More Funds for Mississippi Projects

U.S. Senator Thad Cochran (R-Miss.), chairman of the Senate Committee on Appropriations, yesterday reported that the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers will allocate an additional $27.6 million to Mississippi this year to supplement its dredging, construction and maintenance work throughout the state.

The additional funding for Mississippi stems from FY2015 appropriations provided by Congress for the Army Corps to use at its discretion to advance ongoing Civil Works projects involving navigation maintenance, flood control and environmental infrastructure improvements. The Corps on Tuesday outlined its planned use of this funding in its 2015 Work Plan.

“There is a great demand for the flood control and navigation work carried out by the Army Corps of Engineers. I’m pleased the Corps is devoting significant additional resources toward dredging, levees, maintenance and other critical work in Mississippi,” said Cochran in yesterday’s release.

“These Army Corps of Engineers projects not only provide flood safety for Mississippians, but are crucial to our state’s economy and recreational appeal,” he added.

According to Cochran, the administration’s FY2015 budget neglected three Mississippi River & Tributaries (MR&T) Project construction projects in the Yazoo Basin for which the Corps will now provide $6.5 million.

For the Delta Headwaters project, $3.5 million will go toward bank stabilization contracts for riser pipes and design erosion projects through the Yazoo Basin hills. For the Big Sunflower River project, $2.0 million to contract for sediment control structure along Steele Bayou to reduce erosion and sedimentation. Another $1.0 million will support purchase of mitigation lands for the Yazoo Backwater Area project for completed levee construction.

In addition, the Corps will direct more than $5.0 million in additional operation and maintenance funding to Mississippi. The much-needed funding will go toward dredging to maintain channel dimensions at Rosedale Harbor ($1.5 million added to $9,000 appropriation) and Mouth of the Yazoo River ($1.0 million added to $34,000 appropriation).

The Corps will also direct an additional $9.8 million in operation and maintenance funding for the following MR&T projects in Mississippi.