Big Muddy Speaker Series presents:

Joe Bachant retired in 2002 from a 30-year career as Resource Coordinator at Missouri Department of Conservation. As a Research Ecologist, a temporary role, he was instrumental in establishing the Missouri Stream Team Program.  He continues to fight for citizens' rights to clean water and the importance of natural stream processes.

This will be an "old-fashioned stand up and talk presentation" according to Joe. Joe will share some of his history fighting for Missouri's waterways, such as the citizen battle to keep dams from being built on the Meramec River, but will also focus on the future issues our water resources face in our state and the country from the Clean Water Act to water redistribution.

Some say "water is the new oil". In an era of climate change, increasing population and continued development, we can no longer take for granted our abundant freshwater resources here in Missouri. Various states and entities are looking at the Missouri River as the solution to their water problems and these political and natural resource issues will only continue to get more complex.

Joe will be sharing his new idea: a citizen-driven petition to amend the state constitution to include waters of the state as a public trust. He'll share his latest draft and invite comments and ideas on strengthening it.