River Guardians' impacts in 2022

Thank you, River Guardians! Your advocacy made 2022 an exciting year, and we're thankful for every one of your efforts to protect the Mississippi River. 

In 2022, 1,225 River Guardians sent more than 2,974 letters to 166 decision-makers, significantly impacting our work towards a healthier, more resilient river community. We are so grateful for your support and continued advocacy.

Here are some highlights of your successes in 2022.

Legislative wins

In a year where little emerged from a contentious Legislature, River Guardians made a clear difference. Your sent more than 528 messages to lawmakers during the legislative session, helping to secure more than $1.2 million in bipartisan funding for clean-water crops coming out of the University of Minnesota's Forever Green Initiative.

Our top priority at the Legislature this year, this investment will move us closer to a more water-friendly agricultural landscape. Increased funding for crops such as Kernza and winter camelina will help to reduce runoff pollution and provide new pollinator habitat, all while providing farmers with new economic growth opportunities.

Your letters and messages to lawmakers (more than 270 in total this session) also helped direct more than $70 million to a variety of environmental projects, including important river and habitat work through Environment & Natural Resources Trust Fund appropriations. 

Your advocacy helped ensure the Omnibus Legacy Bill included significant funding for four FMR priority projects: Cottage Grove Ravine Regional Park, Pine Bend Bluffs Natural Area, Vermillion Falls Park and William H. Houlton Conservation Area. The bill also made a pair of subtle but important changes to the process the State’s Clean Water Council uses to make recommendations to the Legislature on how best to allocate the state’s Clean Water Fund.

MRRRI, the Mississippi River's first federal initiative

At the federal level, River Guardians were crucial in getting the Mississippi River Restoration and Resilience Initiative Act introduced last year. Since then, we’ve continued to bring in new collaborative members from up and down the Mississippi River corridor while addressing opportunities for a more inclusive process for Indigenous communities in the design.

As we head into a new Congress, we’re excited about what’s next for MRRRI. That includes a reintroduction of the bill in 2023, hopefully with bipartisan authors/sponsors.

The Walz administration's Climate Action Framework

You sent more than 160 messages to voice support for the Walz administration’s newly proposed Climate Action Framework, which could be a powerful tool for ushering in the next generation of climate policy. Although the framework mainly outlines the administration’s goals for mitigating climate change, your input in supporting initial steps like these is crucial in ensuring the next administration follows through with their budget recommendations and bold policy. 

The future of metro locks & dams

You made sure your voice was heard about what you want for the future of the river, not only for upcoming development projects but also for generations to come. 

You sent more than 170 comments to the Army Corps of Engineers about the future of two Twin Cities locks and dams. Your input will help shape the disposition study’s scoping process to ensure that it reflects community questions and concerns for the river and the intriguing possibility of dam removal.

You joined over 800 community members in participating in presentations and walking, biking and kayak tours, including one special boat tour just for River Guardians, to learn more about our locks and dams and what's ahead.

Planning and development projects

You showed up for issues in your neighborhoods and backyards as well. With your support, our Land Use & Planning program participated in nearly 30 planning and development projects from end to end of the metro river corridor.

You joined us in attending community meetings and providing feedback on riverfront development projects such as The Falls initiative at the Upper St. Anthony lock, the River Learning Center and many more. Your efforts to show up and speak up are crucial in our work to center community needs along the river.  

In Ramsey County, River Guardians wrote more than 80 heartfelt letters to county leaders urging them to stop their development plans for a county-owned Maplewood grassland that’s home to endangered birds. Your letters made a difference! While the site’s future is still undetermined, we’re optimistic that this endangered habitat will be preserved.