Supreme Court hears case to limit Clean Water Act
The Supreme Court should restrict federal regulation of wetlands to marshy areas with a surface connection to a waterway — a dramatic reduction in coverage but a standard that would be easier to understand than the “significant nexus” test now in use, said a lawyer for the conservative Pacific Legal Foundation on Monday. Two justices said the court’s decision, in a case involving a home site in Idaho, could rewrite wetlands regulations nationwide.
Europe reports biggest bird flu epidemic ever
Bird flu cases have been reported from the Arctic islands of northern Norway to southern Portugal this year in the largest epidemic yet seen in Europe of the disease, said the E.U. food safety agency on Monday. The virus that causes highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) was unusually persistent during the summer and the risk of disease among flocks would increase with autumn migratory season, it said.
Talks & Eats returns to Brooklyn, 10/24!
The climate crisis in agriculture is a frequent topic of reporting here at FERN. But climate change is also having a significant effect on wine and beer. How are vintners and brewers responding? In this panel discussion, wine writer Alice Feiring — proclaimed “the queen of natural wines” by the Financial Times — will talk about what she’s seen and what she’s worried about. Garrett Oliver — Brewmaster, The Brooklyn Brewery and Editor-in-Chief, The Oxford Companion to Beer — will talk about the ancient grains he’s now using to brew climate resilient beers. And author Rowan Jacobsen will focus on the explosion of winemaking in the northeast as the climate has warmed. Tickets include complimentary beer and wine. A tax-deductible VIP ticket includes a reception with beer, wine, and eats.
TODAY’S QUICK HITS
Drought hits wildlife hardest: Despite arguments over water reductions in cities vs. farmland, the environment is the first to take a hit during dry years in California “and that can have harsh consequences for wildlife.” (Los Angeles Times)
Low water slows barges: Water levels in the lower Mississippi River are dropping, restricting barge traffic during the busy fall harvest. (Associated Press)
Request land ownership report: Sixty percent of House Republicans signed a letter asking the GAO to verify estimates of foreign ownership of U.S. agricultural land and whether the federal ownership-disclosure law needs to be strengthened. (House Agriculture Republicans)
Bigger appetite, fewer pigs: Americans are consuming more pork — an average of 51.3 pounds this year — at the same time that hog farmers are scaling back slightly on production, a combination that should mean higher prices for slaughter hogs. (farmdoc Daily)
