This month, the Mississippi Legislature wrapped up one of the most acrimonious regular sessions of the past few years. The fighting, arguing and ugliness were open and constant, and the state is a little more broke at the end of the session than when it started. The majority proudly passed and enacted tax cuts even […]
Legislature Waiting for BP Settlement Money Read More »
The Pascagoula River, the last undammed river system of its size class in the lower 48 states, is threatened with the loss of 2800 acres of wetlands if Big Cedar Creek is dammed in George County, Mississippi. Take action now to stop this unnecessary damming project!In a sneaky move, local governments are disguising their long-standing
No Fake Lakes on the Pascagoula Read More »
Where are we with BP Restoration projects focused on coastal water quality improvement in Mississippi?To answer this, you can tally the relevant project types that have been announced thus far from the various funding streams resulting from the BP disaster settlement. Three main funding sources are the Natural Resources Damage Assessment (NRDA), RESTORE Act, and
BP Restoration Needs Re-Focus on Water Quality Projects Read More »
Gulf Restoration Network and other NGO groups have repeatedly made the point that restoration money spent on addressing coastal water quality problems is an investment in the economy.When Governor Bryant announced a group of ten projects slated for Restore Act funding in December of 2015, he reportedly said the following about the coastal streams restoration
Water Quality: Beaches Before Aquariums Read More »
Mississippi Senator Brice Wiggins convened the Senate Ports and Marine Resources Committee in Jackson on Wednesday morning, October 21st, and the first item on the agenda was an examination of the Big Cedar Creek Dams and Lakes proposed for George and Jackson Counties. These lakes are being promoted to provide extra water to the Pascagoula
Mississippi Senate Committee hears about Big Cedar Creek Lakes Project Read More »
Pascagoula River, Brian CarlisleRight now, local and state government sponsors want to dam Big Cedar Creek in order to build two lakes in George County. The sponsors of this project include the George and Jackson County Board of Supervisors and the Pat Harrison Waterway District.These agencies hired Pickering Engineering to write up and justify the
Who really wants Lakes on Big Cedar Creek? Read More »
This article is excerpted from Gulf Currents, GRN’s printed newsletter. To read the full newsletter, click here. As we change seasons in Mississippi, two recent announcements provide hope that maybe we are also seeing attitudes change about the importance of the fresh water provided by our coastal rivers to the Mississippi Sound.In June, the Mississippi
Changing Attitudes about Fresh Water Flows to the Coast Read More »
The Steps Coalition invited GRN to participate in a Katrina 10 year commemorative Potluck Dinner and Story Telling night at the Biloxi Community Center on the evening of August 24th. Around 150 people attended the event that included a 60 foot-long story wall, five inspiring guest speakers from the communities of Biloxi, good food, prayers,
Biloxi Katrina 10 Year Storytelling and Potluck Dinner Read More »
About a month after BP’s settlement with the Gulf States and the Federal Government, the Gulf Coast Ecosystem Restoration Council released its first group of proposed projects in a Draft Funded Priorities List (FPL). There is a mix of state-based and Gulf-wide projects. There are five projects that focus on restoration, research and education in
Gulf-wide and Mississippi Focused Projects Unveiled in Funded Priorities List Read More »
For decades, neighborhoods along Turkey Creek in North Gulfport, Mississippi have suffered the consequences of unchecked and irresponsible development. Now, the City of Gulfport and Ward Investments Company are trying to expand development by filling 432-acres of wetland – threatening nearby communities, sacrificing flood protection and risking water quality.The well-being of these historically low-income, African-American
Don’t Flood North Gulfport Read More »