UMRBA member state Governors issued a joint proclamation that stated their commitment to protecting the river’s water quality and to doing so in a coordinated manner – i.e., coordination of water quality monitoring, assessment, and standards for the UMR. The Governors called for federal investment commensurate with other nationally significant waterbodies (e.g., Ohio River, Great Lakes, and Chesapeake Bay) and urged Congress to provide the necessary resources for a successful UMR water quality program and USEPA to support the effort through involvement of its Regions and by establishing dedicated funding within its budget.
USEPA responded to UMRBA by creating a Mississippi River Team in Region 5 (that mostly consisted of one person, Bill Franz) and including the Mississippi River in its 2009-2014 strategic plan. Unfortunately, the agency’s recent strategic planning has overlooked the Mississippi River Basin.
