The Rundown
- Army Corps publishes a draft plan for expanding Yolo Bypass, a flood-control project near Sacramento.
- Energy Department renews its emergency order to keep a Michigan coal plant operating, now through mid-November.
- Congress’s research arm outlines water system cybersecurity proposals.
And lastly, the Lake Erie harmful algal bloom nears its summer peak.
“The war on coal is over. At EPA, we have been removing the regulatory burdens that impeded domestic energy production and mining.” – David Fotouhi, EPA deputy administrator, speaking at an American Coal Council meeting in Park City, Utah, on August 20, 2026.
By the Numbers
380 Square Miles: Approximate extent of the Lake Erie harmful algal bloom, according to NOAA. This week’s forecast indicates high surface concentrations of algae near Monroe, Michigan. Toxins in the surface scum have tested above recreational safety levels, meaning that people and pets should avoid contact. NOAA expects the annual bloom, caused by excess farm nutrients flowing into the lake’s shallow western basin, to peak sometime in September.
News Briefs
Coal Plant Order
The Department of Energy again invoked emergency authority to keep a Michigan coal-fired power plant from shutting down.
The secretarial order will keep the 1,420-MW J.H. Campbell Generating Plant in operation through November 14, 2026.
The DOE issued its initial order in May 2025, a week before Consumers Energy planned to retire the Campbell plant.
In context: Executive Order Puts Oldest Polluting Coal Plants Back in Action
Studies and Reports
Yolo Bypass
The Army Corps is proposing to expand an important federal flood-control project in northern California that protects more than 900,000 people around Sacramento, a city that carries one of the country’s highest flood risks.
The Yolo Bypass is a historical floodplain west of the Sacramento River that currently hosts farm fields that also function as a pressure-relief valve for the river. During periods of high flow, water is diverted into the 40-mile-long bypass to reduce flood risk for the metro area.
The draft plan would increase the size of the bypass to 51 miles in length along the Sacramento River and 13 miles along the Feather River. It would also aim for environmental restoration in the basin. To be realized, the Corps’ preferred project would need congressional authorization and funding.
The Army Corps will hold a public meeting on September 2 to discuss the plan. Details are in the link.
Public comments on the draft report are due September 18. Send them to CESPK-YOLOBypass@usace.army.mil.
Water System Cybersecurity
The Congressional Research Service, which provides policy-relevant research to Congress, published a briefing on water system cybersecurity.
Following recent attacks from alleged Iran-linked groups and past incursions by Russian hackers, policymakers are considering proposals for increased grant funding, risk assessments, and cybersecurity standards.
On the Radar
House Water Legislation Hearing
On September 3, a House Energy and Commerce subcommittee will hold a hearing to discuss two draft water bills.
One is for reauthorizing drinking water funding programs for infrastructure, cybersecurity, and lead removal.
The other is to require data centers to pay the cost of connecting to public water systems if those upgrades are financed by the state revolving funds. The bill also requires the EPA to report on data center water sources.
Colorado River Dashboard
The data analytics company True Elements built a dashboard for the Colorado River basin that incorporates federal data on reservoir levels, wildfire locations, streamflow, and river temperature.
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