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Mississippi River "Most Endangered"
Long running crisis to reach crucial juncture in 2004

American Rivers
Environmental Defense
Illinois Stewardship Alliance
Institute for Agriculture and Trade Policy
Mississippi River Basin Alliance
National Audubon Society
Sierra Club

Mississippi River #10 on annual list released today - www.americanrivers.org

(Washington, DC) American Rivers and its partners today placed the Mississippi River back on its annual Most Endangered Rivers list, citing renewed efforts by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to continue the lock and levee construction that have left the river on the verge of ecological collapse. The Mississippi River, which last appeared on the list in 2001, is at the #10 spot for 2004. The annual America's Most Endangered Rivers report highlights acute threats to the listed rivers rather than their chronic problems. The groups warned that the next 12 months would be crucial in determining the Mississippi River's long-term future.

“We have not put the Mississippi River back on our list to indict anyone for past mistakes,” said Rebecca R. Wodder, president of American Rivers. “We have put the river back on our list to warn that many of these mistakes are about to be repeated.”

Attempting to improve navigation and control floods, the Army Corps has profoundly altered almost everything about the Mississippi River over the past 100 years - its course, depth, flow, floodplain, and wildlife. Among the casualties: more than half the river’s floodplain has been cut off by levees, millions of acres of wetlands and countless side channels and sandbars have been destroyed or damaged, the number of marsh plants at the base of the river’s food chain have been reduced, sedimentation and erosion have increased, and fish and mussel habitat has been destroyed.

“The cost of not doing large-scale restoration is too horrific. Here is this river system that has served the people and wildlife well and now we need to look towards restoring it. We all live in close proximity with one another, nature, and wildlife for a reason and we need to recognize that importance,” said Christine Favilla, Three Rivers Project Manager of the Sierra Club.

Every year, more than 20 square miles of coastal wetlands near the river’s mouth are lost because sediment that once nourished the Mississippi’s delta is funneled through a tight corridor of Army Corps flood control levees into the Gulf of Mexico. Pollution from farms and sewage plants is also swept down the river where it contributes to an 8,000-square-mile “dead zone” in the Gulf of Mexico – an area that can’t support marine life.

"The Mississippi River is in a state of ecological decline and will continue to decline unless significant and meaningful steps are taken to restore the River's health, such as returning more natural floodplain to the river for healthy habitat and making seasonal adjustments of water levels to keep the River's natural systems thriving," said Angela Anderson with the Mississippi River Basin Alliance.

Conservationists warned that the U.S. Congress will direct the Army Corps to either perpetuate or begin to fix problems afflicting the Mississippi River in 2004. Representatives will deliberate whether to authorize more than $2 billion to replace or extend locks along the river above St. Louis, whether to provide funds to construct an enormous pump and levee along the river in southeastern Missouri, and whether to institute policy reforms that will subject proposed Army Corps projects to greater economic and scientific scrutiny. Congress may consider proposals to restore the disappearing coastline at the mouth of the Mississippi River below New Orleans.

"The degradation of the Mississippi River has been portrayed as a battle between the agricultural industry and environmentalists. But the real issue is about political courage," said Mark Muller with the Institute for Agriculture and Trade Policy. "Will our leaders continue promoting the same policies that are driving farmers out of business or seek more appropriate uses of taxpayer money?"

Although the Army Corps is pushing for navigation and flood control measures that will cost billions and will accelerate the decline of the troubled river, less costly and environmentally destructive alternatives are available. In particular, shipping congestion on the river can be be quickly and cheaply relieved by instituting traffic scheduling and adding helper boats to move barges through the locks. Stepping up efforts to restore floodplain wetlands will help alleviate flooding and reduce the pollution that causes the dead zone.

"What the report demonstrates is the need for coordinated restoration of the upper and lower river basin as one system," said Angela Anderson with the Mississippi River Basin Alliance.

"Despite all the pronouncements from the Chief of Engineers’ office regarding sustainability being the priority for Corps projects, the Corps’ "actions" planned for the Mississippi River continue the policies of the past, with projects that make no sense, economically or environmentally," said Mark Beorkrem of the Illinois Stewardship Alliance. "The time is long since past for Congress to trust Corps planners to provide recommendations that are independent of regional special interests. The time for reform of this agency is now, before the river ecosystem is irretrievably degraded."

Mississippi River not unique
While the situation along the Mississippi River is particularly urgent, it is sadly far from unique. Scientific data reveals that America’s rivers, streams, and lakes have become progressively more polluted since 1998. Conservationists warned that the White House and Congress have made little effort reverse this trend -- and have in fact opened new loopholes and cut enforcement of federal clean water laws over the past three years.

About America's Most Endangered Rivers
Each year, American Rivers solicits nominations from thousands of river groups, environmental organizations, outdoor clubs, local governments, and taxpayer watchdogs for the America's Most Endangered Rivers report. The report highlights the rivers facing the most uncertain futures rather than those suffering from the worst chronic problems. The report presents alternatives to proposal that would damage rivers, identifies those who will make the crucial decisions, and points out opportunities for the public to take action on behalf of each listed river.

Additional Contacts:
Christine Favilla, Piasa Palisades Group of the Sierra Club, (618) 462-6802
Scott Faber, Environmental Defense, (202) 387-3500 ext. 3315, sfaber@environmentaldefense.org
Mark Beorkrem, Illinois Stewardship Alliance, (217) 498-9707, mbeorkrem@hotmail.com
Mark Muller, Institute for Agriculture and Trade Policy, (612) 870-3420, mmuller@iatp.org
Angela Anderson, Mississippi River Basin Alliance, (314) 776-6672 ext.102,
angelaanderson@mrba.org
Dan McGuiness, National Audubon Society, (651) 739-9332, dmcguiness@audubon.org