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Full Article:
New congressional caucus puts focus on Mississippi River
Mississippi River Cities and Towns Initiative.
The Northeast-Midwest Institute (NEMWI) received a grant from the Walton Family Foundation to create a new and influential voice for the Mississippi River dramatically increasing demand for effective river protection, restoration and management in Washington, DC in 2012. NEMWI Mississippi River Cities and Towns Initiative (MRCTI) addresses matters of mutual concern, including:
River water quality and habitat restoration,
Flooding and floodplain issues, River-focused recreation, Sustainable economies, Celebration of the River culture and history.
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Mississippi River Cities & Towns Initiative Capitol Meeting March 19-21
Mayors from along the entire length of America’s Great Waterway will gather in Washington, DC to give a new and powerful voice to the growing national chorus for the Mississippi River.
The official meeting flyer can be found
here and a working agenda can be found
here.
This event is by invitation only. For further information, please email the projector director, Colin Wellenkamp at
cwellenkamp@nemw.org .
The Northeast-Midwest Institute (NEMWI) received a grant from the Walton Family Foundation to create a new and influential voice for the Mississippi River dramatically increasing demand for effective river protection, restoration and management in Washington, DC in 2012. NEMWI Mississippi River Cities and Towns Initiative (MRCTI) addresses matters of mutual concern, including:
River water quality and habitat restoration, Flooding and floodplain issues, River-focused recreation, Sustainable economies, Celebration of the River culture and history.
Over 3 million residents collectively populate the 124 Mississippi River main stem cities and towns. These riparian population centers are soundly River-centric. MRCTI gives a common voice to those who depend most upon the River, and by virtue of doing so, spans political and economic interests. That is, it taps a natural source of the longed-for integration of transportation, farming, industrial, municipal and environmental interests to launch lasting solutions to River management issues.
The outcome of the MRCTI is designed to be tangible improvement of Mississippi River:
Water quality,
Flood and floodplain management, and River economy and environmental protection.
The MRCTI articulates and helps drive multi-stakeholder solutions to recurring federal and state policy problems that impede environmental and economic health of river communities. This project also builds capacity of the MRCTI members to undertake effective local initiatives to attract green jobs, move to sustainable economies and achieve local environmental protection goals. Ultimately, this work helps protect and restore the Mississippi River as a natural system that can sustainably support human culture and economies as well as wildlife.
MRCTI is a local government-lead effort empowering the ten States and over one hundred cities that border the Mississippi River to act for its continued prosperity, sustainability, and economic growth. Through MRCTI mayors and other leaders cooperate to give new urgency to issues facing the Mississippi River, and new strength to effectively resolve them. Contact: Colin Wellenkamp, Director,
cwellenkamp@nemw.org , 202-464-4010.
MRCTI Roster, 1st Quarter 2013