Science Policy Report
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In This Issue:
Policy News
~ Plant Science Research Network releases Decadal Vision 2020-2030~ EPA moves to ease regulation of pest-resistant crops
Science and Society News
~ Scientists can recycle sewer waste into garden soil. But if it stinks, it won’t sell.~ When fashion is fungal
~ New meta-analysis finds Bt crops have no impact on soil biota
~ Red parent soils create wetland problems
~ Alabama farmers are bracing for the impact of Hurricane Sally as pecan, cotton harvest nears
~ A nested association mapping population for Wheat Stem Rust resistance
~ COVID-19 Deepens America’s Hunger Crisis
~ Wildfires make dangerous air for farmworkers: “It’s like you can’t breathe”
International Corner
~ Pesticide-free crop protection yields sizable economic benefits in Asia-Pacific~ More swine fever cases suspected in wild boars in eastern Germany
Research, Education, Extension Funding Opportunities
~ Climate-Resilient Crops~ Food, Water and Local Community Investments
~ Children in Nature & Applied Conservation Grants
~ Clif Bar Family Foundation Application for Small Grants
~ De Coizart Charitable Trust Applications for Species Conservation, Environment
~ Paul Wiseman Conservation Education Grants
~ Rocky Mountain Rangelands Program 2020
~ Small Business Innovation Research Program - Phase I
~ Energy and Carbon Optimized Synthesis for the Bioeconomy (ECOSynBio)
~ Restore Colorado 2021
~ Sustainable Jersey Grants Program: Gardinier Environmental Fund
~ Northern New York Agricultural Development Program
~ Minnesota Livestock Investment Grant
~ NRCS RCPP Funding FY20 & FY21
~ Western SARE 2021 Professional + Producer Grants
~ Office of Science Graduate Student Research (SCGSR) Program
~ Southern SARE Producer Grants
~ Northeast SARE Farmer Grant Program
~ Ecology and Evolution of Infectious Diseases (EEID)
~ Next Gen Fertilizer Challenges
~ NIEHS SBIR Phase IIB Validation of Sensors for Improved Environmental Exposure Assessment
~ Western SARE 2021 Sabbatical Research and Education Grants
~ Plant Health TV: Research that helps Plant Health – Video Competition
Policy News
(TOP) ~ Plant Science Research Network releases Decadal Vision 2020-2030
Plant science research has tremendous potential to address pressing global issues including climate change, food insecurity and sustainability.However, without sustained investment in plant science, the necessary research to generate innovative discoveries that solve these urgent problems is at risk. On September 1, the Plant Science Research Network (PSRN) released its Plant Science Decadal Vision 2020-2030: Reimagining the Potential of Plants for a Healthy and Sustainable Future, a report that outlines bold, innovative solutions to guide investments and research in plant science over the next 10 years. Read the full article.
(TOP) ~ EPA moves to ease regulation of pest-resistant crops
The Environmental Protection Agency is proposing to exempt from its regulation some biotech crops that are genetically engineered to be toxic to damaging insects and other plant pests. The agency’s proposal follows implementation of a broader rule finalized by the Agriculture Department in May to streamline its oversight of biotech plants. Read the full article.
Science and Society News
(TOP) ~ Scientists can recycle sewer waste into garden soil. But if it stinks, it won’t sell.
This spring, having been stuck at home because of the coronavirus pandemic, your family may have been one of millions across the country that planted a garden. Perhaps you perused seed catalogues for your favorite fruits and vegetables, lined up small peat pots to stick seeds in, then cut open a bag of soil. Did you smell it — rich and earthy? At least, that’s what scientists hope your soil smelled like. Sometimes you can take a whiff and get hit with smells of rotten eggs or ammonia. It’s a smell that kids can relate to if they have a cat and forget to empty the litter box, says April Ulery. She’s the president-elect of the Soil Science Society of America. Read the full story.
(TOP) ~ When fashion is fungal
Textiles have a big carbon footprint and then clog landfills when discarded. Could biodegradable clothes be a solution? Read the full story.
(TOP) ~ New meta-analysis finds Bt crops have no impact on soil biota
A new meta-analysis finds that genetically modified Bt crops — in stark contrast to some pesticides — have no impact on soil invertebrates. The new research provides further weight to the argument that Bt crops, which control pests in a very targeted way using insecticidal proteins (Bt) expressed in plant tissues, protect biodiversity by helping farmers reduce their use of broad-spectrum insecticide sprays. Read the full article.
(TOP) ~ Red parent soils create wetland problems
Identification and protection of wetlands requires recognition of hydric soils. Usually this is straightforward, but sometimes challenging or problematic situations arise. Recent research demonstrated that problematic red parent material (PRPM) soils, which we have known about for several decades, are actually quite widespread and found from Michigan to Arizona and from Texas to Massachusetts. Read the full article.
(TOP) ~ Alabama farmers are bracing for the impact of Hurricane Sally as pecan, cotton harvest nears
Farmers along Alabama’s Gulf Coast are braced for a deluge of rain and strong winds from a slow-moving hurricane forecasters predict may dump more than a foot of rain. The state’s cotton and pecan crops are most vulnerable, and with peak harvest still weeks away, Hurricane Sally’s imminent arrival is troubling. Read the full article.
(TOP) ~ A nested association mapping population for Wheat Stem Rust resistance
For as long as people have cultivated wheat, they've been fighting off a nasty fungus: wheat stem rust. The ancient Romans even held a festival called “Robigalia” on 25 April each year, sacrificing dogs to the god of rust to keep the fungus away. Thankfully for Fido, modern gene‐mapping techniques coupled with the expertise of wheat breeders can help us develop resistant wheat lines to stymy outbreaks of the disease caused by the fungus Puccinia graminis f. sp. tritici. University of Minnesota and USDA‐ARS researchers designed the equivalent of an upgraded genetic map to show the locations of wheat stem rust resistance genes. The nested association mapping (NAM) population registered by the team is one of the first of its kind to examine wheat stem rust resistance genes through NAM and was published in a recent Journal of Plant Registrations article. Read the full article.
(TOP) ~ COVID-19 Deepens America’s Hunger Crisis
Prior to COVID-19, even in the midst of a strong economy with a record streak of job growth and low unemployment rates, in 2018 nearly 8 million (4 percent) American adults reported that members of their households sometimes or often did not have enough to eat. According to data from the U.S. Census Bureau’s Household Pulse Survey (collected April 23, 2020 through July 21, 2020), during COVID-19, that number has surged to 26–29 million, or 11 percent of adults. Who are the hungry in America today? This report provides a description of who didn’t have enough to eat. Read the full article.
(TOP) ~ Wildfires make dangerous air for farmworkers: “It’s like you can’t breathe”
Farmworkers in California are facing two crises at once: the coronavirus and exposure to dangerous air from wildfires. Massive fires border large swaths of California's agriculture region, the Central Valley. Monitoring stations report unhealthy air across the interior of the state. "To be out in the fields, it's like you can't breathe," says Hernan Hernandez, executive director of the California Farmworker Foundation. California requires employers to provide outdoor workers with respiratory protection such as N95 masks if the air quality reaches a certain threshold. In a statewide survey last month, a labor union found farmworkers mostly weren't getting them. But wearing a mask when it's 110 degrees isn't easy either. Read the full article.
International Corner
(TOP) ~ Pesticide-free crop protection yields sizable economic benefits in Asia-Pacific
Scientists have estimated for the first time how nature-based solutions for agricultural pest control deliver $14.6 to $19.5 billion annually across 23 countries in the Asia-Pacific region. The new research, published in the journal Nature Ecology & Evolution, suggests that non-chemical crop protection (or biological control) delivers economic dividends that far surpass those attained through improved “Green Revolution” rice germplasm (estimated at US$ 4.3 billion a year). Read the full article.
(TOP) ~ More swine fever cases suspected in wild boars in eastern Germany
A further five cases of African swine fever (ASF) have been initially found in wild boars in the eastern German state of Brandenburg, the state government said on Tuesday. The cases were found in dead wild boars, not farm animals, close to the location of the first case of ASF in a wild boar confirmed last week, Brandenburg state health minister Ursula Nonnemacher told a committee of the state’s parliament. Read the full article.
Research, Education, Extension Funding Opportunities
(TOP) ~ Climate-Resilient Crops
The Foundation for Food and Agriculture Research (FFAR) will be accepting applications for the new Improving Climate Resilience in Crops program starting September 16, 2020. We are launching this grant opportunity through our Next Generation Crops Challenge Area to increase a crop’s tolerance for higher temperatures. Opens: September 16. Read the full announcement.
(TOP) ~ Food, Water and Local Community Investments
In the years since its creation in 2004, the Mosaic Company has become a global leader in the supply of phosphates and potash for crop nutrition. The company currently is inviting applications in support of three core areas — food, water, and local investment — in communities where it has facilities, offices, and key stakeholder agreements. Deadline: September 25. Read the full announcement.
(TOP) ~ Children in Nature & Applied Conservation Grants
The Papoose Conservation Wildlife Foundation is unique in its focus on both wildlife science and children’s experiences in nature and seeks to merge these two goals with the aim of helping children become the scientists of tomorrow working to preserve wildlife diversity. To advance this mission, the organization is inviting applications for its Children in Nature and Applied Conservation grants programs. Through the program, grants of up to $5,000 will be awarded in support of two separate categories: Children in Nature — Programs aimed at providing opportunities for children to explore nature or expand their appreciation of nature. Programs may include classroom learning but the majority of the program must take place in a natural environment. Preference is given to projects that connect children to less-recognized species or habitats. Applied Conservation — Projects focused on free-ranging wildlife or plant species and that support the conservation of those species in their natural habitat. Work may include the protection of species and/or habitats. Preference is given to projects focusing on lesser recognized species. Deadline: October 1. Read the full announcement.
(TOP) ~ Clif Bar Family Foundation Application for Small Grants
The Clif Bar Family Foundation was established in 2006 to support grassroots groups with inspiring ideas and limited funds. In support of that mission, the foundation welcomes applications to its Small Grants program. Through the program, grants will be awarded in support of mission-driven organizations and/or projects that protect Earth's beauty and bounty; create robust, healthy food systems; increase opportunities for outdoor activity; reduce environmental health hazards; and/or build stronger communities. Grants are awarded for general organizational support as well as for specific projects. Deadline: October 1. Read the full announcement.
(TOP) ~ De Coizart Charitable Trust Applications for Species Conservation, Environment
Through the trust, grants will be awarded to organizations in the Northeast (Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New York) in support of species conservation and blindness-related research and services. Multiyear requests are considered. Species Conservation — A wide range of projects dealing with wildlife and species conservation will be supported, including the protection of ecologically important areas with a specific species impact. While broader environmental conservation requests may be considered, competitive applications should focus on the impact on particular endangered or at-risk species. Grants of up to $75,000 will be awarded. Deadline: October 1. Read the full announcement.
(TOP) ~ Paul Wiseman Conservation Education Grants
Formerly the Mountaineers Foundation, the Keta Legacy Foundation seeks to promote actions and foster understanding that inspires conservation in the Pacific Northwest. Through its community grants program, it supports conservation-focused nonprofits whose programs and activities preserve and protect environments and living organisms of the Salish Sea region, the intricate network of coastal mountains, land, and waterways that include the southwestern portion of the Canadian province of British Columbia and the northwestern portion of Washington state. The region’s major bodies of water include the Strait of Georgia, the Strait of Juan de Fuca, and Puget Sound. In support of this mission, the foundation welcomes applications for its Paul Wiseman Conservation Education Grant. Through the program, two grants of up to $15,000 each will be awarded in support of projects with high impact or visibility and the potential to span multiple years. One award will be granted to substantial projects that envision significant environmental education benefits with carefully articulated goals and outcomes; the second will be given for a restoration project that includes a strong educational research component. Deadline: October 2. Read the full announcement.
(TOP) ~ Rocky Mountain Rangelands Program 2020
National Fish and Wildlife Foundation (NFWF) is soliciting proposals for projects that conserve, restore and improve habitat in the Intermountain West. The objective of the Rocky Mountain Rangelands Program (RMR) is to work in focal landscapes in the region to restore and conserve wildlife species associated with sagebrush, irrigated meadows and aquatic systems while conserving the phenomenon of large mammal migration. Competitive proposals submitted under this RFP will support strategic projects that accelerate and implement priority conservation practices as identified in the RMR business plan. Deadline: October 13. Read the full announcement.
(TOP) ~ Small Business Innovation Research Program - Phase I
The USDA SBIR program focuses on transforming scientific discovery into products and services with commercial potential and/or societal benefit. Unlike fundamental research, the USDA SBIR program supports small businesses in the creation of innovative, disruptive technologies and enables the application of research advancements from conception into the market. Projects dealing with agriculturally related manufacturing and alternative and renewable energy technologies are encouraged across all SBIR topic areas. USDA SBIR's flexible research areas ensure innovative projects consistent with USDA's vision of a healthy and productive nation in harmony with the land, air, and water. The USDA SBIR program has awarded over 2000 research and development projects since 1983, allowing hundreds of small businesses to explore their technological potential, and providing an incentive to profit from the commercialization of innovative ideas. Deadline: October 22. Read the full announcement.
(TOP) ~ Energy and Carbon Optimized Synthesis for the Bioeconomy (ECOSynBio)
This funding opportunity seeks submissions to establish new technologies to significantly improve the carbon efficiency of bioconversion platforms through the accommodation of external reducing equivalents. Proposed systems of interest include, but are not limited to: (1) carbon optimized fermentation strains that avoid CO2 evolution, (2) engineered mixotrophic consortia or systems that avoid CO2 evolution, (3) biomass or gas fermentation with internal CO2 utilization, (4) cell-free carbon optimized biocatalytic biomass conversion and/or CO2 utilization, and (5) cross-cutting or other proposed carbon optimized bioconversion schemes. All systems will need to demonstrate the capacity to accommodate external reducing equivalents to optimize the carbon efficiency of the system as compared to traditional fermentation systems (i.e. the sum of the recoverable energy contents of the products is greater than the energy content of the biomass or primary carbon feedstock). Deadline: October 26. Read the full announcement.
(TOP) ~ Restore Colorado 2021
The National Fish and Wildlife Foundation (NFWF) is soliciting proposals for the annual Restoration and Stewardship of Outdoor Resources and Environment (RESTORE) Colorado Program. Grants made through the RESTORE Colorado Program will focus on the restoration, enhancement and expansion of wildlife habitat throughout the state. Deadline: October 29. Read the full announcement.
(TOP) ~ Sustainable Jersey Grants Program: Gardinier Environmental Fund
The Sustainable Jersey Grants Program helps local governments in New Jersey make progress toward a sustainable future in general, and specifically toward Sustainable Jersey certification. The Gardinier Environmental Fund is contributing $100,000 to support a Sustainable Jersey Grants Program for municipal governments and public-school districts. For this grant cycle, funds will be provided for energy projects focused on conservation, efficiency, and renewable energy. The Fund is particularly interested in innovative energy projects that take a comprehensive approach to meeting advanced energy conservation objectives, such as achieving net-zero energy buildings. Two $20,000 grants and six $10,000 grants will be awarded. Deadline: October 30. Read the full announcement.
(TOP) ~ Northern New York Agricultural Development Program
The Northern NY Agricultural Development Program (NNYADP) is accepting applications for its small grants program for 2021-2022. Funds will support projects that focus on research, education, and technical assistance in support of the agricultural production sectors in the six-county NNY Region (Lewis, Jefferson, St. Lawrence, Franklin, Clinton, and Essex Counties). Eligible projects must focus their activities at the Cornell E.V. Baker Research Farm, the W.H. Miner Agricultural Research Institute, other agriculture research farm facilities, and/or other operating farms across the NNY region. Approximately $300,000 in funding for the small grants program will be provided through a contract with the NYS Department of Agriculture and Markets. Deadline: November 2. Read the full announcement.
(TOP) ~ Minnesota Livestock Investment Grant
Minnesota livestock farmers and ranchers seeking to improve their livestock operation are encouraged to apply for the Agricultural Growth, Research and Innovation (AGRI) Livestock Investment Grant program. The Minnesota Department of Agriculture (MDA) anticipates awarding up to $789,000 using a competitive review process. Livestock Improvement Grants encourage long-term industry development through investment in facilities, infrastructure, and equipment. Applicants may apply for up to 10% of their project's total cost. Grant awards can range in size from $400 to $25,000. Each livestock operation is eligible to receive a lifetime maximum of $50,000 from this grant program. Deadline: November 4. Read the full announcement.
(TOP) ~ NRCS RCPP Funding FY20 & FY21
The Regional Conservation Partnership Program (RCPP) promotes coordination of NRCS conservation activities with partners that offer value-added contributions to expand our collective ability to address on-farm, watershed, and regional natural resource concerns. Through RCPP, NRCS seeks to co-invest with partners to implement projects that demonstrate innovative solutions to conservation challenges and provide measurable improvements and outcomes tied to the resource concerns they seek to address. Deadline: November 4. Read the full announcement.
(TOP) ~ Western SARE 2021 Professional + Producer Grants
The Western Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education (SARE) program announces the Call for Proposals for Professional + Producer Research and Education Grants for 2021. With a Professional + Producer Research and Education Grant, an Agricultural Professional and five (5) Producers work together to develop a proposal to conduct both research and outreach on a sustainable agriculture topic. Outreach activities may include onfarm/ranch demonstrations, farmer-to-farmer educational activities, and other approaches to assist producer adoption of sustainable agricultural practices. The goal of this program is to achieve results that can be communicated to producers and professionals; sustain and improve the environmental quality and natural resource base on which agriculture depends; improve the profitability of farmers/ranchers and associated agricultural businesses; and enhance the quality of life for farmers/ranchers in local communities. Deadline: November 4. Read the full announcement.
(TOP) ~ Office of Science Graduate Student Research (SCGSR) Program
The SCGSR program supports supplemental awards to outstanding U.S. graduate students to conduct part of their graduate thesis research at a DOE national laboratory/facility in collaboration with a DOE laboratory scientist for a period of 3 to 12 consecutive months—with the goal of preparing graduate students for scientific and technical careers critically important to the DOE Office of Science mission. The Office of Science expects to make approximately 95 awards in 2020 Solicitation 2 cycle, for project periods beginning anytime between June 14, 2021 and October 4, 2021. Deadline: November 12. Read the full announcement.
(TOP) ~ Southern SARE Producer Grants
Producer Grants enable farmers and ranchers to test a sustainable agriculture idea using a field trial, on-farm demonstration, marketing initiative, or other technique. Producer Grants are open to individual farmers/ranchers or farmer organizations. Producer Grant proposals must meet the following basic requirements in order to be considered for funding: The proposal must be submitted from an individual farmer/rancher or farmer/rancher organization, such as a cooperative. Proposals from NGOs, other community groups or researchers are not accepted. Primary occupation is farming/ranching or part-time farming. Producers run their farm alone or with family or partners and have a least $1,000 of documented annual income from the operation. The proposed project addresses production and marketing issues that promote sustainable agriculture. The proposal addresses a research project; Producer Grants are not designed to pay a farmer to “farm.” Projects must include at least one cooperator. They can be other farmers, researchers, extension agents, governmental or non-governmental organizations, or others who cooperate in project planning, data collection and outreach of results. The proposed project satisfies the requirements of allowable expenses. An outreach component is identified in the proposal. Outreach allows the farmer to share his/her project outcomes with the greater farming community. Producer Grant project maximums are $15,000 for an individual farmer or rancher, and $20,000 for a farmer organization. One or two-year projects may be submitted. SSARE encourages two-year projects; it is difficult to extrapolate useable, practicable data from one-year projects. Deadline: November 13. Read the full announcement.
(TOP) ~ Northeast SARE Farmer Grant Program
Farmer Grants are for commercial producers who have an innovative idea they want to test using a field trial, on-farm demonstration, marketing initiative, or other technique. Projects should seek results other farmers can use, and all projects must have the potential to add to our knowledge about effective sustainable practices. Grants are capped at $15,000 and projects can run up to two years. Funds can be used to conduct the research project including paying farmers for their time, for project-related materials, for project costs like consulting fees or soil tests, and any communications or outreach expenses associated with telling others about project results. Farmers in Connecticut, Delaware, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Vermont, West Virginia, and Washington, D.C. are welcome to apply. Deadline: November 17. Read the full announcement.
(TOP) ~ Ecology and Evolution of Infectious Diseases (EEID)
The multi-agency Ecology and Evolution of Infectious Diseases program supports research on the ecological, evolutionary, and social drivers that influence the transmission dynamics of infectious diseases. The central theme of submitted projects must be the quantitative or computational understanding of pathogen transmission dynamics. The intent is discovery of principles of infectious disease transmission and testing mathematical or computational models that elucidate infectious disease systems. Deadline: November 18. Read the full announcement.
(TOP) ~ Next Gen Fertilizer Challenges
Nitrogen and phosphorus fertilizers facilitate the growth of crops, including corn, at yields that provide sustained global food production. However, fertilizers applied without consideration of the appropriate rate, timing, source, and method, can have harmful effects on the environment and human health. “Enhanced Efficiency Fertilizer” (EEF) is a term for new formulations that control fertilizer release or alter reactions that reduce nutrient losses to the environment. EEFs and other next generation product technology innovations may be an important addition to a system of conservation practices that help reduce the impacts from row crop agriculture on the environment, while maintaining or increasing agricultural productivity and profitability. To help mitigate these adverse effects, EPA is partnering with the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) to launch the Joint EPA-USDA Partnership and Competition on Next Gen Fertilizers to Advance Agricultural Sustainability in the United States. Along with EPA and USDA, the competition is in collaboration with The Fertilizer Institute (TFI), the International Fertilizer Development Center (IFDC), The Nature Conservancy (TNC), and the National Corn Growers Association (NCGA). The Environmental and Agronomic Challenge aims to identify existing EEFs currently on or near-market that meet or exceed certain environmental and agro-economic criteria. Challenge end date: October 30. The Next Gen Fertilizer Innovations Challenge aims to identify concepts for novel technologies for fertilizers and other product technology innovations that can reduce the environmental effects from modern agriculture while maintaining or increasing crop yields. Challenge end date: November 30. Read the full announcement.
(TOP) ~ NIEHS SBIR Phase IIB Validation of Sensors for Improved Environmental Exposure Assessment
This Funding Opportunity Announcement (FOA) supports Phase IIB (R44) Small Business Innovative Research (SBIR) grant applications from small businesses concerns (SBCs) to conduct validation studies and accelerate the commercialization of promising environmental health science-related sensor technologies developed in previous Phase II grants or contracts funded by NIH or other federal agencies. The goal of this program is to demonstrate sensor data quality, tool reliability, and usability in real-world conditions in order to transition to more wide-spread adoption and commercialization of these sensor technologies in environmental epidemiology studies, community-based studies, and other public health intervention efforts. Deadline: December 4. Read the full announcement.
(TOP) ~ Western SARE 2021 Sabbatical Research and Education Grants
The Western Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education (Western SARE) program announces the Call for Proposals for the 2021 Western SARE Sabbatical Grants. Western SARE Sabbatical Grants provide an opportunity for faculty around the world to partner with farmers, ranchers, agricultural professionals, and researchers of the Western U.S. region for conducting research, education, and Extension activities. Projects focused on unexplored topics in underserved communities and understudied geographic locations are of special interest. Grants cannot exceed $75,000 over the entire budget period, are limited to one year, and cannot be renewed or extended. Deadline: January 11, 2021. Read the full announcement.
(TOP) ~ Plant Health TV: Research that helps Plant Health – Video Competition
The United Nations General Assembly has declared 2020 as the International Year of Plant Health (IYPH). In this context, many events will be organised to raise awareness on how protecting plant health can help end hunger, reduce poverty, protect the environment, and boost economic development. In order to give visibility to national and international research activities on plant health and to the people and organizations that carry them, the Euphresco network for phytosanitary research coordination and funding (Euphresco) and the International Centre for Advanced Mediterranean Agronomic Studies of Bari (CIHEAM Bari) are pleased to launch a call for a video competition ‘Plant Health TV: Research that helps Plant Health’. Deadline: February 1, 2021. Read the full announcement.
Sources: Agripulse; The Washington Post; Cornell Alliance for Science; Food Research & Action Center; NPR; Farm Progress; Cornell Alliance for Science; Reuters;
Vision: The Societies Washington, DC Science Policy Office (SPO) will advocate the importance and value of the agronomic, crop and soil sciences in developing national science policy and ensuring the necessary public-sector investment in the continued health of the environment for the well being of humanity. The SPO will assimilate, interpret, and disseminate in a timely manner to Society members information about relevant agricultural, natural resources and environmental legislation, rules and regulations under consideration by Congress and the Administration.
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