Advocacy

Advocacy
Mystery building near Lake Street Bridge to reduce odors, but stands to be improved

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A number of Mississippi Messages readers have contacted us since the leaves fell from the trees about a new building on the river located just north of Minneapolis' Lake Street bridge. We investigated and have some answers, as well as several related questions and concerns.

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Concert venue, riverwalks — What should become of this retired Mpls port?

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Calling all river and park lovers:  Help shape the future of this 48-acre riverfront site in Minneapolis!

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A schematic of the UHT site provided by in the development team proposal
South St. Paul stands strong to preserve open space

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FMR would like to thank the South St. Paul City Council and celebrate their recent decision to preserve a city-owned 5-acre site as open space. The site is located near the Mississippi River and adjacent to the Mississippi River Trail scheduled to be constructed in 2017. The council rejected a push to change the largely tree-covered site into a paved industrial railroad storage area.

This is a big win that maintains the city’s commitment to a more public and green riverfront for future generations!

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South St. Paul City Council
South St. Paul seeks to replace trees with industry along Mississippi River Trail

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As you grab your bike and enjoy the Mississippi River Trail in the coming years, what would you prefer: views of the river through a grove of trees or a long tall fence and a railroad storage yard? The South St. Paul planning commission faced that very question in early September and voted five to one to preserve the trees. But now the question is moving to the South St. Paul City Council.

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DNR supports key FMR-sought protections for metro river corridor

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During the final phase of developing updated rules for the Mississippi River Critical Area, the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources recommended a number of positive changes in response to comments from FMR staff and advocates.

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'State of the River Report' Launch + Presentation

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How is the health of the Mississippi River? Can I safely swim in it? Is water pollution improving? Can I eat the fish I catch? What can we do about Asian carp? Do I need to be concerned about bacteria in the river? How are bald eagles faring?

At FMR we hear questions like these all the time. That's why we've partnered with the National Park Service's Mississippi National River & Recreation Area unit (MNRRA) to update "State of the River Report," first released in 2012, for a current look at the river.

Join us for the highly anticipated release of the updated "State of the River Report" at the Science Museum of Minnesota, Thursday, September 22! (Tickets are free but capacity is limited.)

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Brown-Bag Lunch: Reconnecting North Mpls to the Mighty Mississippi

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As more North Minneapolis riverfront is slated to become parkland, it's important to ensure that new parks and trails are truly accessible to Northside residents. To do this, connections between the community and the riverfront parkland (such as the Broadway bridge over I-94, pictured above) must be improved.

FMR has been working with a researcher from CURA to study Northsiders’ barriers to river access as well as possible ways to overcome them. Join us for a brown-bag lunch featuring a presentation of our findings and discussion about the barriers and opportunities to reconnect North Minneapolis neighborhoods and the Mississippi River.

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The desolate and congested West Broadway bridge over I-94 looking towards the Mississippi River

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Upcoming Events

Sunday, September 7, 2025 - 12:00pm to 4:00pm
34th to 36th Streets & West River Parkway Minneapolis
Saturday, September 13, 2025 - 8:30am to 4:30pm
Mississippi River Gorge, Minneapolis and St. Paul
April through October
St. Paul