Enid, Grenada lakes, Tenn-Tom Get Corps Money

WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator Thad Cochran (R-Miss.), chairman of the Senate Committee on Appropriations, today 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, who also serves on the appropriations subcommittee with jurisdiction over the Corps.

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

Congress provided the additional appropriated funding to support Civil Works projects for which the President’s FY2015 budget recommended inadequate or no funding.  The Corps may use the funding for flood control, navigation, water supply, ground water protection, waterfowl management, bank stabilization, erosion and sedimentation control, and environmental restoration projects.

Within the Corps’ 2015 Work Plan, Cochran praised the dedication of funding for environmental infrastructure improvements through the Section 592 Environmental Assistance Program that allows the Corps to assist in the design and construction of municipal drinking water and wastewater projects.  The Corps will direct $4.3 million in Section 592 funding to environmental infrastructure projects in Mississippi, which will be used to execute and complete projects in Lumberton, Crystal Springs, Monticello, Bolton and Ocean Springs.

Under a similar regional environmental infrastructure authority, Section 219, the plan includes $1.8 million for work on the Eastern Wastewater Treatment Facility in DeSoto County.  None of the Section 592 or Section 219 projects were included in the Obama budget request for FY2015.

The administration’s FY2015 budget also 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), Mouth of the Yazoo River ($1.0 million added to $34,000 appropriation).  The Corps will use $2.98 million to make upgrades to the Jamie Whitten Lock and Dam on the Tennessee Tombigbee Waterway, and dike improvements in Monroe County.  Another $42,000 plus-up will be added to the $1.8 million provided by Congress to reopen parks and survey boundaries at Okatibee Lake.

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

·        Greenville Harbor — $800,000 plus-up ($824,000 total with FY2015 appropriations) to conduct surveys for dredging and perform maintenance dredging;

·        Vicksburg Harbor — $900,000 plus-up ($942,000 total) to perform inspections and monitoring of flood control structures, flood control permitting and levee certification;

·        Arkabutla Lake — $1.8 million plus-up ($7.3 million total) to support inspections and analysis of flood control structures; recreation, national resources and real estate management; and complete construction of Pratt Road to overflow spillway bridge.  The total also includes an additional $454,000 to update the project master plan, including plans and specs for modernization of the Hernando Pointe boat ramp; and for activities including installation of vegetative fish furrows and spawning beds;

·        Big Sunflower — $100,000 plus-up ($285,000 total) to perform inspections and analysis of flood control structures, and repair damaged mitigation areas (reforestation and road repair);

·        Enid Lake — $2.3 million plus-up ($7.2 million total) to support a variety of activities including comfort station and restroom renovations, vegetation control, master plan update, and plan preparation to repair Enid Bridge north access;

·        Grenada Lake — $1.6 million plus up ($7.4 million total) to replace a fire truck, pier construction at outlet channel and upgrade exhibits.  The total also includes an additional $500,000 to perform inspections and analysis of flood control structures, and prepare plans and specifications to concrete ditches on berms on the downstream slope of the dam;

·        Main Stem — $450,000 plus up ($1.8 million total) to perform inspections and analysis of flood control structures, and repair damaged mitigation areas;

·        Sardis Lake — $1.7 million plus up ($8.4 million total) to update master plan, as well as install solar panels and lights at Wyatt’s Crossing Recreation Area.  The total also includes an added $65,000 to support inspections and analysis of flood control structures; recreation, national resources and real estate management;

·        Yazoo Backwater Area — $100,000 plus-up ($644,000 total) to support inspections and analysis of flood control structures; fabricate Steele Bayou structure stoplogs, replace deteriorating gates, and repair damages to Lake George mitigation area.

·        Important item of note:  Wildlife Management Areas — Of the funds referenced above for the Big Sunflower, Main Stem and Yazoo Backwater projects, $750,000 will be set aside to ensure three popular Wildlife Management Areas (WMA) in Mississippi remain open to the public:  Lake George, Muscadine Farms, and Sky Lake.  Although owned by the Corps, these tracts are managed by the Mississippi Department of Wildlife, Fisheries and Parks (MDWFP) with MR&T funding.  There have been growing concerns about the possible closure of these WMAs due to lack of available funds for MDWFP to operate and maintain them.  However, funds provided in the FY2015 Work Plan will prevent any potential closures in 2015.

The overall omnibus spending bill enacted in December 2014 provided $302.0 million for MR&T in FY2015 for work in Mississippi, Louisiana, Arkansas, Tennessee, Missouri, Kentucky and Illinois.

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