Water

FMR is proud to be a leading voice in protecting the water of our Big River and all the people and wildlife who depend on it.

From the banks of the Mississippi to the halls of the Legislature, our Water program strives to keep you up to date on important water-quality issues. (For political animals, here are all FMR posts related to legislative advocacy.)

Updates are also shared on social (Facebook and Instagram) and in FMR's Mississippi Messages newsletter.

Join us! Sign up to be a River Guardian to receive email action alerts when we need your help the most, plus invitations to educational happy hours and other events.

POSTS

Legislative Water Commission stuck in 'government purgatory'

A surprising split-decision has left the Legislative Water Commission with an uncertain future. >>

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Rain, rain, go away: river flooding continues

Tired of all of the rainstorms yet? This year has been a historically wet and flood-prone year, impacting cities, towns and farms across the Midwest. In this news roundup, find out what's happening and why it matters.  >>

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Safer drinking water is around the bend (for some)

As reported by the Star Tribune, new limits on farm fertilizer will benefit human health and wildlife. It's a huge step for the Minnesota Department of Agriculture, but is the state doing enough to protect our drinking water and the Mississippi River? >>

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It's a wrap. How FMR’s priorities fared in the 2019 session

The 2019 Legislative Session kicked on in January with Governor Walz presiding over the only divided state legislature in the nation.

This led to some core disagreements, missed deadlines and an assorted bag of victories and compromises for Minnesota's environment and the Mississippi River.

Here’s a brief summary of the major items we were tracking, and how each turned out. >>

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How the Environment Bill fared this session

Overall, the legislative session resulted in modest additional funding for some of our top priorities while many of the worst provisions were dropped. Along with our allies, we are deeply grateful to the FMR River Guardians who consistently demonstrated their strong support for the river and healthy lands and waters for all Minnesota communities. Learn more about which FMR priorities made it, which did not, and where we go from here.  >>

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How the Clean Water Fund fared this session

The bipartisan Omnibus Legacy Bill was passed during the Special Session and includes $261.26 million for the Clean Water Fund. Here’s what was included in the final version. >>

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2019 legislative update: A special session in the works

With our Legislature's adjournment date passed and no final agreements on most policy and budget issues, a special session will be required. And most major water and conservation issues are yet to be decided. Here are our positions on some of the major issues still in play.  >>
 

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Our letter to House & Senate conferees on Forever Green

Today, FMR, along with twenty-three other organizations, signed a letter requesting legislators provide full funding for eh University of Minnesota’s Forever Green Initiative in the final Clean Water Fund negotiations.

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Session compromise looks unlikely on budget, policy ...and emoji usage?

As the May 20th session deadline looms, successful negotiations on a final budget and policy compromise appear less likely. >>

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Action Alert - Say ‘no’ to environmental cuts, raids and rollbacks in SF2314 [CLOSED]

With less than two weeks to go, legislators are meeting to craft a final environment budget & policy bill. Please act today to tell your legislators: “No cuts, rollbacks and raids in the omnibus environment bill!” >>

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Upcoming Events

Tuesday, May 13, 2025 - 6:00pm to 8:00pm
Riverside Park, St. Paul Park
Wednesday, May 14, 2025 - 6:00pm to 8:00pm
Mississippi River Gorge sand flats, Minneapolis
Thursday, May 15, 2025 - 7:30pm
DeLaSalle High School, near Nicollet Island, Minneapolis