Andy’s Bill

Andrew J. Young Safeguarding the Mississippi River Together Act or the Andrew J. Young SMRT Act or Andy's Mississippi River Bill or Andy's Bill.

This bill establishes a National Mississippi River Program for the preservation of the Mississippi River Corridor.

The Environmental Protection Agency, coordinating with specified federal departments, may enter into agreements with a state or local government to develop a National Mississippi River Program Office, provide grants, assistance, studies, coordination, and essential restoration and protection of the Mississippi River Corridor to

• sustain essential environmental services;
• maintain the ecological integrity, health, and biodiversity of federal lands as well as lands managed under federal programs;
• protect critical national infrastructure, habitat, fish and wildlife resources; and
• support the major U.S. economies that depend on the Mississippi River.

The Program Office shall develop a comprehensive Mississippi River Restoration Plan to guide implementation of projects to sustain the corridor.

In order to support the plan and for other purposes, the bill establishes a series of ongoing studies and investigations to sustain the corridor.

Once every five years the Program Office shall complete an updated economic profile of the corridor.

Written by the nonpartisan Congressional Research Service. All summary versions on Congress.gov