Welcome to FMR's pages on the Mississippi River Critical Area! This page collects and organizes all of FMR's resources on the Critical Area for easy reference We suggest you might begin by looking through each section of the overview directly below to learn more about what Critical Area is, what's being done to improve it, and why it's important.

Mississippi River Critical Area: An Overview

PART 1. Critical Area Overview and History (1976-)
The genesis, geography, evolution and significance of the Mississippi River Critical Area.

PART 2. The Path to Critical Area Modernization (2007-2009)
The DNR studies the effectiveness of the Mississippi River Critical Area, and legislation is subsequently passed by the Legislature and signed by Governor Pawlenty in 2009 to modernize the Critical Area program.

PART 3. Critical Area Rulemaking Process (2009-2011)
The DNR, at the behest of the legislature and Governor, undertake a rulemaking process to modernize Critical Area standards.

PART 4. Defending the Critical Area (2011)
Attempts are made to dilute or repeal the Critical Area program at the Capitol - and what you can do about it.

Links to Key Critical Area Resources

• Executive Order 79-19 - establishing the existing Critical Area framework
• State Statutes Section 116G.15 - state statutes related to the Critical Area
• Critical Area Study Stakeholder Engagement (FMR, 2008)
• Mississippi River Critical Area: Report to the Minnesota Legislature (DNR, 2008)
• Summary of Changes in 2009 Mississippi River Critical Area Legislation (FMR, 2009)
• FMR Proposed Revised River Districts (1/2010)
• FMR Initial Comments on Critical Area Rulemaking (3/22/2010)
• FMR River Resources & Rules Report (5/2010) - An overview of how twelve municipalities currently impement the Critical Area program
• FMR Comments on Draft Districts (6/30/2010)
• FMR Preliminary Comments on Standards (7/23/2010)
• FMR Comments on Draft Standards (8/13/2010)
• FMR Comments on Near-Final Draft Standards (12/16/2010)
• FMR Fact Sheet on 2011 Critical Area Legislation (2/17/2010)

FMR news articles on the Mississippi River Critical Area

• November 2007: Diverse stakeholders attend FMR’s Critical Area input meetings
• March 2008: DNR Critical Area study now online
• January 2009: FMR working with legislators on new critical area corridor bills
• March 2009: Critical Area reform bill advances
• May 2009: Mississippi River Critical Area bill signed into law
• January 2010: DNR begins river rulemaking process — public comments and committee applicants sought
• March 2010: Critical area rulemaking update
• April 2010: Stakeholders weigh in on Mississippi River Critical Area Reform
• May 2010: Stakeholder rulemaking comments summarized
• June 2010: New Districts for the Mississippi River Critical Area
• July 2010: Critical Area rulemaking update: Newly drafted river districts get cool response
• August 2010: Critical area rulemaking heats up
• October 2010: Sign the petition! Weigh in on Critical Area rulemaking
• November 2010: Sign the Critical Area petition!
• December 2010: 500 river supporters weigh in! Critical Area rulemaking coming to a close
• January 2011: Legislation introduced to repeal Critical Area law
• Feburary 2011: Action Alert - Stop the Mississippi River Critical Area Repeal Bill
• Feburary 2011: Critical Area repeal advancing - Vital river protections threatened