Ag Commish Andrew Gipson issued the following statement.
Commissioner of Agriculture and Commerce Andy Gipson is encouraging the public to submit comments to the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) Vicksburg District as it prepares a supplemental environmental impact statement (SEIS) for the Yazoo Area Pump Project in the Yazoo Backwater Area of Mississippi. The SEIS is in response to historical flooding that continues in the Yazoo Backwater Area. This area has experienced significant flooding nine out of the last ten years. Public comments can be submitted by email to YazooBackwater@usace.army.mil, and the deadline to submit comments is June 15, 2020.
“The Yazoo Backwater Area is once again experiencing a monumental flood this year. This flood event immediately follows the historic flood of 2019 that lasted approximately eight months and flooded over 550,000 acres, half of which was agricultural cropland. The flood devasted the economy and environment in the South Delta, and most of the cropland remained unplanted,” said Commissioner Gipson.
Substantial flooding in the Yazoo Backwater Area began once again in January 2020, while the South Delta’s economy continues to suffer from the 2019 flood. Approximately 500,000 acres flooded at its peak in April. Of those acres, 202,000 acres were cropland.
Commissioner Gipson said, “The backwater floods of 2019 and 2020 are the two highest backwater flood events since the completion of the Yazoo Backwater Levee and Drainage Structures in 1978. Much of the devastation that South Delta residents are facing now could have been prevented if construction of the Yazoo Backwater Area Pump Project had been completed.”
The Yazoo Backwater Area Pump Project was designed and authorized to alleviate backwater flooding and protect the livelihood of area residents. However, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) vetoed the project in 2008, even though it was a federally-authorized USACE Civil Works project. The USACE and EPA are now considering a new project plan to complete the Yazoo Area Pump Project. The SEIS as described previously is one of the first steps in moving forward to complete the project.
“Nearly 100,000 acres that should have been planted in soybeans and corn are still flooded today. It’s time to stop talking about it. It’s time to finish the pumps. To show your support of farmers and residents in the South Delta, please send comments to the USACE by June 15 urging the completion of the pumps,” said Commissioner Gipson.
The notice of intent can be viewed at https://www.federalregister.
19 comments:
Who pays for all these meetings and other bull, when nothing is going to happen. You would have to have the same people in place for over 30 years.
Yep. If the ACoE is involved, just sit down. There's gonna be a LOOOOOOONG wait!
I am no expert and certainly have some empathy for the people of the south delta. But has there really been an independent cost/benefit analysis of this project factoring in not only the cost to permit and build the pumps but to maintain them forever? This to save 200,000 acres of corn and soybean. I know its not popular but I just don't see it.
The 'wait' has already been 80 years since initial approval. The action of this ag commissioner and the last one is of as much benefit as a busted condom in a gonorrhea ward.
We can import cotton and soybeans for 200 years for what they are going to spend pumping water out of a river basin. Stupid stupid stupid
The national debt is off the charts, our economy is a train wreck that is still wrecking, and it's about five months from a national election. If Thad didn't/couldn't get it done, our AG commissioner's efforts are certainly DOA.
Continuing to plant corn and soybeans is just dumb. As a taxpayer I'm sick of subsidizing it. As a consumer I'm sick corn and soy in every product. Leave the land flooded and plant something that can be useful on flooded land. I recommend cattails. They can produce both high quality ethanol as well as protein.
The pumps will never be built. End of story.
If our founding fathers had had the courage of our current governing fathers, we would be riding blanketed horses & living in teepees today.
The plan all along was to screw over Mississippi. That is why all the other pumps were installed first.
Commissioner of Agriculture and Commerce, Andy Gipson is a very intelligent guy.
But as long as he walks around wearing that goofy cowboy hat, he will never be taken seriously.
That damn hat makes him look like a cartoon character.
BTW, the Yazoo pumps are beyond his control.
That's a Federal decision, not a Jim Buck Ross wannabe's call.
Boy it's Mazing how one comment can shape a convo on here.
So let me see if I have this right. Farmers bought a bunch of land in one of the lowest areas in the USA. The taxpayers paid for a levee system starting in the 1920’s to keep part of it from flooding. Now you want the taxpayers to pay for some pumps so the very marginal land you bought can continue to be farmed. Why don’t you pay for the pumps if they are so important?
Kingfish, would you tell them I am for it.
Thanks
Plant rice and raise crawfish. Keep Monsanto's crap off your crops, though, or you'll kill the crawfish. If you want to hunt game there, get a boat.
It would be interesting to know how many landowners own the 200,000 acres that are underwater, and who they are. A cost/benefit analysis should include a comparison of the number of people impacted vs the billions in costs for construction and maintenance of pumps.
Just as a fun diversion...pretend all of these posts apply to the areas subject to flooding south of the Spillway. Both situations are man-made. For those of you who have no idea what you're talking about, visit 'finish the pumps' and get yourself educated.
Just a lot more pandering by the guy in the Big White Hat. Waste of time, since it’s a FEDERAL government decision.
Elmer Fudd has been in the news of late, what with Disney's decision to present him, going forward, without his shotgun. I'm reminded of this Ag Secretary guy with his Hoss Cartwright hat as relates to Elmer. Both are equally as impressive and relevant. Both are cartoon characters. Elmer was a fake hunter and this guy is a fake farmer/rancher.
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