Senator Cindy Hyde-Smith issued the following statement.
U.S. Senator Cindy Hyde-Smith (R-Miss) today reported that the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers is directing an additional $63.6 million in FY2021 funding to Mississippi for work on 17 projects, including $9.2 million for pre-construction project planning and related activities, and to acquire mitigation lands for the new, recently approved Proposed Plan for the Yazoo Area Pump Project.Hyde-Smith, who serves on the Senate appropriations subcommittee that funds the Army Corps, said the
Army Corps FY2021 Work Plan outlines the projects receiving additional resources this year.
“I
am very pleased with the Army Corps allocation of additional funding
for projects in Mississippi that will benefit public health and safety,
as well as our economy,”
Hyde-Smith said. “I am particularly pleased the Army Corps is
dedicating $9.2 million for pre-construction planning and other
activities on the New Proposal for the Yazoo Area Pump Project, which
will advance the project into the next important phase of
implementation.”
The survey and design funding comes on the heels of Friday’s
Record of Decision (ROD) signing for the Yazoo Area Pump Project
Final Supplemental Environmental Impact Statement (SEIS). The ROD
marked the formal end of the rigorous environmental review process under
the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA). It
represents the Corps’ final decision to advance its new plan to reduce
annual flood damages to urban and agricultural areas through a
combination of structural and nonstructural features.
In
addition to the Yazoo pumps funding, the FY2021 Work Plan will support
flood control structures, two wastewater projects in DeSoto County, and
two harbor dredging projects
in Gulfport and Pascagoula. It also provides $15.4 million to support a
“new start,” to initiate and physically and fiscally complete
construction of the Forrest Heights levee project as part of the
Mississippi Coastal Improvement Program (MsCIP).
The FY2021 Work Plan will supplement Corps-specific funding included in the
Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2021 enacted in late December.
This law provided $74.1 million for 27 authorized flood control,
navigation, and related projects and activities in Mississippi,
including: $22 million for operation, maintenance, and recreation
at Mississippi flood control reservoirs (Arkabutla, Enid, Grenada, and
Sardis Lakes); $30.6 million for operation, maintenance, and wildlife
mitigation activities on the Tennessee-Tombigbee Waterway; and $14.7
million for dredging operations at ports in Gulfport,
Pascagoula, Biloxi, Vicksburg, Greenville and Rosedale.
DETAILS: U.S. Army Corps of Engineers FY2021 Work Plan (Mississippi)
Total of additional $63.6 million for 17 Mississippi projects
Construction Account:
$21,800,000 total (new funding)
- $4,800,000 for construction of the Lower Camp Creek Interceptor Phase 2 portion of the DeSoto County Wastewater Treatment Project
- $1,600,000 to complete sewer system improvements in Olive Branch, MS
- $15,400,000
to initiate and complete construction of the Forrest Heights Levee
project as part of the Mississippi Coastal Improvement Program
(MsCIP)
Operation & Maintenance Account: $7,575,000 total
- Additional $150,000 for cyber-security upgrades on the Tennessee-Tombigbee Waterway (FY2021 total: $30,830,000)
- Additional $3,750,000 for Gulfport Harbor dredging (FY2021 total: $8,251,000)
- Additional $3,700,000 for Pascagoula Harbor dredging (FY2021 total: $9,987,000)
Mississippi River and Tributaries – Construction: $29,141,000 total (new funding)
- $11,200,000 million for the Yazoo Backwater Area for pre-construction project planning and acquire mitigation lands for the new Yazoo Area Pump Project proposal ($9.2 million); and survey, map, and review elevation options to raise portions of the Yazoo Backwater levee ($2 million)
- $3,130,000 for Big Sunflower River to construct additional project phases
- $14,811,000 for Upper Yazoo Projects to design and construct additional project items
Mississippi River and Tributaries – Operation and Maintenance: $5,090,000 total
- Additional $2,908,000 – Arkabutla Lake (FY2021 total: $8,234,000)
- Additional $506,000 – Grenada Lake (FY2021 total: $5,832,000)
- Additional $280,000 – Sardis Lake (FY2021 total: $6,518,000)
- Additional $100,000 – Yazoo Backwater Area (FY2021 total: $525,000)
- Additional $211,000 – Enid Lake (FY2021 total: $5,324,000)
- Additional $635,000 – Main Stem (FY2021 total: $1,528,000)
- Additional $350,000 – Yazoo City (FY2021 total: $714,000)
- Additional $100,000 – Big Sunflower River
(FY2021 total: $246,000)
16 comments:
Bringing home the bacon.
Yazoo pumps don't work if nothing downstream does. New Orleans will always take precedence.
So now the government will eminently domain your land!
Wonderful
So now the government will eminently domain your land!
Prove that eminent domain is an issue or point of contention with regards to these pumps.
@8:00am as far as the pump project goes, I would think the respective levee boards have either owned the subject land for decades (maybe even a century) and already have all the necessary easements/rights of way. Also, any land taken would directly benefit the property owners, so it’s really in their best interest to deed what is likely a small portion of land to the project. No need to fear a government taking in this instance.
So Cindy is draining the swamp?
The Government most likely owns the property or has an easement at Steele Bayou where the pumps would go. Remember, they were planned and appropriated when the Steele Bayou control structure and levees were put in place.
Thanks Bennie Thompson, you’re still working hard for all of us
The Corps of Engineers will immediately suck up this money in new engineering staff, cinder blocks, salaries and an array of office furniture, laptops and four wheel drive vehicles.
Watch for it.
Time for Bennie Thompson to get the money needed to finish the pumps. You'd think he'd like to have ONE actual accomplishment to benefit his district after all the time he's been in office.
8:22 am
and to acquire mitigation lands for the new, recently approved Proposed Plan for the Yazoo Area Pump Project
You think the land will be donated?
@9:26 AM Under the Corps' new plan the pumps will be "at Deer Creek", but whether that means the place name or the creek itself I didn't see specified, but I haven't seen the entire plan as revised.
Where's the earmark for Haley's super-port at Gulfport for all those mega-container ships?
Unknowledgeable poster here. Can a pro-pump advocate explain how the pumps will work? Where will the pumped water go?
@1214. The water will evidently go into the already flooded Mississippi River and down to NOLA into the Gulf and kill the oysters and other fisheries when too much fresh water is in the gulf however the Delta plantation owners can plant their soybeans earlier and only a few trailers will flood at Eagle Lake.
LOL @ 1:55. Where do you think this water goes now when the pumps arent installed?
Facts. The water trapped behind the Steele Bayou water control structure still enters the Yazoo River and into the Mississippi. The gates are only closed, and water trapped, when the Mississippi River side of the levee is higher than the back water on the land side of the levee. In a major MS River flood event the Steele Bayou gates are closed to help mitigate the MS River Flood water from backing up in a majority of the south delta. Once they are shut, rains in the interior of MS even up to the big 3 COE lakes in north MS eventually drain down to this area through the Whittington Canals and the Sunflower rivers. The Steele Bayou water control structure acts like a stopper in a bath tub. The pumps would cut on once the back water reaches a catastrophic level and pump the water over the levee. The wetlands in the backwater will still be replenished and will never "drain" as the fear mongers like to say. The rise in MS River level has been calculated to about .10"(miniscule). Anyone that tells you otherwise has no clue what they are talking about. It basically still lets a large portion of the delta flood, but its the difference between water in your yard, versus water 4-5' high in your living room.
If anyone would like to say otherwise, I would like facts, not opinions.
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