Today, Greenville Mayor Errick D. Simmons as Co-Chair of Mississippi River Cities and Towns Initiative gave remarks and testimony at the Mississippi River Commission (MRC)
Mayor Simmons thanks Major General Holland and MRC for invaluable work to the nation. Simmons stated in part,
“We would like to draw the Commission’s attention to language in the latest version of the Water Resources Development Act passed by the U.S. Senate before they adjourned for their August recess. This new language championed by Senator Boozman and support by the Mayors along the river call for a Lower Mississippi River Basin Demonstration Program.
This program is authorized for $90 million and seeks to:
• control sediment
• protect eroding riverbanks, streambanks and shorelines
• provide beneficial channel modifications;
• beneficial uses of dredged material
• other related projects that may enhance the living resources of the Lower Mississippi River Basin.
This will also develop a comprehensive plan to address the issues that I just mentioned. This new lower river demonstration program could be transformative to the lower river. We urge you to examine this language and be prepared to move quickly when allocated the necessary resources.
The Mayors know that Army Corps of Engineers is stretched thin, with little resources and much to accomplish on the river. That is why MRCTI is not waiting, we are partnering with Ducks Unlimited to deploy new natural assets along the Mississippi River. First using a study done by Two Degrees Adapt we located the areas on the river that would benefit most from wetlands and other natural infrastructure. Now we are in the process of deploying those resources along the Mississippi River.”
Original source can be found here.
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