Updates and Articles

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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Star Tribune spotlights need for action against invasive carp

Invasive carp present a growing threat to Minnesota waterways. A recent forum considered several strategies to stop their spread. We'll need to use all of them to protect the Mississippi River.  >>

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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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Climate change, climate justice and FMR's Land Use & Planning program

Climate change impacts make park access and greenspace even more important for public health and equity, and guidelines for riverfront development need to respond to the shifting climate in order to protect our river. Here's how our Land Use & Planning program's work intersects with climate change and climate justice.  >>

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Where we work: Camel’s Hump Park and Open Space

Since 2012, we've been restoring the woods, savanna, and remnant prairie still growing on the sandstone bluffs of Camel's Hump Park and Open Space, a 60-acre Cottage Grove park with a vantage that gives expansive views of the Mississippi River Valley.  >>

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Lend your lawn to science!

If you mow your lawn, you can support a long-term study on pollinator habitat by the University of Minnesota, University of St. Thomas and the U.S. Forest Service. Learn how it works and fill out the form to offer your yard as a survey site.  >>

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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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Annual park rankings highlight racial and economic disparities

St. Paul and Minneapolis are known to have some of the country's best urban park systems. But how well do they deliver equitable park access to all residents?  >>

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Beat the heat with a paddle to Settler's Island

Looking to get out on the river? Pair your paddle with a visit to FMR's Settler's Island restoration and enjoy a respite in the shade of the island's canopy as you take in the quietude of the Mississippi River's back channels.  >>

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Upcoming Events

Monday, July 7, 2025 - 6:30pm to 7:30pm
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April through October
St. Paul
Saturday, July 26, 2025 - 1:00pm to 5:00pm
Hidden Falls Regional Park, St. Paul

Our River Campaign:
It all starts here

At the heart of this new campaign is the vision of a healthy Mississippi River.