I 
119TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION H. R. 2977 
To establish the Mississippi River Restoration and Resilience Initiative to 
carry out projects for the protection and restoration of the Mississippi 
River Corridor, and for other purposes. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
APRIL 21, 2025 
Ms. MCCOLLUM introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Com-
mittee on Transportation and Infrastructure, and in addition to the Com-
mittee on Natural Resources, for a period to be subsequently determined 
by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall 
within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned 
A BILL 
To establish the Mississippi River Restoration and Resilience 
Initiative to carry out projects for the protection and 
restoration of the Mississippi River Corridor, and for 
other purposes. 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 
This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Mississippi River Res-
toration and Resilience Initiative Act’’ or the ‘‘MRRRI 
Act’’. 
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SEC. 2. PURPOSE. 
It is the purpose of this Act to establish the Mis-
sissippi River Restoration and Resilience Initiative to pro-
tect and restore the ecological health and resilience of the 
Mississippi River for current and succeeding generations 
of Americans and for the fish and wildlife that rely on 
the Mississippi River and its floodplain. The MRRRI is 
a nonregulatory initiative that will build upon existing ef-
forts and provide funding for projects and activities to 
protect and restore the nationally significant resources of 
the Mississippi River by— 
(1) establishing the Mississippi River National 
Program Office; 
(2) establishing the focus areas and identifying 
qualifying activities for MRRRI programs and 
projects; 
(3) directing the development of actionable 
goals, an action plan, and a science plan, and reg-
ular updates to such plans, to guide the MRRRI and 
ensuring the integration of the MRRRI with other 
Federal, State, Tribal, and local programs; 
(4) establishing criteria for measuring the suc-
cess of the MRRRI in restoring the ecological health 
and resilience of the Mississippi River; 
(5) requiring the Environmental Protection 
Agency to coordinate and consult with Federal and 
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non-Federal stakeholders to implement the MRRRI; 
and 
(6) establishing the Mississippi River Corridor 
Research Centers. 
SEC. 3. MISSISSIPPI RIVER RESTORATION AND RESILIENCE 
INITIATIVE. 
Title I of the Federal Water Pollution Control Act 
(33 U.S.C. 1251 et seq.) is amended by adding at the end 
the following: 
‘‘SEC. 127. MISSISSIPPI RIVER. 
‘‘(a) DEFINITIONS.—In this section: 
‘‘(1) AGENCY.—The term ‘Agency’ means the 
Environmental Protection Agency. 
‘‘(2) HYPOXIA TASK FORCE.—The term ‘Hy-
poxia Task Force’ means the Mississippi River/Gulf 
of Mexico Hypoxia Task Force established pursuant 
to section 603 of the Harmful Algal Bloom and Hy-
poxia Research and Control Act of 1998 (33 U.S.C. 
4001). 
‘‘(3) MRRRI.—The term ‘MRRRI’ means the 
Mississippi River Restoration and Resilience Initia-
tive established by this section. 
‘‘(4) PROGRAM
OFFICE.—The term ‘Program 
Office’ means the Mississippi River National Pro-
gram Office established by this section. 
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‘‘(5) MRRRI DIRECTOR.—The term ‘MRRRI 
Director’ means the Director of the Mississippi 
River National Program Office established under 
this section. 
‘‘(6) MISSISSIPPI RIVER CORRIDOR.—The term 
‘Mississippi River Corridor’ means the portions of 
the Mississippi River watershed (including tributary 
watersheds) located in a Mississippi River State. 
‘‘(7) MISSISSIPPI
RIVER
STATE.—The term 
‘Mississippi River State’ means Arkansas, Illinois, 
Iowa, Kentucky, Louisiana, Minnesota, Mississippi, 
Missouri, Tennessee, or Wisconsin. 
‘‘(8) TRIBAL GOVERNMENT.—The term ‘Tribal 
government’ means the recognized governing body of 
an any Indian tribe, band, nation, pueblo, village, 
community, component band, or component reserva-
tion, individually identified (including parentheti-
cally) in the list published pursuant to section 104 
of the Federally Recognized Indian Tribe List Act of 
1994 (25 U.S.C. 5131). 
‘‘(9) TRIBAL ORGANIZATION.—The term ‘Tribal 
organization’ has the meaning given such term in 
section 4 of the Indian Self-Determination and Edu-
cation Assistance Act (25 U.S.C. 5304). 
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‘‘(10) 
RELEVANT
FEDERAL
AGENCY.—The 
term ‘relevant Federal agency’ means any of the fol-
lowing agencies: 
‘‘(A) The Department of Agriculture— 
‘‘(i) the Natural Resources Conserva-
tion Service; and 
‘‘(ii) the Forest Service. 
‘‘(B) The Department of the Interior, in-
cluding— 
‘‘(i) the Bureau of Indian Affairs; 
‘‘(ii) the United States Fish and Wild-
life Service; 
‘‘(iii) the United States Geological 
Survey; and 
‘‘(iv) the National Park Service. 
‘‘(C) The Corps of Engineers. 
‘‘(D) The Federal Emergency Management 
Agency. 
‘‘(E) The National Oceanic and Atmos-
pheric Administration. 
‘‘(F) The Coast Guard. 
‘‘(G) Any other Federal agency the 
MRRRI Director determines is relevant. 
‘‘(b) MISSISSIPPI RIVER NATIONAL PROGRAM OF-
FICE.— 
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‘‘(1) IN GENERAL.—The Administrator shall es-
tablish a Mississippi River National Program Office 
within the Agency to carry out the Mississippi River 
Restoration and Resilience Initiative. 
‘‘(2) LOCATION.—The Program Office shall be 
located in a Mississippi River State. 
‘‘(3) DIRECTOR.—The Program Office shall be 
headed by a Director, appointed by the Adminis-
trator, who has management experience and tech-
nical expertise relating to the Mississippi River and 
who is highly qualified to direct the development of 
programs and plans on a variety of issues related to 
restoration of the Mississippi River. 
‘‘(4) 
FUNCTIONS.—The 
MRRRI 
Director 
shall— 
‘‘(A) coordinate actions of the Agency that 
seek to protect and restore the Mississippi 
River Corridor; 
‘‘(B) develop, implement, and update the 
MRRRI, actionable goals, and action plan re-
quired by this section, in coordination with rel-
evant Federal agencies and non-Federal enti-
ties; 
‘‘(C) document information and updates 
related to the development and implementation 
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of the MRRRI, actionable goals, and action 
plan and make such information and updates 
available to the public, including on a public 
website; 
‘‘(D) facilitate engagement and consulta-
tion with Tribal governments and Tribal organi-
zations to ensure Tribal needs and priorities are 
solicited early and throughout the development 
of the actionable goals and action plan required 
by this section; 
‘‘(E) work cooperatively with the Bureau 
of Indian Affairs and other Federal agencies to 
carry out subparagraph (D); and 
‘‘(F) submit to Congress, and make avail-
able on a public website, an annual report de-
scribing— 
‘‘(i) progress made in implementing 
the MRRRI; 
‘‘(ii) the coordination of the MRRRI 
with other Federal, State, Tribal, and local 
programs; 
‘‘(iii) any funds transferred to rel-
evant Federal agencies under this section; 
‘‘(iv) any grants awarded under this 
section; and 
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‘‘(v) specific projects and activities 
carried out pursuant to this section. 
‘‘(5) AGREEMENTS.—In carrying out paragraph 
(4), the MRRRI Director may enter into agree-
ments, as applicable, with relevant Federal agencies 
and non-Federal entities. 
‘‘(6) TRIBAL LIAISON.—The MRRRI Director 
shall appoint a Tribal Liaison within the Program 
Office to ensure enhanced interagency technical sup-
port, communication, and coordination with Tribal 
governments, Tribal organizations, and Tribal stake-
holders, and to carry out other duties as determined 
necessary to meet the needs of Tribes. 
‘‘(c) MISSISSIPPI RIVER RESTORATION AND RESIL-
IENCE INITIATIVE.— 
‘‘(1) ESTABLISHMENT.—There is established 
within the Agency the Mississippi River Restoration 
and Resilience Initiative to implement projects for 
systemic, large-scale restoration of the Mississippi 
River Corridor. 
‘‘(2) FOCUS
AREAS.—Any project or activity 
carried out under this section shall address at least 
1 of the following focus areas: 
‘‘(A) The improvement of water quality in 
the Mississippi River Corridor and drinking 
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water quality in the Mississippi River States 
by— 
‘‘(i) reducing the amount of polluted 
runoff, excess agricultural nutrients, and 
sediment in the Mississippi River Corridor; 
and 
‘‘(ii) improving source water protec-
tions. 
‘‘(B) The improvement of community resil-
ience throughout the Mississippi River Corridor 
by restoring the ability of the Mississippi River 
floodplain, riverine wetlands, delta and coastal 
wetlands, and backwaters to minimize and ame-
liorate flood and storm risks. 
‘‘(C) The protection and restoration of fish 
and wildlife habitat in and along the Mississippi 
River Corridor. 
‘‘(D) The prevention of the spread of 
aquatic invasive species in the Mississippi River 
Corridor. 
‘‘(E) The improvement of communication 
and partnership activities related to the focus 
areas described in subparagraphs (A) through 
(D). 
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‘‘(F) Monitoring, collecting, and evaluating 
scientific data to assess the focus areas de-
scribed in subparagraphs (A) through (D). 
‘‘(3) PROJECT IMPLEMENTATION.— 
‘‘(A) IN GENERAL.—Funds made available 
to carry out the MRRRI may be used to imple-
ment eligible projects and activities described in 
paragraph (5) that are carried out by a relevant 
Federal agency or by a non-Federal entity. 
‘‘(B) GRANT
AUTHORITY.—The MRRRI 
Director, or the head of any other Federal 
agency receiving funds under this section, may 
make a grant to, or otherwise enter into an 
agreement with, any non-Federal entity (includ-
ing any State, local, or Tribal governmental en-
tity, nonprofit organization, institution of high-
er education (as such term is defined in section 
101 of the Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 
U.S.C. 1001)), or individual) that the MRRRI 
Director or agency head determines is qualified 
to carry out an eligible project described in 
paragraph (5). 
‘‘(4) PROJECT SELECTION.— 
‘‘(A) IN GENERAL.—In carrying out the 
MRRRI, the MRRRI Director shall collaborate 
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with relevant Federal agencies to select projects 
and activities to be implemented pursuant to 
this section using appropriate principles and 
criteria, including— 
‘‘(i) the selection of an equitable dis-
tribution of projects and activities along 
the entire Mississippi River Corridor; 
‘‘(ii) the ability of a project to achieve 
strategic and measurable environmental 
outcomes; 
‘‘(iii) the recognition that projects 
may provide benefits to local or regional 
communities or to the entire Mississippi 
River Corridor; 
‘‘(iv) the feasibility of prompt imple-
mentation, timely achievement of measur-
able results, and resource leveraging; and 
‘‘(v) the opportunity to improve inter-
agency, 
intergovernmental, 
and 
inter-
organizational coordination and collabora-
tion to reduce duplication and improve 
measurable environmental outcomes. 
‘‘(B) COMPATIBILITY.—The MRRRI Di-
rector shall ensure that projects and activities 
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carried out under this section are compatible 
with— 
‘‘(i) the ability of the Corps of Engi-
neers to maintain navigation in the Mis-
sissippi River; and 
‘‘(ii) the structural integrity or effec-
tiveness of Federal, State, local, or Tribal 
disaster risk reduction infrastructure. 
‘‘(5) ELIGIBLE PROJECTS.— 
‘‘(A) IN GENERAL.—Funds made available 
to carry out this section may only be used to 
implement a project or activity that addresses 
at least 1 of the focus areas described in para-
graph (2) and that carries out at least one of 
the actions described in subparagraph (B). 
‘‘(B) ACTIONS
DESCRIBED.—The actions 
referred to in subparagraph (A) are actions 
that— 
‘‘(i) protect or restore naturally occur-
ring hydrologic, geomorphic, and ecological 
functions and processes, including the res-
toration or rehabilitation of wetlands, in- 
stream habitats (including through re-
connection of side channels and back-
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waters), living shorelines, or upland habi-
tats; 
‘‘(ii) remove or modify structures, in-
cluding culverts, levees, and dams, to re-
store— 
‘‘(I) natural hydrology of rivers, 
streams, 
floodplains, 
wetlands, 
or 
coasts; or 
‘‘(II) the form, function, or proc-
esses of rivers, streams, floodplains, 
wetlands, or coasts; 
‘‘(iii) permanently protect privately 
owned lands through fee title acquisition or 
enrollment into voluntary permanent wet-
land, flooding, or other conservation ease-
ments; 
‘‘(iv) facilitate habitat restoration 
using 
responsibly 
sourced 
and 
clean 
dredged sediment material by covering the 
cost differential between the Federal 
standard for dredge disposal and the cost 
of transportation; 
‘‘(v) relocate, elevate, or demolish, and 
clean up flood-prone structures, and carry 
out any related floodplain restoration; 
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‘‘(vi) increase water retention and in-
filtration through actions that promote a 
healthy soil ecosystem, including maxi-
mizing soil cover, maximizing soil biodiver-
sity, and maximizing the presence of living 
roots; 
‘‘(vii) reduce nonpoint sources of pol-
lution and promote landscape-scale vegeta-
tive cover (including perennial grains, pe-
rennial woody crops, winter annual cover 
crops, perennial pasture, and other ap-
proaches to maintain year-round vegetative 
cover) through the implementation of vol-
untary initiatives developed with the sup-
port of market research; 
‘‘(viii) reduce stormwater flows and 
inflows that contribute to combined sewer 
overflow events, and accelerate the adop-
tion of urban stormwater pollution preven-
tion minimum control measures through 
municipal separate storm sewer system 
permits issued under section 402(p); 
‘‘(ix) facilitate the cleanup of legacy 
contaminants that are not hazardous sub-
stances (as defined in section 101 of the 
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Comprehensive Environmental Response, 
Compensation, and Liability Act of 1980 
(42 U.S.C. 9601)) or designated as haz-
ardous substances pursuant to section 102 
of the Comprehensive Environmental Re-
sponse, Compensation, and Liability Act of 
1980 (42 U.S.C. 9602); 
‘‘(x) control, manage, or eradicate 
nonnative aquatic invasive species or re-
introduce native aquatic species, including 
through— 
‘‘(I) investments in technology 
and research to combat the spread of 
aquatic invasive species; 
‘‘(II) the use of in-river physical 
deterrent or controls; or 
‘‘(III) the promotion of commer-
cial harvesting of nonnative aquatic 
species; 
‘‘(xi) build capacity within commu-
nities to undertake MRRRI projects to ad-
dress the effects of the ecological degrada-
tion of the Mississippi River Corridor, in-
cluding through— 
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‘‘(I) 
community 
based 
participatory research; 
‘‘(II) project or community-wide 
planning; 
‘‘(III) outreach and community 
engagement; or 
‘‘(IV) 
restoration-related 
job 
training and workforce development; 
or 
‘‘(xii) additional actions determined to 
be 
eligible 
pursuant 
to 
subsection 
(d)(2)(B)(v). 
‘‘(C) 
PROTECTION
AGAINST
INVASIVE 
PLANT
SPECIES.—Funds made available to 
carry out this section may not be used for a 
project or activity that proposes to use a plant 
that has an elevated risk of becoming invasive, 
as determined by the MRRRI Director through 
the use of a credible weed risk assessment tool. 
‘‘(6) MONITORING PLAN.—A Federal agency or 
non-Federal entity receiving funds to carry out a 
project or activity under this section shall develop a 
detailed plan for monitoring the implementation and 
ecological success of such project or activity, as ap-
plicable, that— 
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‘‘(A) describes criteria for ecological suc-
cess by which the project will be evaluated 
based on replacement of lost functions and val-
ues of the Mississippi River Corridor habitat, 
including hydrologic and vegetative characteris-
tics; 
‘‘(B) identifies an entity responsible for 
such monitoring; and 
‘‘(C) includes continuation of such moni-
toring until the project is determined to be suc-
cessful based on documented achievement of the 
ecological success criteria described under sub-
paragraph (A). 
‘‘(d) ACTIONABLE GOALS; ACTION PLANS.— 
‘‘(1) ACTIONABLE
GOALS.—Not later than 1 
year after the date of enactment of this section, the 
MRRRI Director shall develop measurable goals for 
the MRRRI, including establishing criteria for meas-
uring the success of the MRRRI in addressing the 
focus areas established in subsection (c)(2) and in 
restoring the overall ecological health and resilience 
of the Mississippi River Corridor. 
‘‘(2) ACTION PLAN.— 
‘‘(A) IN GENERAL.—Not later than 2 years 
after the date of enactment of this section, the 
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MRRRI Director shall develop an action plan to 
make progress on the MRRRI through the im-
plementation of MRRRI projects and activities 
under subsection (c). 
‘‘(B) CONTENTS.—The MRRRI Director 
shall include in the action plan developed under 
subparagraph (A)— 
‘‘(i) a description of existing Federal, 
State, Tribal, and regional plans, pro-
grams, and activities affecting the Mis-
sissippi River Corridor that may be used to 
advance the MRRRI; 
‘‘(ii) recommendations for a com-
prehensive approach to advancing systemic, 
large-scale restoration of the Mississippi 
River Corridor that, where appropriate, 
leverages existing Federal and State pro-
grams; 
‘‘(iii) a multi-year plan that identifies 
objectives within each of the focus areas 
described in subsection (c)(2), with cor-
responding commitments for activities, re-
search, and measures for progress; 
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‘‘(iv) a plan to monitor the implemen-
tation of any recommendations developed 
under this subparagraph; and 
‘‘(v) a description of any additional 
actions the Director determines are eligible 
under this section. 
‘‘(C) PROJECT RECOMMENDATIONS.—The 
action plan described in subparagraph (A) may 
include recommendations for specific projects or 
activities that advance the objectives developed 
under 
subparagraph 
(B)(iii), 
including 
timelines, budgets, and the identification of en-
tities responsible for the implementation of such 
projects. 
‘‘(3) UPDATES.— 
‘‘(A) IN
GENERAL.—Not less than once 
every 5 years, the MRRRI Director shall review 
and update the actionable goals and action plan 
developed under this subsection. 
‘‘(B) 
INTEGRATION
WITH
SCIENCE 
PLAN.—In updating the action plan pursuant to 
this paragraph, the MRRRI Director shall in-
corporate any relevant information contained in 
the science plan developed pursuant to section 
4(b) of the MRRRI Act. 
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‘‘(4) COORDINATION AND CONSULTATION.—In 
developing and updating the actionable goals and ac-
tion plan required under this subsection, the MRRRI 
Director shall— 
‘‘(A) consult with Mississippi River States, 
Tribal governments within such States, the Sec-
retary of the Interior, the Chief of Engineers, 
the Secretary of Agriculture, and the Hypoxia 
Task Force; 
‘‘(B) engage with relevant Federal agen-
cies, local governments, nongovernmental orga-
nizations, institutions of higher education (as 
defined in section 101 of the Higher Education 
Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1001)), and members 
of the public; and 
‘‘(C) solicit input from the entities de-
scribed in subparagraph (B) through a formal 
public notice and comment period. 
‘‘(e) FUNDING.— 
‘‘(1) TRANSFER OF FUNDS TO FEDERAL ENTI-
TIES.—With funds made available to carry out this 
section for each fiscal year, the MRRRI Director 
may— 
‘‘(A) transfer funds to the head of any rel-
evant Federal agency, with the concurrence of 
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the head of such agency, to carry out activities 
in accordance with this section; 
‘‘(B) transfer funds to other Federal pro-
grams to be used for achieving specifically tar-
geted and measurable environmental outcomes 
that advance the actionable goals developed and 
updated under subsection (d); and 
‘‘(C) enter into an interagency agreement 
with the head of any relevant Federal agency to 
carry out activities in accordance with this sec-
tion. 
‘‘(2) TRANSFER OF FUNDS TO BUREAU OF IN-
DIAN AFFAIRS.—The MRRRI Director shall transfer 
not less than 5 percent of the funds made available 
to carry out this section to the Director of the Bu-
reau of Indian Affairs, with the concurrence of such 
Director, to make grants or otherwise enter into 
agreements with Tribal governments or Tribal orga-
nizations to carry out projects or activities under 
this section. 
‘‘(3) AVAILABILITY OF FUNDS TO IMPLEMENT 
PROJECTS PRIOR TO COMPLETION OF THE FIRST AC-
TION PLAN.—Before the date on which the first ac-
tion plan is developed under subsection (d)(2), the 
MRRRI Director may transfer funds to another 
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Federal entity, or award a grant or otherwise enter 
into an agreement with a non-Federal entity, to— 
‘‘(A) carry out projects or activities that 
meet the requirements of subsection (c)(5); or 
‘‘(B) establish the research centers re-
quired under section 4(a) of the MRRRI Act. 
‘‘(4) COST SHARE.— 
‘‘(A) IN GENERAL.—Except as provided in 
subparagraph (B), the Federal share of the cost 
of a project or activity carried out by a non- 
Federal entity under this section shall not ex-
ceed 80 percent of the total cost of the project 
or activity. 
‘‘(B) EXCEPTION.—The Federal share of 
the cost of a project or activity carried out by 
a Tribal government or Tribal organization 
under this section, and the Federal share of the 
cost of a project or activity described in sub-
section (c)(5)(B)(xi) carried by a non-Federal 
entity, shall be 100 percent of the total cost of 
the project or activity. 
‘‘(C) IN-KIND CONTRIBUTION.—The non- 
Federal share of the cost of a project or activity 
carried out under this section may include the 
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value of an in-kind contribution provided by a 
non-Federal entity. 
‘‘(5) LIMITATIONS.—No funds made available 
to carry out this section may be used for any water 
infrastructure activity for which financial assistance 
is received under— 
‘‘(A) a State water pollution control revolv-
ing fund established under section 603; 
‘‘(B) a State drinking water treatment re-
volving loan fund established under section 
1452 of the Safe Drinking Water Act (42 
U.S.C. 300j–12); or 
‘‘(C) the Water Infrastructure Finance and 
Innovation Act of 2014 (33 U.S.C. 3901 et 
seq.). 
‘‘(f) SET ASIDE FOR ACTION PLAN.— 
‘‘(1) IN
GENERAL.—Of the total amount of 
funds made available to carry out the MRRRI under 
this section for each fiscal year beginning with the 
first fiscal year after which the action plan required 
under subsection (d)(2) is developed, not more than 
5 percent may be used for projects and activities 
that are eligible under subsection (c)(5), but that do 
not address an objective identified in the action plan 
under subsection (d)(2)(B)(iii). 
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‘‘(2) PRIORITY.—In using funds under subpara-
graph (A), the MRRRI Director shall prioritize 
projects that reduce the effects of natural disasters 
or respond to emerging threats from natural disas-
ters. 
‘‘(g) ACTIVITIES BY OTHER FEDERAL AGENCIES.— 
‘‘(1) IN
GENERAL.—The head of a relevant 
Federal agency that is engaged in, or has authority 
over, programs relating to research, monitoring, and 
planning to maintain, enhance, preserve, or rehabili-
tate the environmental quality and natural resources 
of the Mississippi River shall— 
‘‘(A) submit an annual report to the Ad-
ministrator describing the activities of the agen-
cy relating to the MRRRI; 
‘‘(B) strive to identify new projects and ac-
tivities to support the goals of the MRRRI; 
‘‘(C) ensure that any funding provided 
through the MRRRI supplements, and does not 
supplant, funding obtained through other agen-
cy budgets or other sources of funds for activi-
ties related to the Mississippi River; and 
‘‘(D) strive to maintain, and where possible 
increase, the base level of funding for activities 
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of such agency related to the Mississippi River, 
without regard to funding under the MRRRI. 
‘‘(h) BUDGET ITEM.— 
‘‘(1) IN GENERAL.—The Administrator shall, in 
the Agency’s annual budget submission to Congress, 
include a funding request for the MRRRI as a sepa-
rate budget line item. 
‘‘(2) INCLUSION.—The budget justification for 
the budget line item described in paragraph (1) shall 
include the amount to support the operation and ac-
tivities of the Program Office. 
‘‘(i) RULES OF CONSTRUCTION.—Nothing in this sec-
tion may be construed to— 
‘‘(1) waive any requirement under any applica-
ble Federal environmental law, including— 
‘‘(A) this Act; 
‘‘(B) the National Environmental Policy 
Act (42 U.S.C. 4321 et seq.); 
‘‘(C) the Endangered Species Act (16 
U.S.C. 1531 et seq.); or 
‘‘(D) the Fish and Wildlife Coordination 
Act of 1934 (16 U.S.C. 662 et seq.); or 
‘‘(2) supplant the functions of the Hypoxia 
Task Force.’’. 
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SEC. 4. MISSISSIPPI RIVER CORRIDOR RESEARCH CENTERS 
AND SCIENCE PLAN. 
(a) MISSISSIPPI RIVER CORRIDOR RESEARCH CEN-
TERS.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary of the Inte-
rior shall coordinate with the MRRRI Director to es-
tablish a network of 3 Mississippi River Corridor 
Research Centers within the United States Geologi-
cal Survey. 
(2) LOCATION.—The network of research cen-
ters established under paragraph (1) shall consist 
of— 
(A) a National Mississippi River Corridor 
Research Center located at an office of the 
United States Geological Survey; and 
(B) 2 regional research centers, each of 
which shall be based out of a host university, as 
follows: 
(i) An Upper Mississippi River Re-
search Center located in the region from 
the headwaters of the Mississippi River to 
the confluence of the Ohio River. 
(ii) A Lower Mississippi River Re-
search Center located in the region 
downriver from the confluence of the Ohio 
River to the Gulf of Mexico. 
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(3) FUNCTIONS.—The functions of the research 
centers established under this subsection shall be 
to— 
(A) conduct scientific research on the 
MRRRI focus areas described in section 
127(c)(2) of the Federal Water Pollution Con-
trol Act (as added by this Act); 
(B) consult with and advise relevant Fed-
eral agencies on— 
(i) the improvement of programs that 
monitor water quality in the Mississippi 
River Corridor and the health of the Mis-
sissippi River Corridor habitat or the es-
tablishment of such programs, where nec-
essary; 
(ii) the impact of projects and activi-
ties carried out under the MRRRI; and 
(iii) any additional goals, priorities, 
metrics, and research objectives proposed 
as part of the science plan described in 
subsection (b)(2); and 
(C) consult, and to the extent practicable, 
collaborate with relevant Federal agencies and 
non-Federal entities regarding research, moni-
toring, and other efforts to promote the restora-
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tion and resiliency of the Mississippi River Cor-
ridor. 
(4) INTEGRATION WITH OTHER FEDERAL AC-
TIVITIES.—The Secretary of the Interior shall en-
sure that research and other activities carried out 
under this subsection are carried out in coordination 
with other Federal research and monitoring activi-
ties related to efforts to promote the restoration and 
resiliency of the Mississippi River Corridor. 
(b) SCIENCE PLAN.— 
(1) MISSISSIPPI RIVER SCIENCE FORUM.— 
(A) IN GENERAL.—Not later than 1 year 
after the date of enactment of this Act, the Di-
rector of the United States Geological Survey 
shall host a Mississippi River science forum 
with relevant Federal agencies, Mississippi 
River States, Tribal governments, Tribal orga-
nizations, academia, and other non-Federal en-
tities to— 
(i) share current science and identify 
data gaps and areas of concern related to 
the ecological health of the Mississippi 
River Corridor; and 
(ii) determine the resources that are 
necessary to— 
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(I) address any data gaps and 
areas of concern identified under 
clause (i); and 
(II) develop an integrated science 
plan under paragraph (2). 
(B) REPORT.—Not later than 270 days 
after the Director of the United States Geologi-
cal Survey hosts the Mississippi River science 
forum under subparagraph (A), the Director 
shall submit a report on the findings from such 
forum to— 
(i) the Administrator of the Environ-
mental Protection Agency; 
(ii) the MRRRI Director; 
(iii) the Committee on Appropriations, 
the Committee on Natural Resources, and 
the Committee on Transportation and In-
frastructure of the House of Representa-
tives; and 
(iv) the Committee on Appropriations 
and the Committee on Energy and Natural 
Resources of the Senate. 
(2) SCIENCE PLAN DEVELOPMENT.— 
(A) IN GENERAL.—Not later than 2 years 
after the conclusion of the Mississippi River 
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science forum required by paragraph (1), the 
Director of the United States Geological Survey 
shall develop a science plan that establishes pri-
orities, metrics, and research proposals for the 
MRRRI. 
(B) SUBMISSION.—Upon completion of the 
science plan developed under this paragraph, 
the Director of the United States Geological 
Survey shall make such plan available on a pub-
lic website and submit such plan to the MRRRI 
Director to inform the implementation of the 
actionable goals and action plans developed for 
the MRRRI under section 127(d) of the Fed-
eral Water Pollution Control Act (as added by 
this Act). 
(C) UPDATES.—Not less than once every 5 
years, the Director of the United States Geo-
logical Survey shall coordinate with the MRRRI 
Director and the research centers established 
under subsection (a) to review and update the 
science plan developed under this subsection. 
(D) COORDINATION.—In developing and 
updating the science plan, the Director shall so-
licit input and comment from the public 
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