Public Petition to Restore Our Resilient Mississippi River
Accompanying River Days of Action is a public petition in support of our cherished River. The petition will launch at the start of River Days (June 10th) with the goal of 5,000 signatures from across the basin! Check back soon — Can the River count on you?
I support a new vision for our Mississippi River that focuses on restoration, resilience, and equity!
I care about the long-term health of the Mississippi River and the communities that depend on it. The River provides our communities so much; just a few gifts include:
- Drinking water to 20 million people in 50 cities
- River road or “flyway” for 325+ bird species
- Habitat for 780+ species.
Neither the benefits above nor the burdens (like pollution or natural disasters) brought by the Mississippi River are equitably shared. And, despite the River’s economic, environmental, and cultural importance, the Mississippi River lacks a dedicated, holistic federal restoration program. Other treasures like the Everglades, Puget Sound, and the Great Lakes already enjoy the benefits of a dedicated federal program.
Now, it’s the Mississippi River’s turn.
I support a new vision for the Mississippi River. That vision includes a holistic restoration and resiliency strategy for the River focused on four areas:
- Improving water quality,
- Restoring habitat and natural systems,
- Eliminating aquatic invasive species, and
- Building local resilience to natural disasters.
Neither the benefits nor the burdens brought by the Mississippi River are equitably shared. I support prioritizing the above restoration and resilience investments in communities of color and economically disadvantaged populations. I support efforts to make sure restoration funding is equitable and directed intentionally to River communities that have faced disproportionate harms from environmental degradation and environmental racism.
