{"database": "press", "table": "releases", "rows": [["https://troycarter.house.gov/media/press-releases/rep-carter-leads-bipartisan-coalition-requesting-funding-lower-mississippi", "Rep. Carter Leads Bipartisan Coalition Requesting Funding for the Lower Mississippi River Comprehensive Management Study", "2025-07-17", "2025", "2025-07", "Democrat", "House", "LA", "Troy A. Carter", "C001125", "troycarter.house.gov", "troycarter", "https://troycarter.house.gov/media/press-releases", "scraper", "WASHINGTON, D.C. \u2013 Today, Congressman Troy A. Carter, Sr. (D-LA) and Congressman Mike Ezell (R-MS) led a letter with four other Members of Congress to the Appropriations Subcommittee on Energy and Water Development asking them to provide at least$7.5 million for the Lower Mississippi River Comprehensive Management Study (LMRCMS) in the next fiscal year. This U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) mega study, launched in 2023, was recently paused due to a lack of funding from the Trump Administration. The study aims to provide recommendations for a range of issues related to navigation, flood risk management, water quality, recreation, and ecosystem restoration needs within the Mississippi River and Tributaries system.\n\n\u201cFor nearly a century, the management of the Mississippi River has remained mostly unchanged despite evolving commerce and environmental issues. This study is a pivotal opportunity to align navigation efficiency and safety, flood control systems, and restoration efforts to foster a healthier, safer river system that benefits all stakeholders and river communities,\u201d the Members wrote.\n\nThe USACE sought to complete the $25 million study in five years to provide updated recommendations to Congress and the government by December 2027. Recent extreme high and low water events are creating stressors on the system. This study will propose solutions for the future dynamic operation of structures within the system for successful flood risk management, navigational security, and ecosystem protection. Delays in completing this study can lead to obsolete analysis and cost overruns. Resources are now urgently needed to restart and advance this work.\n\nThe study addresses specific Louisiana issues of concern, including saltwater intrusion, which threatened the drinking water supplies of the New Orleans metro region in 2023, operations of the river control structures like the Bonnet Carre Spillway and Old River Control Structure, and shipping concerns along America\u2019s most important maritime transportation lanes. Other regional issues of concern include addressing agricultural run-off that has led to a 5,500 square mile \u201cdead zone\u201d in the Gulf.\n\n\"Funding for the remainder of this study is critical to improving water quality and the long-term health of fisheries and wildlife in the lower Mississippi River Basin,\" said Chris Macaluso, director of fisheries and the Mississippi River Program at the Theodore Roosevelt Conservation Partnership. \u201cThe Corps has been working closely with anglers and hunters throughout this process and our concerns about water and habitat management are being taken seriously. We cannot afford to lose the progress that's already been made.\u201d\n\n\u201cThis study can provide us with the opportunity to revitalize and reimagine how we manage the Lower Mississippi River to better serve both people and nature. After 85 years of largely unchanged management, the study will provide recommendations that can modernize flood control, navigation, recreation and restoration,\u201d said Elizabeth Crow, director of government relations for the Mississippi River Basin at the Nature Conservancy. \u201cThese solutions will strengthen local economies while also making the lower river safer, healthier and more resilient. Congress needs to fulfill its obligation under the 2020 Water Resources Development Act and restart funding for the Army Corps of Engineers to complete the study. It\u2019s time for the lower river\u2019s management to evolve and meet the needs of today.\u201d\n\nBackground\n\nThe letter was signed by 6 Members of Congress, including Reps. Troy A. Carter, Sr. (D-LA), Mike Ezell (R-MS), Cleo Fields (D-LA), Bennie G. Thompson (D-MS), Steve Cohen (D-TN), and Andr\u00e9 Carson (D-IN).\n\nRead Congressman Carter\u2019s full letter here.\n\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-07T14:40:33Z"]], "columns": ["url", "title", "date", "year", "month", "party", "chamber", "state", "member_name", "bioguide_id", "domain", "scraper", "source", "date_source", "text", "has_text", "collected_at", "updated_at"], "primary_keys": ["url"], "primary_key_values": ["https://troycarter.house.gov/media/press-releases/rep-carter-leads-bipartisan-coalition-requesting-funding-lower-mississippi"], "units": {}, "query_ms": 0.9234496392309666, "source": "dwillis/congress-press", "source_url": "https://github.com/dwillis/congress-press", "license": "MIT", "license_url": "https://github.com/dwillis/congress-press/blob/main/LICENSE"}