Leveraging Federal Funding for a Healthy Mississippi River
Mississippi River Network (MRN) is leading a multi-faceted initiative to leverage federal funding opportunities, including the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) and the Bipartisan Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (BIL) on behalf of the Mississippi River.
The Inflation Reduction Act is a historic opportunity to invest nationwide in climate and River-friendly projects. The stated goals of IRA are to “improve soil carbon, reduce nitrogen losses, or reduce, capture, avoid, [and] sequester carbon dioxide, methane, or nitrous oxide emissions.” These goals provide many opportunities to benefit our Mississippi River and the communities that depend on it.
For example, IRA made possible large investments in conservation programs such as the Conservation Stewardship Program (CSP) and the Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP) that benefit farmers and contribute to water quality improvements and climate change mitigation.
While passing the IRA in 2022 and BIL in 2021 were tremendous Congressional achievements, it is now up to all of us – communities, organizations, states, cities, agencies, and everyone in between – to make sure that IRA and BIL are implemented in ways that can have a meaningful and lasting impact on our communities.
Mississippi River Network Annual Meeting 2023
MRN’S IRA and BIL implementation work streams
Mississippi River Network plays a vital role in this implementation process by offering new tools and convening spaces to help our member organizations (and the communities they serve) make the most of these federal funding opportunities. Specifically, MRN is facilitating these three work streams:
1
Hosting an IRA/BIL Implementation Hive space
2
Administering mini-grants to Members engaging in work on the ground, and
3
Launching a public-facing database to share IRA & BIL funding opportunities in the 10-state region.
What is the Hive? How can my organization get involved?
MRN’s IRA Implementation “Hive” is an open, virtual meeting space for MRN members and other engaged organizations to gather, network, exchange information, and collaborate on IRA and BIL implementation opportunities. For example, organizations from different states can gather and compare notes about upcoming deadlines to receive federal funding, strategies for engaging state agencies who are administering this funding on the ground, or challenges and lessons learned from implementing new projects.
The Hive was named with intention. Like a beehive, where bees come and go, coordinate efforts, and gather new inputs, this Hive is nimble enough to enable participants to participate when it is timely and to bring new topics for discussion within the group. This form is particularly important as federal funding opportunities shift and timelines change or as new organizations and regions get involved.
Mississippi River Network Annual Meeting 2022
Currently (as of early 2024), our Hive has honed in on three topic areas:
1
Promoting IRA funding for Farm Bill conservation programs and working with Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) State Technical Committees in the region to administer and amplify those funds,
2
Promoting NGO participation in determining BIL funding allocation and project selection for the U.S. Army Corps’ Navigation and Ecosystem Sustainability Program (NESP) and NESP-funded projects along the Mississippi River, and
3
Maximizing BIL funding for State Revolving Funds (SRF) and their ability to address non-point source pollution, green infrastructure, hazard mitigation, and lead service line replacement projects in the 10-state region.
MRN Members and non-members are participating in the Hive, and over 30 organizations have participated in the first six months of the Hive’s launch. If your organization is interested in engaging with us, please contact MRN’s Policy Director, Maisah Khan, at info@1mississippi.org
Projects funded by MRN Mini-Grants
The fate of IRA funding in future political climates is uncertain. To realize the opportunity that IRA and BIL present to invest in our Mississippi River communities today, MRN is pleased to announce that seven MRN members were awarded partnership mini-grants through our new workstream focused on IRA and BIL implementation. These seven projects are:
1
The Water Collaborative of Greater New Orleans’ (Louisiana) “Lead Service Line Advocacy in New Orleans and Louisiana” Project
2
The Wetlands Initiative’s (Illinois) “Exploring an Innovative Treatment-Wetlands Solution to Drinking Water Impairment in the Lake Springfield Watershed” Project
3
The Iowa Environmental Council’s (Iowa) “Iowa State Revolving Fund Community Outreach” Project
4
Green Lands Blue Waters (Upper Mississippi River Basin states) “Virtual Fencing Basics for Natural Resources Conservation Service staff and technical committees” Project
5
Michael Fields Agricultural Institute’s (Wisconsin) “Working with Wisconsin’s Department of Natural Resources to Use Its State Revolving Loan Funds to Address Nonpoint Source Pollution” Project
6
National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition’s (National) “Stories from the Field: Implementing the Inflation Reduction Act” Project
7
League of Women Voters Upper Mississippi River Region’s (Regional) “Sparkling Stream Water Pop Art” Project
These projects are as varied as those of our Mississippi River communities and MRN members, from community outreach and education efforts to the installation of restoration projects on the ground. Together, they represent the breadth of the opportunity presented by IRA and BIL for our region and what we stand to lose if these funds are not sustained or implemented strategically.
Mississippi River Network Annual Meeting 2022
More Information
On March 5-7, 2024 Mississippi River Network (MRN) members representing all ten states that the River flows through will be in Washington, DC, for MRN’s annual fly-in. We will share our experiences, projects underway, and lessons learned from the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) and Bipartisan Infrastructure Law (BIL) spending in our 10-state region. Members of Congress and their staff will learn about these federal funding mechanisms’ impact on farmers, ranchers, landowners, municipalities, and local agencies.
In 2022 MRN submitted a comment letter to the Natural Resource Conservation Service (NRCS) about the implementation of IRA Funds. Learn more and read the comment letter.
MRN will continue to add new developments, media coverage, and other updates about this work here. If your organization is interested in engaging with us, or if you have questions about this work, please contact Maisah Khan at info@1mississippi.org
Funding For Our Work
Our work is supported by Mosaic and the Water Foundation. Mosaic is a national grantmaking initiative strengthening the movement infrastructure that supports people working to ensure clean air and water, a safe climate, healthy and just communities for all, and thriving natural systems. With nearly $500 billion in new federal funding available to address climate change, the environmental movement has a once-in-a-generation opportunity to achieve big victories. They believe the only way we can meet this moment is by building field-wide capacity and coordination at a national scale. Learn more at mosaicmomentum.org.
The Water Foundation partners with grantees, funders, and the growing field of organizations working to secure clean, reliable water for people and nature. They align and deploy resources to support and convene diverse coalitions, build strong policy campaigns, and advance durable solutions. Learn more at www.waterfdn.org
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October 2024 River Citizen Newsletter
What do we do in the face of a changing climate? From hurricanes, migratory birds, and forests in flux to caring for our communities, learn more in your October River Citizen newsletter!
Action Alerts
The Mississippi River Network engages our members and the general public to take policy and advocacy actions that advance our overall goals for the people, land, water, and wildlife of the Mississippi River.
Go to the 1 Mississippi Action Center to take a current action and to view past actions.
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When the waters return by Mark “River” Peoples
We launch our Voyager canoes on a beautiful Thursday afternoon with one of the tallest buildings in Mississippi in our rearview mirror. The River is up and moving fast as small and large pieces of wood-laden debris ride the waves of water while some twist in the eddy. The canoe feels wonderfully balanced, reacting instantly to the adjustable strokes of my guide paddle. Like a horse that’s rested and well fed, I’m efficient and powerful, moving swiftly on a rising, but soon to crest, incredible body of water. Two large towboats hug the inside of the bend, trying to catch the slow, compromised water that’s manipulated by a complex configuration of rock structures 15 feet below the surface. I let them know by radio where we were and that we would stay in the fast water out of the way. After 30 minutes, civilization disappears as we meander around the bend. We see in the distance some of the rarest, wildest archipelago of islands on the Lower Mississippi River.
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