Agriculture, Energy, Lobbying, & Regulatory Updates from Cansler Consulting

Is Your Government Relations Team #SmartWorking?

April 14, 2020Tim CanslerAgriculture, BioTech, Budget & Appropriations, Cansler News, COVID-19, Defense, Drinking Water, Energy, Farm Bill, Food Safety, Govt News, Health Care, Industry News, Infrastructure, Leaner Govt Relations, Press, Rural Dev., Trade, Transportationgovernment relations, K-Street, Lobbying, SmartWorking

There’s been a huge swell in lobbying activities in Washington during the COVID-19 pandemic as Congress swiftly enacts policies to help those impacted. Events like the COVID-19 pandemic typically alter the course for many sectors toward technologies and different methods they should have been using all along. So, it begs the question why are some government relations firms charging their clients $40,000, $50,000 and $80,000 per quarter? It’s outrageous. #Smartworking government relations firms will never cost that much.

President Trump Challenges to Use Better Infrastructure Techniques

April 6, 2020Tim CanslerBudget & Appropriations, COVID-19, Drinking Water, Energy, Govt News, Infrastructure, Transportationairports, coronavirus, COVID-19, Drinking Water, infrastructure, rail, U.S. Sea Ports, Water Utilities

During the COVID-19 press conference on April 5, President Trump addressed a question on the need and timing of infrastructure improvements for the U.S. President Trump supports a massive investment in much-needed improvements to U.S. roads, rail, bridges, levees, drinking water, seaports, airports, etc. that will also help spur the economy post-COVID-19 pandemic. President Trump…

COVID-19: U.S. Stimulus Package #3

April 1, 2020Tim CanslerAgriculture, Budget & Appropriations, COVID-19, Food Safety, Govt News, Health Carecoronavirus, COVID, Stimulus

On March 27, 2020 President Trump signed into law one of the largest stimulus packages in American history in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. This is the 3rd stimulus package passed by Congress that is meant to address the needs of the health-care community and the economic downturn caused by the global pandemic. The Coronavirus…

@EPA and @USCG Continue Work in Tandem on Regulatory Framework for Discharges from Commercial Vessels

February 4, 2020Tim CanslerAgriculture, Cansler News, Govt News, Infrastructure, Trade, TransportationBarge, EPA, shipments, shipping, U.S. Sea Ports, USCG

Shipping companies and seaports should be aware of the potential impacts of the VIDA national standards of performance currently being crafted. Do you know about ongoing and future developments of the VIDA regulations? If not, contact us at [email protected], or (202)714-2822.

U.S. Department of Agriculture Animal Plant Health Inspection Service Protects Ag & Food Industries That Contribute $1 Trillion to U.S. GDP

January 18, 2020Tim CanslerGovt NewsAgriculture, Animal Plant Health Inspection Service, APHIS, food, National Plant Board, phytosanitary, shipments, trade, USDA

There are only a handful of federal government agencies with responsibilities to protect the public, property and industries from the harmful effects of biological pests and diseases. The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Animal Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) is one of those critical agencies administering programs and working with a network of local and state…

Show That You Mean It!

January 2, 2020Tim CanslerDrinking Water, Govt News, InfrastructureEPA, Public Works, State Drinking Water Administrators, Water Utilities

It is incumbent upon engineering officials at Water Systems across the U.S. to fully explain why new, innovative, certified, cost-effective technologies for improving drinking water conveyances were not used and why the additional costs for 1990’s dig-n-replace methodologies are warranted. Water Ratepayers deserve to know why!

U.S. House Agriculture Subcommittee Takes up Challenges in Global Food Supply Chain

November 15, 2019Tim CanslerAgriculture, BioTech, Cansler News, Farm Bill, Food Safety, Govt News, Trade, TransportationAgriculture, Animal Plant Health Inspection Service, CA Dept of Food & Ag, California Agricultural Commissioners and Sealers Association, food, Food Safety, Food Safety Modernization Act, phytosanitary, Specialty Crops, trade, Transportation, U.S. Department of Agriculture

On November 14, the U.S. House Agriculture Subcommittee on Livestock and Foreign Agriculture addressed the issue of invasive species and their impacts on the U.S. food supply chain. In his opening statement to begin the hearing Chairman of the Subcommittee, Jim Costa (D-CA) pointed out, “Along our southern border and in seaports across the country…

International Year of Plant Health

October 17, 2019Tim CanslerGovt News

In December 2018 the United Nations General Assembly (@UN) declared 2020 the International Year of Plant Health. Leaders @UN underscore this “year is a once in a lifetime opportunity to raise global awareness on how protecting plant health can help end hunger, reduce poverty, protect the environment, and boost economic development.” In this year-long initiative…

Drinking Water Infrastructure Hamstrung With Antiquated Procurement Practices and Regulations That Inhibit Use of Materials & Increase Water Ratepayers Costs

September 13, 2019Tim CanslerBudget & Appropriations, Drinking Water, Govt News, Infrastructure

Final in our series: Congress Encourages Improved Procurement Practices & Green Infrastructure Improved Procurement Practices In Part 4 of our series we talked about the billions of federal dollar$ Congress is directing to remedy the U.S.’ deteriorating drinking water infrastructure. Along with the needed financial assistance Congress is: incorporating stipulations in law to ensure federal…

Drinking Water Infrastructure Hamstrung With Antiquated Procurement Practices and Regulations That Inhibit Use of Materials & Increase Water Ratepayers Costs

August 13, 2019Tim CanslerBudget & Appropriations, Drinking Water, Govt News, InfrastructureDrinking Water, Drinking Water State Revolving Fund, infrastructure, trenchless technology, Water Infrastructure Finance and Innovation Act, Water Utilities

Part 3 of 5 Antiquated Regulations Challenges to improved infrastructure and procurement practices are exacerbated by antiquated regulations that remain in place. These antiquated regulations do not acknowledge new, innovative drinking water conveyance technologies. Outdated regulations create regulatory ambiguity and complying with these old regulations contributes to project delays and increased costs to water ratepayers.…

Drinking Water Infrastructure Hamstrung With Antiquated Procurement Practices and Regulations That Inhibit Use of Materials & Increase Water Ratepayers Costs

July 31, 2019Tim CanslerDrinking Water, Govt News, InfrastructureDrinking Water, Drinking Water State Revolving Fund, infrastructure, Mayors, procurement, Public Works, regulations, trenchless technology, Water Infrastructure Finance and Innovation Act, Water Utilities, WIFIA

Part 2 of 5 Antiquated Procurement Practices We have learned that there is growing bipartisan support in Congress to require state and local governments to maintain open and fair competition for materials used by public water systems when using federal financing programs. According to some members working closely on the proposed infrastructure package Congress hopes…

White House and Congressional Leaders Reach Deal on FY 2020 & 2021 Budget

July 22, 2019Tim CanslerAgriculture, Budget & Appropriations, Defense, Drinking Water, Farm Bill, Food Safety, Govt News, InfrastructureAgriculture, Animal Plant Health Inspection Service, Appropriations Committee, Drinking Water, Drinking Water State Revolving Fund, Environmental Protection Agency, EPA, House Appropriations, SNAP, Specialty Crops, The Food and Drug Administration, US Department of Agriculture

On August 2, President Trump signed into law a two-year federal budget deal totaling $2.7 trillion. Background The White House and congressional leaders announced on July 22 that a comprehensive deal had been worked out on the top line spending numbers for the U.S. discretionary budget for fiscal years 2020 and 2021. Pressure had been…

Drinking Water Infrastructure Hamstrung With Antiquated Procurement Practices and Regulations That Inhibit Use of Materials & Increase Water Ratepayers Costs

July 10, 2019Tim CanslerBudget & Appropriations, Cansler News, Drinking Water, Govt News, InfrastructureDrinking Water, Drinking Water State Revolving Fund, Mayors, procurement, Water Infrastructure Finance and Innovation Act

(Part 1 of 5) Introduction According to the American Society of Civil Engineers (@ASCETweets) 2017 Infrastructure Report Card, “Most Americans – just under 300 million people – receive their drinking water from one of the nation’s 51,356 community water systems. Of these, just 8,674 systems, or approximately 17%, serve close to 92% of the total…

California Members of U.S. House Introduce Legislation to Eradicate/Control Invasive Species Nutria

July 2, 2019Tim CanslerGovt NewsInvasive Species, nutria

Would Provide California $7 Million Annually Through FY 2024 U.S. Representatives Josh Harder, John Garamendi, Jim Costa, and TJ Cox have introduced H.R. 3399, the reauthorization of the Nutria Eradication and Control Act in the U.S. House of Representatives to address the rising detections of the invasive species, nutria in California’s Central Valley. Nutria (Myocastor…

As Senate Republicans Huddle, House Democrats Move Forward on FY 2020 Discretionary Spending Bills

June 11, 2019Tim CanslerAgriculture, BioTech, Budget & Appropriations, Cansler News, Defense, Energy, Food Safety, Govt News, Health Care, Industry News, Infrastructure, Leaner Govt Relations, Press, Rural Dev., TransportationAgriculture, Appropriations Committee, budget House of Representatives, Democrats, Drinking Water, Drinking Water State Revolving Fund, Energy & Commerce, Environmental Protection Agency, federal budget, federal programs, House Appropriations, infrastructure, international trade, National Institute of Standards and Technology, NIST, Republicans, The Food and Drug Administration, trade, Transportation, U.S. Senate Budget Committee, Water Infrastructure Finance and Innovation Act

House Maintains Modest Increases in all 12 Appropriations Bills Above FY 2019 Levels On June 11 officials from the White House & Office of Management and Budget will meet with Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) & Senate Appropriations Chairman Richard Shelby (R-AL) to chart a path forward on the FY 2020 appropriations bills that…