drilling and mining. The governors of Utah, Colorado\u00a0and\u00a0Idaho have expressed their support for these revisions. The BLM assures that the revisions do not lift protections of the bird species and instead gives states \u201cflexibility\u201d to allow more activity in the bird\u2019s habitat. In June 2018, a group of 20 sage grouse scientists\u00a0wrote<\/a>\u00a0that there is \u201cno scientific basis to support weakening\u201d sage grouse conservation plans.<\/p>\n NOAA:<\/strong>\u00a0The agency\u2019s Arctic Program released its\u00a013th annual Arctic Report Card<\/a>. The report\u2019s international authors warn that the Arctic continues to warm at double the rate of the rest of the world \u2013 resulting in warmer average temperatures, thinner sea ice and less terrestrial snow cover. The region has also seen an increase in harmful algal blooms and microplastic contamination. Caribou and wild reindeer populations have declined around 50% in the past 20 years.<\/p>\n NSF:<\/strong>\u00a0The Directorate for Biological Sciences is looking for high-level ideas on fundamental biological research questions that are poised for major advances, span multiple levels of organization in living systems and combine expertise from multiple biological sub disciplines. For more information, see the\u00a0Dear Colleague letter<\/a>.<\/p>\n USDA:\u00a0<\/strong>The Senate Agriculture Committee approved Scott Hutchins as USDA\u2019s undersecretary for research, education, and economics. During his nomination hearing he said that he accepts the conclusions of the Fourth National Climate Assessment and sees a critical role for his office to address pests and invasive species through APHIS.<\/p>\n USDA APHIS:<\/strong>\u00a0The agency released its\u00a0strategic plan<\/a>\u00a0for fiscal years 2019-2013. APHIS is the lead agency for response to agricultural pests and diseases. It also regulates genetically modified organisms, administers the Animal Welfare Act and conducts wildlife damage management activities. The strategic plan stresses customer service and reducing regulatory burden. An\u00a0analysis<\/a>\u00a0of the plan by the Center for Invasive Species protection found that the new plan emphasizes animal pests and zoonotic disease \u2013 rather than plant pests.<\/p>\n USDA NRCS:\u00a0<\/strong>Agriculture Secretary Sonny Perdue appointed Matt Lohr to be the chief of USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS). Lohr is a former Virginia state lawmaker and agriculture commissioner. He is the first permanent NRCS chief in the Trump Administration, replacing acting NRCS chief Leonard Jordan. Lohr will provide leadership for NRCS and its mission to support America\u2019s farmers, ranchers, and forest landowners in their voluntary conservation efforts through a network of over 3,000 offices in communities nationwide.<\/p>\n USFWS: Sonoyta Mud Turtle:\u00a0<\/strong>The US Fish and Wildlife Service is proposing to designate 12 acres of Organ Pipe Cactus National Monument in Arizona as critical habitat for the endangered Sonoyta mud turtle. The\u00a0proposed rule<\/a>\u00a0is open to public comment on the Federal Register until Feb. 4, 2019.<\/p>\n USFWS: Whistleblower Program:<\/strong>\u00a0Documents\u00a0obtained<\/a>\u00a0by the National Whistleblower Center under the Freedom of Information Act show that that the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service can only account for $13,704 of the $5.6 million appropriated to the agency for a whistleblower program that would reward individuals that report wildlife crime. A\u00a0report<\/a>\u00a0by Earth Island Journal links the failure of the USFWS whistleblower program to the impending extinction of the vaquita porpoise.<\/p>\n <\/a> Days later, the San Antonio\u00a0Express-News\u00a0reported<\/a>\u00a0that that border wall construction\u00a0will\u00a0begin on the National Butterfly Center\u2019s property along the border in Mission, TX as soon as February as a result of the court ruling. Marianna Wright, the National Butterfly Center\u2019s executive director, warned that construction would harm the volume and diversity of species on the property.<\/p>\n Alaska:<\/strong>\u00a0Following Gov. Mike Dunleavy\u2019s (R) inauguration, a website detailing the state\u2019s actions on climate change is no longer accessible to the public. The\u00a0website<\/a>\u00a0highlighted former Gov. Bill Walker\u2019s (I) efforts to combat climate change, including a\u00a0key climate report<\/a>, meeting notes, and a list of environmental policies and proposals. State officials said that the website was taken down as part of an effort to remove Walker\u2019s name from state websites, but it is unclear if the climate change site will return. Dunleavy has vocally disapproved of Walker\u2019s climate change initiative, calling it a waste of money. He believes the causes of climate change are still up for debate and that Alaska should not allocate money for \u201cproblems that we really can\u2019t affect.\u201d<\/p>\n Michigan:\u00a0<\/strong>The State Senate\u00a0approved<\/a>\u00a0legislation\u00a0that modifies state wetland laws\u00a0and makes\u00a0it easier for farmers and property owners to fill in wetlands and take other actions in wetlands that are not connected directly to a large waterway. Opponents said that this legislation would leave over 4,000 inland lakes unprotected.<\/p>\n Both houses of the state legislature also\u00a0approved<\/a>\u00a0a bill that prevents state regulators from imposing stricter environmental regulations than required by federal law, unless there is a \u201cclear and convincing\u201d need.<\/p>\n <\/a> Chinese science agencies have also\u00a0pledged<\/a>\u00a0their support for Plan S. The agencies said that they intend to make the results of Chinese government-funded research free to read upon publication. It is not clear when or exactly how they will implement open access policies.<\/p>\n Tanzania:\u00a0<\/strong>The government banned all genetically modified organism (GMO) trials and directed The Tanzania Research Institute to destroy GMO research evidence. Researchers are shocked by the move and they are using social media accounts to express their disapproval.<\/p>\n United Kingdom:\u00a0<\/strong>Environment Secretary Michael Gove has proposed a plan that would require developers to deliver a \u201cbiodiversity net gain,\u201d\u00a0meaning that developers must leave habitats better off for wildlife than they were pre-development.\u00a0This\u00a0could include the\u00a0creation\u00a0of green corridors, planting more trees or forming local\u00a0nature\u00a0spaces. In the case that green improvements on-site are not possible, the plan proposes charging a fee which would go toward habitat enhancement elsewhere. This proposed plan would apply to developments covered by the Town and Country Planning Act.<\/p>\n In England, the Independent newspaper is reporting that for the first time in 800 years, there is a wild beaver in Devon. Small numbers of beavers that are tagged and monitored live in England, although no one seems to know how the beaver that was spotted came to live in the wild. Beavers were hunted to extinction in the UK. They became a protected species across most of Europe in the 1920s and today there are about 600,000.<\/p>\n United Nations:\u00a0<\/strong>Countries attending the U.N. Convention on Climate Change in Poland\u00a0agreed<\/a>\u00a0to adopt a \u201crulebook\u201d detailing how countries will meet the goals of the Paris climate agreement.<\/p>\n At the beginning of the conference, the U.S., Russia, Saudi Arabia\u00a0and\u00a0Kuwait\u00a0blocked<\/a>\u00a0language in a resolution that said the U.N. body \u201cwelcomes\u201d the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change\u2019s report on 1.5 degrees Celsius of warming.\u00a0Judith G. Garber, the head of the US delegation, highlighted the U.S.\u2019s success in reducing carbon emissions and emphasized that the US will continue to use fossil fuels \u2013 as well as other energy sources. The U.S. also held a side event at the conference promoting \u201cclean coal\u201d and natural gas. Meanwhile, a group of 48 countries that are most vulnerable to climate change criticized the U.N and developed counties for \u201cdecades of inaction.\u201d<\/p>\n Meanwhile, countries attending the U.N. Convention on Biological Diversity\u00a0rejected<\/a>\u00a0a moratorium on the release of organisms carrying gene drives, a genetic-engineering technology that can spread mutation rapidly throughout a population. Some potential environmental management applications of the technology include reducing malaria in mosquitoes and managing invasive species. Instead, countries agreed to new treaty language that calls to limit gene drives and assess the risks on a case by case basis.<\/p>\n <\/a> National Academies of Sciences:<\/strong>\u00a0The Water Science and Technology Board is looking for experts to serve on the Committee on Independent Science Review of Everglades Restoration Progress. The committee\u00a0examinesprogress toward meeting the goals of the Comprehensive Everglades Restoration Plan and denies issues that may impact progress toward meeting the plan goals. To submit a nomination, go\u00a0here<\/a>.<\/p>\n The\u00a0Ocean Studies Board<\/a>\u00a0will hold its spring meeting April 23-25, 2019.<\/p>\n National Academies of Sciences, A Decadal Survey for NSF\u2019s Division of Earth Sciences<\/strong>:\u00a0Input from the scientific community<\/a>\u00a0is needed to inform a study, Catalyzing Opportunities for Research in the Earth Sciences (CORES) that will provide advice that the National Science Foundation\u2019s Division of Earth Sciences can use to set priorities and strategies for its investments in research, infrastructure, and training in the coming decade.\u00a0\u00a0Submit input here<\/a>.<\/p>\n National Academies Environmental Engineering Report:\u00a0<\/strong>Five grand challenges for environmental engineers are identified to address complex societal problems as the world\u2019s population grows.\u00a0Read the press release.<\/a><\/p>\n \u201cScience Under Siege at the Department of the Interior\u201d:<\/strong>\u00a0The Union of Concerned Scientists released a\u00a0report<\/a>\u00a0detailing how the Interior Department, under the leadership of Ryan Zinke, has \u201csystematically suppressed\u201d science \u2013 including the science of climate change and science-based protections for wildlife. The report recommends that Congress should increase its oversight of the Interior Department and scientists and other stakeholders should talk to their representatives and participate in public comment periods.<\/p>\n <\/a> Opportunities for Public Comment and Nominations:<\/strong><\/p>\n Visit this page on ESA\u2019s blog for updates on opportunities from the Federal Register<\/a>,\u00a0including upcoming meetings and regulations open for public comment.<\/p>\n <\/a> <\/a> ESA\u2019s policy activities work to infuse ecological knowledge into national policy decisions through activities such as policy statements, Capitol Hill briefings, Congressional Visits Days, and coalition involvement. Policy News Updates are bi-monthly summaries of major environmental and science policy news. They are produced by the Public Affairs Office of the Ecological Society of America.<\/p>\n Send questions or comments to\u00a0 Alison Mize, director of public affairs,\u00a0In This Issue:<\/h1>\n
\nProposed rule would remove protections for ephemeral streams and many wetlands.<\/p>\n
\n<\/strong>House and Senate leaders reach agreement on the 2018 Farm Bills.<\/p>\n
\n<\/strong>Bipartisan group of lawmakers oppose seismic testing in the Atlantic Ocean; Sen. Joe Manchin (D-WV) to serve as the ranking member of the Senate Energy and Natural Resources committee.<\/p>\n
\nBLM releases new sage grouse management plans; NOAA issues Arctic Report Card.<\/p>\n
\nSupreme Court declines border wall legal challenge from environmental groups.<\/p>\n
\nMichigan Senate passes bill removing some wetland protections.<\/p>\n
\nUN Convention on Climate Change meets in Poland.<\/p>\n
\nUnion of Concerned Scientists releases report on science in the Interior Department.<\/p>\n
\nUpcoming meetings and other opportunities for public involvement.<\/p>\n
\nView an up-to-date list of ESA\u2019s media coverage<\/p>\nTrump Administration Moves to Redefine Clean Water Rule, Can\u2019t Seem to Locate Applicable Scientific Studies<\/h2>\n
\nThe Trump administration\u2019s Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) proposed a new definition of \u201cwaters of the United States\u201d (WOTUS) Dec. 11. The new definition would greatly narrow what constitutes federal waters under the Clean Water Act (CWA) and consequently eliminate federal authority to regulate the pollution in many previously protected waters.<\/p>\nCongress Passes 2018 Farm Bill, Funds and Sets Policy for Agriculture and Forestry Programs through 2023<\/h2>\n
\nAfter months of internal deliberations to resolve differences between House and Senate versions of the 2018 Farm Bill, congressional leaders overwhelmingly approved a final version of the legislation. It now heads to the president\u2019s desk to be signed into law. The Farm Bill authorizes programs within federal agencies and also sets the amount of money that appropriators may allocate.<\/p>\nCongress<\/h2>\n
\nAppropriations:\u00a0<\/strong>Congress approved a stop-gap measure funding some federal\u00a0agencies, including the Departments of the Interior and Agriculture, the EPA, NSF and NOAA, through Dec. 21. Lawmakers have already approved fiscal year 2019 funding for the Departments of Energy, Health and Human Services and Defense.<\/p>\n\n
Executive Branch<\/h2>\n
\nInterior:<\/strong>\u00a0Secretary of the Interior Ryan Zinke announced he will resign at the end of December amid on-going ethics investigations into his conduct while in office. Zinke\u2019s deputy David Bernhardt will likely serve as acting Interior Secretary until the Senate can confirm a new permanent secretary. Bernhardt is a former oil, gas and water lobbyist who worked in the Interior Department during the George W. Bush administration.<\/p>\nCourts<\/h2>\n
\nBorder Wall:<\/strong>\u00a0The Supreme Court\u00a0rejected an appeal from environmental groups attempting to block the construction of a wall along the US-Mexico border.\u00a0This\u00a0decision leaves in place a lower court ruling which rejected claims that the Trump administration ignored laws requiring environmental reviews of the project.<\/p>\nStates<\/h2>\n
International<\/h2>\n
\nPlan S:<\/strong>\u00a0Members of the cOALition S, the Wellcome Trust and UK Research and Innovation, are seeking a consultant to explore \u201cstrategies and business models\u201d to help academic societies adapt to Plan S. In the statement, cOAltion S acknowledges that their plan to require scientists receiving funding from 11 European agencies to publish in open access journals could likely hurt revenues for academic societies and the events, fellowships, services and grants that they provide.<\/p>\nScientific Community<\/h2>\n
\nGolden Goose Award<\/strong>: Research organizations are looking for nominations for the Golden Goose Awards \u2013 this award honors federally funded research that \u201cmay be odd, obscure or serendipitous but ends up having a major impact on society.\u201d For best consideration for the 2019 award, nominations are due Jan. 21, 2019 and can be submitted online\u00a0here<\/a>.<\/p>\nFederal Register Opportunities<\/h2>\n
\nPublic Meetings, many of which are live-streamed:\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n\n
\n
ESA In the News<\/h2>\n
\nESA regularly issues press releases to the media about journal articles and other Society news. Press coverage is kept up-to-date on our \u201cIn the News\u201d page.\u00a0Check out news stories here.<\/a><\/p>\nESA Correspondence to Policymakers<\/h2>\n
\nView\u00a0letters and testimony from ESA\u00a0here<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n