Lucedale, Ms. — On Tuesday, dozens of Mississippi residents will attend a public meeting with the United States Army Corps of Engineers to voice their opposition to the Big Cedar Creek dam (Pascagoula Drought Resiliency Proposal). This project would place dams on tributaries of the Pascagoula River, one of the last free flowing rivers in the country. Residents worry that this project will unnecessarily destroy 1200 acres of wetlands, submerge 41 miles of stream channels, and flood farm and forest land in order to create recreational lakes. Tuesday’s event is an open house meeting but will not provide an opportunity for the public to speak. Community members and representatives of Gulf Restoration Network will be available to speak with press at the meeting.WHAT:Public scoping meeting about Big Cedar Creek dam projectWHEN:Meeting – 5:00 – 8:00 p.m. Press event with Gulf Restoration Network – 5:30pm.WHERE:George County Senior Citizen Building, 7102 Hwy. 198 E. Lucedale, MS 39452WHO:United States Army Corps of Engineers, Gulf Restoration NetworkWHY:The Mobile Dist. Corps of Engineers is hosting a public meeting about their draft Environmental Impact Statement (DEIS) for the project to dam Pascagoula river tributaries, Big and Little Cedar Creeks, and create recreational lakes.This project carries significant threats to wetlands, fish and wildlife of the Pascagoula River and Cedar Creek. The dams will also cause flooding of working farmlands and the destruction of thousands of acres of wetlands and forest. There has been continuous public opposition to this project since the filing of the wetland fill application in 2014.The need for this project is in question because other alternatives exist to fulfill its stated purpose of supplying water to the Pascagoula River at low flow, protecting industrial water withdrawals. In fact, these lakes will lose massive amounts of water to evaporation and to ground seepage while they “store” it for years between critical droughts.Written comments can be submitted Tuesday or sent until Feb. 6th. Comments from Gulf Restoration Network can be foundhere.###
