Ramsey County Commissioner Victoria Reinhardt was out speaker today - speaking on the subject of the Mississippi River Restoration & Resilience Initiative (MRRRI). The mission of this initiative is to protect, restore and enhance the Mississippi River and its watershed in the Twin Cities region. Minnesota Congresswoman Betty McCollum has introduced this initiative at the U.S. House of Representatives. If passed, the initiative will coordinate efforts on conservation and environmental restoration along the entire river corridor and open up grant opportunities for state and local governments, tribes, and nonprofit organizations. The Mississippi is the 4th largest river in the world. It plays a vital role in the lives of millions. It is a shipping corridor for goods and resources. It is the center of a $500-billion-per-year natural resource and recreation-based economy employing 1.5 million workers. It is also a source of drinking water for 20 million Americans. 72 miles of the river are even part of our National Park System, within the Mississippi National River and Recreation Area. Yet flooding and other extreme weather events, pollution, and runoff currently threaten the the river and surrounding communities. MRRRI would provide grants for restoration projects in river states, cities, townships, and tribal nations while prioritizing the most at-risk communities.