McCollum Statement on Release of EPA's Mississippi River Restoration and Resiliency Strategy Report to Congress

Congresswoman Betty McCollum (MN-04) secured language in the report accompanying the Fiscal Year 2021 Appropriations law directing the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to work with federal partners and stakeholders to develop a Mississippi River Restoration and Resiliency Strategy (MRRRS). Today, Congresswoman McCollum applauds the release of the strategy, along with some of the 144 endorsing organizations:

"This report confirms the value of continuing coordination and collaboration among federal agencies and with state, local, and tribal entities on issues related to the Mississippi River corridor," said Congresswoman Betty McCollum. "The MRRRS shows the tremendous need and potential for a unified federal initiative, as proposed in my bill to establish the Mississippi River Restoration and Resilience Initiative (MRRRI). I am committed to advancing this legislation in the House in order to address environmental, social, and economic goals for Minnesota and states up and down the River."

"It's hard to overstate the importance of the Mississippi River to the health of America," said Kelly McGinnis, Executive Director of Mississippi River Network. "It's great to see this report acknowledge the river's vital role. We're also encouraged that different agencies want to continue to meet and share existing resources. This is a critical step in the right direction. Our natural next step is to approve and create the Mississippi River Restoration and Resilience Initiative."

"Representative Betty McCollum is a true champion for the river," said Whitney Clark, Executive Director of Friends of the Mississippi River. "We're grateful for her leadership in bringing together the many agencies and stakeholders working to improve the health of our river. It's clear that more coordination across federal agencies is needed over the 10-state basin. We're excited to see this momentum toward a full river program, the Mississippi River Restoration and Resilience Initiative."

"America's Great River, the Mighty Mississippi, is one of the most important waterways economically and ecologically in the world, yet it has never received a fraction of the restoration investment that it so direly needs," said Collin O'Mara, president and CEO of the National Wildlife Federation. "This report highlights the need for the MRRRI Act to produce a coordinated plan to ensure that the communities and wildlife that depend upon the Mississippi can thrive."

"The Mississippi is a remarkable river, but as wildlife populations and habitat shrink or are displaced by invasive species, so do the economies or jobs and recreational opportunities that they support," said Tyler Schwartze, Executive Director of the Conservation Federation of Missouri. "Clean water is vital for jobs, recreation, and our entire way of life. So many people rely on it – we have to protect it for future generations to come."

"If we want to continue to have safe, affordable drinking water for the 18 million Americans who rely on the Mississippi River as their water supply, we need to keep the river clean," said Alicia Vasto, Water Program Associate Director at the Iowa Environmental Council. "Excess fertilizer and other runoff pollutants are increasingly finding their way into the river, significantly driving up communities' costs to keep their drinking water safe and clean."

"The river serves as a migration corridor for 60 percent of North American birds and is home to diverse aquatic species and wildlife," said Lindsay Gardner, Associate Director of Policy Research/Development and Federal Relations for the Tennessee Wildlife Federation. "We need to protect this habitat – and the recreation, fisheries and other industries it supports. For local communities to continue to thrive, we need a regional river program."

"We're glad this report considers the power of natural infrastructure to reduce flood damage," said Matt Rota, Senior Policy Director at Healthy Gulf. "Wetlands and floodplains provide crucial protection from storms and flooding. Now we need to make sure we take the natural next step and support the MRRRI Act. This report makes clear the need for active coordination and funding for floodplain restoration and wetland protection throughout the Mississippi River Basin and Mississippi River Delta. We need action from congress, like the MRRRI Act, in order to ensure that the gaps identified are filled."

Background

The EPA's new Mississippi River Restoration and Resiliency Strategy is available here. For more information on efforts to develop MRRRI, visit mississippiriver.org/mrrri and find a list of the 144 endorsing organizations at https://mississippiriver.org/mrrri-endorsers/.

Learn more about the federal legislation to establish MRRRI (H.R. 4202) at mccollum.house.gov/MRRRI.

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