Number: 1995-09
WHEREAS, the Mississippi River is a national historic and ecological treasure; is home to a diverse array of fish, other wildlife and plants, is a critical migration corridor for millions of birds and serves as a prime vehicle for recreational and economic interests as well; and
WHEREAS, this great river basin encompasses a reach from Ohio to Montana and includes such large rivers as the Missouri, Ohio and Arkansas and nearly 40 states, all of which affect the biodiversity and health of the river; and
WHEREAS, a bewildering array of local, state and federal programs impact upon this national treasure, often to the detriment of its ecological and economic viability; and
WHEREAS, six decades of attempts by the U. S. Army Corps of Engineers (Corps) to manage the Mississippi River and its major tributaries for navigation purposes have affected the health and vitality of these waterways, and the human natural resources dependent upon this great resource; and
WHEREAS, the Corps’ current study to determine the costs of future expansion of the Mississippi and Illinois Rivers’ navigation system and attempt to develop a water management and navigation plan for the Missouri River, has failed to develop a workable Environmental Plan of study acceptable to the affected states and the Upper Mississippi River Coordinating Committee (UMRCC) and the Upper Mississippi River Basin Association (UMRBA); and
WHEREAS, the current conditions of the waterway endanger the ecological and economic health of the region, for example: aggravation of flooding, diminished fisheries and wildlife populations, reduction of water quality, and increased sedimentation;
NOW THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the National Wildlife Federation, in its Annual Meeting assembled March 18-20, 1995 in Washington, D.C., requests that the Congress of the United States direct the Corps to contract with an appropriate scientific organization such as the National Science Foundation or the National Academy of Sciences to develop and conduct with all deliberate speed, independently of the Corps, but in cooperation with the Corps, affected states, the UMRCC and UMRBA, an Environmental Plan of Study to assess the impacts of managing these rivers for navigation purposes and its past, current and future affects on the ecological and human resources of the affected region.