In the Media

FMR is proud to serve as the voice for the Mississippi River and the people who care about it — at the Capitol, in our communities and in the media. Many thanks to the reporters who take the time to cover important river issues.

Longfellow Nokomis Messenger ― August 2, 2022
by Andrea Tritschler

Longfellow's Environment and River Gorge Committee partners with Friends of the Mississippi River on cleanups and more. This summer, they also joined us for a lock and dam focus-group tour to learn about the potential for dam removal. FMR Grassroots Organizing Coordinator Maddie Miller is quoted.

Star Tribune ― August 1, 2022
by by Chloe Johnson

This primer explains why we need clean-water crops, their progress so far, and the challenges of developing a market and scaling up production. FMR Executive Director Whitney Clark was quoted.

Milwaukee Journal Sentinel ― July 25, 2022
by by Madeline Heim & Caitlin Looby

From sediment issues in Lake Pepin to the dead zone in the Gulf of Mexico, the Mississippi River faces enormous challenges. This Wisconsin paper reported on the promise of the Mississippi River Restoration and Resilience Initiative based on the successes of its model the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative. FMR Water Program Director Trevor Russell is quoted. The article was republished through more than a dozen news outlets.

Delta Dispatches ― July 14, 2022

This podcast featured our own Water Program Director Trevor Russell on why it's time for the MRRRI Act and how he got started in the environmental field.

Mill City Times ― July 9, 2022
by Becky Fillinger

Mill City Times interviewed FMR Land Use & Planning Program Director Colleen O'Connor Toberman about our summer lock and dam focus-group tours, why we're doing them and how to participate.

Star Tribune ― July 8, 2022
by Chloe Johnson

Aggregate Industries has mined Grey Cloud Island for sand and gravel for decades. Now the company wants to expand operations into areas of the riverbed itself. The Star Tribune talked to FMR Land Use & Planning Program Director Colleen O'Connor Toberman about the possible risks of digging a hole in the river.

Mpls.St.Paul Magazine ― July 3, 2022

In their tour of beautiful metro parks on the Mississippi River, the magazine mentions FMR's advocacy at Pigs Eye Regional Park.

Star Tribune ― June 30, 2022
by Jennifer Bjorhus

A Mendota Heights property owner's blufftop landscaping was halted due to the Mississippi River Corridor Critical Area rules. Colleen O'Connor Toberman, land use and planning program director for Friends of the Mississippi River, commented on the protections and the situation.

KTTC ― June 27, 2022
by by Noah Caplan

FMR called for the state to take action on invasive carp — fish that can cause ecological harm. FMR Land Use & Planning Program Director Colleen O'Connor Toberman explains why.

Star Tribune ― June 16, 2022
by Chloe Johnson
A tagged silver carp farther upstream than any other so far is the latest reminder that we need to take action now to halt the spread of invasive carp in Minnesota's waterways.
The Villager ― May 9, 2022
by Casey Ek
St. Paul's MyVillager profiled our summer engagement tours around metro locks and dams and their possible removal. Their piece quotes FMR's Land Use & Planning Program Director Colleen O'Connor Toberman on the potential.
WCCO ― April 18, 2022
by Kirsten Mitchell
WCCO interviewed Water Program Director Trevor Russell about this troubling (but unsurprising) designation and what we can do about it.
MPR News ― April 17, 2022
by Kirsti Marohn
The Mississippi River made the list of "America’s Most Endangered Rivers." MPR News interviewed Water Program Director Trevor Russell about the Mississippi River Resilience & Restoration Initiative as a solution.
White Bear Press ― April 12, 2022
by Debra Neutkens
The White Bear Press spotlighted our concerns about a legislative proposal that would threaten White Bear Lake groundwater supply and foundational Minnesota environmental protections.
Pioneer Press ― March 1, 2022
by Mary Divine
Included in the development plans for the former Mississippi Dunes golf course in Cottage Grove is a 34-acre riverfront park. That's fewer acres than we hoped to see in this crucial wildlife corridor. FMR Land Use & Planning Program Director Colleen O'Connor Toberman points out that this land is currently habitat for threatened birds that require more space to thrive than the future parkland allots.

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November 1 - 20, 2025
Online
Three options: October 20, October 28, November 22, 2025
Hidden Falls Regional Park, St. Paul
Thursday, December 4, 2025 - 6:00pm to 8:00pm
F-O-K Studios, St. Paul

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