FMR Updates

'Rebirth: The Mississippi's National Park' on TPT-MN!

July 25, 2016

Once a dumping ground, now a national park: the Twin Cities stretch of the Mississippi River.

July 20, 2016

Join us at Fulton Taproom on Tuesday, August 2, beginning at 5 p.m. to celebrate the release of 72 Stretch, a limited-edition Fulton gose brew benefiting Friends of the Mississippi River.

City of Elk River earns Blue Star Award

by Alicia Uzarek

July 11, 2016

Congratulations to the City of Elk River for earning the Blue Star Award for Excellence in Stormwater Management!

'State of the River Report' Launch + Presentation

July 7, 2016

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.)

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

June 30, 2016

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.

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

Northern Metals ordered to cease and desist on the N Mpls riverfront!

June 21, 2016

A report by the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency that lists the neighborhood surrounding the facility as the city's highest levels of lead poising and asthma hospitalizations, and points to the recycling facility as a leading cause in the issue.

Minnesota's waters need a special session

by Trevor Russell

June 20, 2016

Following a hectic end to the 2016 legislative session, the Minnesota Legislature adjourned with some important work left undone. Legislative efforts to pass a transportation bill and a bonding bill failed, while a surprise $100 million wording error in a tax bill earned that piece of legislation a pocket-veto from Governor Dayton.

While the Governor has expressed support for a special session, the likelihood of such a session remains uncertain. FMR and our allies strongly encourage Governor Dayton and state legislators to reconvene to complete their work, which includes much-needed funding to protect Minnesota's water resources.