A diverse coalition aiming to clean up the Mississippi River is asking the feds to put up $1.1 billion over the next ten years for the cause, a 40 percent jump over current spending. The investment could help reverse the buildup of sediment and reduce the flow of fertilizer and other pollutants into the river, the coalition of environmentalists, farmers, barge interests, and researchers said yesterday. The group will also seek funding from states in the river’s watershed.
