Water

FMR is proud to be a leading voice in protecting the water of our Big River and all the people and wildlife who depend on it.

From the banks of the Mississippi to the halls of the Legislature, our Water program strives to keep you up to date on important water-quality issues. (For political animals, here are all FMR posts related to legislative advocacy.)

Blog updates are also shared on social (Facebook and Twitter) and in FMR's Mississippi Messages newsletter.

Join us! Sign up to be a River Guardian to receive email action alerts when we need your help the most, plus invitations to educational happy hours and other events.

POSTS

Minnesota Pollution Control Agency commissioner resigns

Only July 6, the Senate convened and informed the governor that they would vote to deny confirmation for Minnesota Pollution Control Agency Commissioner Laura Bishop, due to the agency’s support for the Clean Cars Minnesota rulemaking process. In response, Commissioner Bishop announced her resignation shortly thereafter.  >>

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Water crisis in Des Moines: Why does a river city need wells?

Des Moines has ample surface water from its two rivers, but contamination from upstream runoff has forced officials to start pivoting to a drastic new plan: drilling $30 million worth of wells.  >>

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Federal Mississippi River initiative takes flight! Sign the petition
Learn more about how the Mississippi River Restoration and Resilience Initiative (MRRRI) Act could help restore the Mighty Mississippi. Read more
A bald eagle, wings spread wide, as it soars over water.
Star Trib commentary on exciting new federal river initiative

As FMR Executive Director Whitney Clark and Congresswoman Betty McCollum recently wrote in the StarTribune:  it’s time for Congress to make the same commitment to the Mississippi River as they have to Puget Sound, Chesapeake Bay, and the Everglades.

Read their commentary and join the call for a new, dedicated federal funding program for our remarkable river! >>

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Special Session Action Alert: Support conservation & our environmental agencies [CLOSED]

The fate of this year's omnibus Environment Bill will be decided in the upcoming special session. Please send a quick message to your legislators to support the ENRTF, fully fund our environmental state agencies, and say no to unnecessary changes to the Public Waters Inventory process. >>

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Something's rotten in the state of Minnesota

The latest act in the "Pinelands to Potatoes" saga is a blow to environmental protection.  >>

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Special Session Action Alert: Support clean water bonding [CLOSED]

Next up for this special session: the bonding bill. Join us in calling on legislators to support two important water infrastructure projects: #FixthePipes and CREP. >>

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Special Session Action Alert: Support clean water & oppose raids to the Clean Water Fund [CLOSED]

The Minnesota Legislature is coming back for a special session! We're asking River Guardians and others to weigh in on three priority environmental bills to make sure lawmakers get this right. First up: the Omnibus Legacy Bill. >>

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The clock runs out on the Minnesota Legislature

On the final day of the 2021 legislative session, lawmakers agreed to a $52 billion two-year state budget, but the clock ran out before they could pass any meaningful legislation. Here’s where major water-related environmental bills stand as we prepare for a special session.  >>

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Who farms in MN? What the ag census tells us about MN agriculture

As we work to transition our croplands toward more water-friendly systems, it’s important to examine how the ag sector reinforces systematic inequities that disproportionally impact low-income farmers and people of color — so we don’t repeat the mistakes of the past.  >>

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Upcoming Events

Tuesday, July 30, 2024 - 5:30pm to 8:00pm
Rotary Pavilion at Levee Park, Hastings
Saturday, August 3, 2024 - 9:00am to 2:00pm
Mississippi River Gorge, Minneapolis
New date: Saturday, August 10, 2024 - 5:00pm to 8:00pm
Hidden Falls Regional Park, St. Paul