This agreement provides funding under the infrastructure investment and jobs act (IIJA) (PL 117-58) to upper mississippi river basin association

This $400,000 Project Grant awarded by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) under the Non-State Member Support for the Gulf Hypoxia Action Plan program (CFDA 66.487) supports the Upper Mississippi River Basin Association (UMRBA) in advancing the Gulf Hypoxia Action Plan through implementation of UMRBA's workplan. The key products and services to be delivered include: 1) Developing an integrated Upper Mississippi River Nutrient Reduction Strategy; 2) Establishing an adaptive management framework for continuous learning and improvement; 3) Creating an Upper Mississippi nutrient reduction communications plan to engage stakeholders; and 4) Facilitating meetings of the UMR Hypoxia Sub-Basin Committee. The anticipated outcomes are reduced nutrient pollution in the Upper Mississippi River, increased stakeholder engagement, and more effective collaboration among the five member states (Illinois, Iowa, Minnesota, Missouri, and Wisconsin). No sub-awards are included under this assistance agreement.

Specifically, the purpose of this agreement is to support and advance the gulf hypoxia action plan through implementation of upper mississippi river basin association's workplan. The states of illinois, iowa, minnesota, missouri, and wisconsin have directed the upper mississippi river basin association to convene and facilitate its hypoxia task force sub-basin committee for the upper mississippi river basin. Through the project period, and with the available funding, the states have determined that their shared priorities for the committee are to create an upper mississippi river nutrient reduction strategy, an interstate system for continuous learning (also known as adaptive management), and an interstate communications strategy. Umrba will participate in the hypoxia task force and integrate the sub-basin committee's actions into other interstate water planning. Activities:the activities include 1) compiling the separate state nutrient reduction strategies into an integrated upper mississippi river nutrient reduction strategy and identifying important interstate actions that will reduce nutrient pollution in the upper mississippi river; 2) communicating with stakeholders and other actors in the basin about important interstate actions that will reduce nutrient pollution in the upper mississippi river and gain their commitment to ongoing implementation efforts; 3) integrating the important interstate actions that will reduce nutrient pollution in the upper mississippi river with other important interstate actions, such as flood mitigation and resilience planning; and 4) evaluating implementation of important interstate actions to reduce nutrient pollution in the upper mississippi river and incorporate insights into ongoing implementation efforts.subrecipient:no subawards are included in this assistance agreement.outcomes:the anticipated deliverables include, 1) an integrated upper mississippi nutrient reduction strategy, 2) an adaptive management framework, 3) an upper mississippi nutrient reduction communications plan, and 4) notes and records of meetings of the UMR hypoxia sub-basin committee and its work teams. The expected outcomes include, 1) reduced nutrient pollution in the upper mississippi river, 2) more engagement and participation by traditional and non-traditional stakeholders in the basin, and 3) more effective collaboration among states and their executive agencies. The intended beneficiaries include hypoxia task force members and partners, and upper basin states, tribes, and communities that reside in the mississippi/atchafalaya river basin.