For years, PRN has been a partner in efforts to restore the Mississippi River. That work has borne victories and disappointments, but we are truly excited for the opportunity in front of us now.
People across the Mississippi River basin and the country are working to pass the Mississippi River Restoration and Resilience Initiative (MRRRI) Act, a bill that would establish a basin-wide federal program to direct conservation funds where they are needed most.
We recognize that this is a critical moment, and Illinois must play a role in restoring one of the most important river systems in the world. We also must acknowledge the magnitude of the issues facing the Mississippi and the communities that call it home.
The Issues
With climate change and its consequences already on our doorstep, the Mississippi River is in dire need of a focused, comprehensive approach to its restoration. This year, our partners at American Rivers listed the entire Mississippi as one of the country’s Most Endangered Rivers due to pollution and the alarming rate of habitat loss.
Because of what humans do on the landscape, massive amounts of pollutants flow from farmlands into the Mississippi River, inundating the system with nitrogen and phosphorus and harming its many tributaries from Minnesota all the way to the dead zone in the Gulf of Mexico.
In many areas, the river is disconnected from its natural floodplain. Not only is this disastrous for wildlife, communities see higher floodwaters and longer flood events because of how the river is managed and treated as a superhighway for barges and a pipeline for commerce.
The Solution
The issues are daunting, but part of the solution is currently in our hands. The MRRRI Act would create a geographic program within the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), an office with the ability to distribute funds for restoration projects along the Mississippi River and in the basin. Plenty of folks would be eligible for funds, from state, regional, and local governments to non-profit organizations.
Once Congress passes MRRRI and the President signs it into law, the EPA will begin a two-year process to outline priority projects with stakeholder engagement at the forefront. These projects will address one or more major focus areas: Clean Water, Habitat Restoration, Natural Infrastructure, and Aquatic Invasive Species.
What Can We Expect to See in Each Focus Area?
Clean Water: Projects (e.g. cover crops and voluntary conservation easements) that promote soil health and keep agricultural inputs on the landscape instead of entering our streams and rivers. Efforts to reduce pollution from urban stormwater systems.
Habitat Restoration: Projects that restore and reconnect the Mississippi River with its floodplain, helping support more than 780 species of fish and wildlife.
Natural Infrastructure: Projects that modify or remove levees to make the river less constricted and less volatile. Efforts to reduce flood risk for communities by utilizing the river’s natural ability to handle more water.
Aquatic Invasive Species: Research into effective ways to manage and deter harmful non-native species like invasive carp and zebra mussels. Projects that also reintroduce native aquatic species.
MRRRI also contains important provisions that direct funds to communities of color and low-income communities in an attempt to address years of systemic inequities.
Next Steps
We will continue to update you on MRRRI’s progress, but until then, take action to get MRRRI passed!
