Report Says Mississippi River Commerce Worth $400 Billion
DUBUQUE, Iowa (AP) — A report released at a gathering of mayors in Dubuque finds that commerce along the Mississippi River generates more than $400 billion and supports 1.3 million jobs.
The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service coordinated the report, which was released Wednesday at a gathering of more than two dozen mayors in Dubuque.
The report found that the upper Mississippi River area, comprised of parts of Minnesota, Illinois, Iowa, Wisconsin and Missouri, generates $253 billion annually and supports 755,000 jobs. The total figure was devised by combining the upper river report with a report on the lower river released last year.
The top three industries along the entire Mississippi were manufacturing, tourism and agriculture.
Mayors at the three-day meeting say it's vital to work with agriculture to reduce pollutants in the river.
(© Copyright 2015 The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.)