States, Congress Should Do More To Help Protect Mississippi River, Writer Says

Big River Magazine Editor Says Agricultural Runoff, Climate Change Are Issues Facing River

The U.S. Environmental Agency and the 10 states that border the Mississippi River, including Wisconsin, are not doing nearly enough to protect the waterway from pollution and contamination, according to a recent report.

The report released earlier this month from the Mississippi River Collaborative is meant to pressure the EPA into taking specific actions to address some of the river’s biggest environment challenges, because the states "haven’t achieved any significant pollution reductions on their own," according to the report.

It’s welcome news to those who believe voluntary measures haven’t been enough to clean things up.

"The states kind of turn their backs on the river," said Reggie McLeod, editor and publisher of Big River magazine, which covers the Mississippi River and the Driftless region of Wisconsin. ...