Take Action to Protect the Mississippi River!
We need your help to make sure needed reforms to the Mississippi River Corridor Critical Area get across the finish line at the State Capitol! The Critical Area Reform bill (part of the Omnibus Clean Water Fund bill) has passed both the House and Senate and it will be on the Governor's desk by the end of the week. You can help out by contacting Governor Pawlenty by phone or email and asking him to support the bill because it brings thoughtful, worthwhile reform to the river corridor.
Actions you can take:- Learn more by reading our MRCA reform fact sheet
- Contact Governor Pawlenty by filling out this contact form, or leaving a message for him at (651) 296-3391.
- Write a letter to the editor (see talking points below, or call us for more ideas)
- Support FMR
- Send us your thoughts. Contact Irene Jones at 651-222-2193 x11 or via our contact form.
The best communications start with you and your interests. Are you a birder? Then talk about the habitat along the river. Do you enjoy the scenery through a particular stretch of the river? Then talk about your relationship to the river's scenery. Do you want to make sure that this amenity endures for future generations? Then you can frame your communication around that issue.
Some other key points you may want to mention:- Since 1976, Mississippi River Critical Area law has been the key protection for the Mississippi River in the Twin Cities, but hasn't been modernized in three decades.
- The bill is designed to clarify and update zoning guidelines for the river.
- The bill was drafted by a broad stakeholder group, including developers, river advocates, the DNR, National Park Service, the League of Minnesota Cities, and city staff from Minneapolis and St. Paul.
- Some mistakenly believe the bill doesn't keep local control for cities, or allow for variances. This is not the case.
- Protection of a resource of regional and national significance should be guided and supported by the State of Minnesota.
- This is about more than just one city; state rulemaking is the best approach from a corridor-wide perspective.
My name is Jeff and I live at 222 River Road.
I've lived near the banks Mississippi River for the last three decades. My family has grown up around the river; we take our children on outings along the river several times a year. This is an incredible resource that runs through the heart of our cities, and needs special protection to ensure the River endures for future generations.
But it has been thirty years since the protections for the Mississippi River Critical Area through the Twin Cities have been updated, and it is time to begin to make progress in moving forward. The Mississippi River Critical Area reform legislation is essential to protecting the key values that make this 72-mile river corridor great!
Please make sure you support the Mississippi River Critical Area legislation, which is part of SF1651, and HF1231. The bill has been crafted with the help of many stakeholders. It brings more clarity to the definitions of river features like bluffs, and creates a more coherent set of guidelines for development in each district. We need this legislation to ensure that the incredible resource we have come to love and enjoy endures for another generation.
I hope you will be able to support this bill as an excellent step forward for our Mississippi River!
Thanks in advance for your support,
Samuel Clemens
651-555-1212
My name is Jennifer and I live at 222 River Road.
The Mississippi River is a key part of lives, and we have a key chance to protect it. Please make sure you support the Mississippi River Critical Area legislation, which is part of SF1651, and HF1231.
Thanks in advance for your support,
Samantha Clemens
651-555-1212