In Wisconsin, we are fortunate to be surrounded by huge bodies of human beings in the world.
We are fortunate to be surrounded by huge bodies of water, including the mighty Mississippi.
Parched states out west like Arizona, with their own rivers drying up, are eyeing our water to pump their way.
Concern over such diversion is prompting action to prevent it.
This month, 30 mayors representing 10 states voted in favor of forming a Mississippi River Compact.
La Crosse Mayor Mitch Reynolds is among the mayors leading the effort, and he joins us now.
Thanks very much for being here.
Well, thank you so much for having me. It's a pleasure.
So what would Mississippi River Compact do?
You know, it's really modeled after the Great Lakes Compact, and it's really meant to protect the Mississippi River as a water resource just for now and for generations to come.
And not only for, you know, when you think about the 20 million people that lies in the Mississippi River, the drinking water in the Mississippi different cities, but also as a navigable waterway.
It is the lifeblood of the United States of America's most important basin in the world.
In some ways, one out of 12 people in the United States, it's going to come out of the East, that's going to blow down the Mississippi River.
So we have to maintain the Mississippi River is not only is something that's beneficial for our communities up and down the Mississippi River, but also for our entire nation.
When you think about a number of states that the basin drains is 32 states at the basin drains and there's, you know, 40% of the ag products in the nation will be will go will travel down the Mississippi River.
And so for us to create a compact is really just a sensible way to ensure that the Mississippi River is they use as a significant water resource and natural habitat resource and navigation resource, you know, economic resource for generations to come.
I know that the concerns are around diversion to states that sorely need water, but would it really be feasible to pump or divert the water out west.
Yeah, you wouldn't think so. I mean, you would think that it would be just incomprehensible to take a pipe and run it across the United States of America to the Southwest.
So here's your water, but we do that for oil and arguably water is a more significant resource and oil is.
I mean, I would argue that. So I'm not putting it past anybody. We have a lot of people that say, well, this will never happen.
Well, it may never happen, but it might happen. So why not create a compact to ensure that it doesn't.
And not only a compact to ensure that diversion is not an option, but I'll make sure that we're we're acting in in unity to protect the resource.
And I think that that's something that, again, the entire nation has an interest in. Absolutely. So it's fashioned on the Great Lakes compact.
We know that took years to enact what what's the timeline here.
Well, hopefully sooner than quicker than the new years. And I think that because there is that model there would be great like compact.
And of course, the Great Lakes compact is is two nations, obviously, too. So it's not just it's not just the United States, Canada as well.
We have 10 states and we need our state legislatures to champion this and to approve that we need the federal government to approve it.
But I think that we already have at precedent of the Great Lakes compact. It feels like this is a this is a much more doable proposition.
So again, I'm not sure, but I think that should be what do you know about the legislature's sense of whether they would support this.
Great question. I guess we're early on in this process. I can't imagine that legislators in these 10 states would say, yeah, no, we're not protecting the Mississippi River is the lifeblood of all of these days.
It's important for me to believe that that would not happen. But maybe and that's what are the job of like the group that I'm in Mississippi River cities and towns initiative.
I'm the one of the new national co chairs of this group. One of the things that we're we're doing and we're trying to work towards it.
The state legislatures are our our our federal representatives understand this town significant important that this is so if there is hesitation, then we can try to convince them otherwise.
Do you have any indication that some states might be more difficult to engage with this than others?
Not at this point. No, I don't. I again, it's.
Yeah, it'd be pure conjecture for me to suggest there might be states that are has has attend to reticent to do something like this, but I mean, it is a possibility.
I guess it is a possibility. Still you at this juncture seem really fired up about this.
Oh, yeah. Are you kidding?
It's a significant are the city of La Crosse and virtually every city along the Mississippi River.
The past and the current the president and the future. All of it is all of it is is is is is basically formed by the river with our relationship to the river of the Mississippi River.
It is it is a significant part of our our community who we are who we're going to be in the future.
We need to protect this as a resource and you know for me and for my children for generations to come.
I think it is it is just it is critical for our city for all the cities that up and down the Mississippi River from Bemidji to to the mouth.
We are it is it is profoundly necessary for us to protect this as a as not only a resource for our communities, but as a national resource as well.
All right, we leave it there. Mayor Reynolds. Thanks very much.
Thank you.
Well, that was great. Thank you.
Oh, thank you. I appreciate the opportunity. It is.
Yeah, it's super important. So I thank you for highlighting it.
All right, we'll have fun at Oktoberfest.
Yeah, you know, we'll see.
Okay, bye.
Bye now.