Harbor improvements, boat ramps, drainage repairs and a hydration station are among the projects funded this week as the state Legislature agreed how to spend more than $115 million in funds coming to South Mississippi.
On Thursday, the House and Senate approved the appropriation for the Department of Marine Resources and with it the list of how Mississippi’s Tidelands Trust Fund and the federal GOMESA funds will be spent.
This comes on top of $51 million in economic projects announced earlier this week, paid for by the Gulf Coast Restoration Fund to compensate for economic damages from the 2010 BP oil spill.
$12.5 million from Tidelands
Mississippi Tidelands Trust Fund is financed from the lease of tidelands and submerged lands primarily from casino leases across the coast.
This year’s total is $12,455,247 and will be used to fund these projects:
Harrison County
▪ $500,000 — City of Biloxi for Popp’s Ferry Causeway Park Pier and repairs
▪ $400,000 — City of Biloxi for Oak Street South Pier and Docking Facility
▪ $400,000 — City of Gulfport for Courthouse Road Boat Launch and Jetties improvements/mitigation
▪ $400,000 — City of D’Iberville for Working Waterfront Harbor/Marina Public Access Phase II
▪ $400,000 — City of Long Beach for Small Craft Harbor improvements
▪ $315,000 — City of Pass Christian for Small Craft Harbor/Pier improvements
▪ $250,000 — Southern Mississippi Planning and Development District for MS Coastal Map Revision Project
▪ $35,000 — City of Biloxi for Eagle Point Park improvements
The marina at the Broadwater site in Biloxi will receive $3.7 million in restoration funds under the latest round of GOMESA projects approved by the state Legislature. Tim Isbell Sun Herald file
Jackson County
▪ $400,000 — City of Ocean Springs for East Beach Pathway Project
▪ $383,009 — University of Southern Mississippi for Marine Education Center Living Shoreline and Access
▪ $300,000 — City of Pascagoula for Point Park Pier Expansion
▪ $285,000 — City of Moss Point for river enhancements
▪ $250,000 — City of Gautier for Shepard State Park Upgrades Project
▪ $250,000 — City of Gautier for Fairway Drive Boat Launch and Pier
▪ $160,000 — Jackson County Supervisors for Racetrack Road Boat Launch Phase III
Millions in Tidelands and GOMESA funds will be used for boat launches, piers, harbors and improvements to water and sewer systems to protect waterways in South Mississippi. Hannah Ruhoff
Hancock County
▪ $300,000 — City of Diamondhead for Noma Drive Boat Ramp Access
▪ $300,000 — City of Bay St. Louis for Municipal Harbor Beach amenities and improvement
▪ $200,000 — City of Waveland for Beach Boulevard Hydration Station
▪ $200,000 — Hancock County Supervisors for derelict pier and vessel removal
▪ $100,000 — City of Waveland for Beach Boulevard pavilions
▪ $100,000 — City of Diamondhead for Nature Trail and Nature Education Center Planning Phase
Also to be paid out of Tidelands fund are:
$3.96 million — Total management projects
$1.36 million — Bond repayment
$1 million — Prior year projects
$200,000 — Department of Marine Resources for Marine patrol equipment
The marina at the Broadwater site in Biloxi will receive $3.7 million in restoration funds under the latest round of GOMESA projects approved by the state Legislature. Tim Isbell Sun Herald file
$52 million in GOMESA awards
GOMESA, or Gulf of Mexico Energy Security Act of 2006, provides Mississippi, Alabama, Louisiana and Texas with a portion of revenue generated from offshore oil and gas production in the Gulf of Mexico. Mississippi will receive $51.8 million. That is up from $25.6 million received in 2022.
Funded for the 2024 fiscal year are:
▪ $10.6 million — Hancock County Utility Authority for Stennis Space Center Wastewater Conveyance Project
▪ $4.59 million — City of Pass Christian for Phase II of Gravity Sewer System improvements
▪ $3.7 million — Secretary of State for Broadwater Marina restoration
▪ $3.3 million — City of Gautier for Water Quality and Infrastructure Sanitary Sewer
▪ $3.1 million — University of Southern Mississippi for Ocean Enterprise Project
▪ $2.97 million — City of Gautier for Hickory Hills/Lagrange Water Quality and Stormwater Improvements
▪ $2.8 million — Hancock County Utility Authority for Oak Harbor Sewer Improvements
▪ $2.69 million — City of Long Beach for Small Craft Harbor Eastern Bulkhead Improvements
▪ $2.6 million — City of Ocean Springs for Front Beach Public Access and Storm Water Mitigation improvements
▪ $2.59 million — City of Pass Christian for West Breakwater Wall Hurricane Mitigation Improvements
▪ $2.55 million — City of Long Beach for Small Craft Harbor Southern Quay Bulkhead improvements
▪ $2.5 million — City of Pass Christian for Highway 90 Hurricane Mitigation Improvements
▪ $2.5 million — City of Biloxi for Keegan Bayou Restoration
▪ $2.3 million — Kiln Utility District for Jourdan River Shores Sewer improvements Phase II
▪ $2.2 million — Hancock County for Atlantic Street Sewer Improvements
▪ $2.2 million — City of Long Beach for Small Craft Harbor SE Bulkhead Improvements
▪ $2.1 million — Mississippi State University for evaluation and monitoring of Marine Mammal and Sea Turtles after Bonnet Carre Spillway opening
▪ $2 million — City of Diamondhead for drainage, flood prevention and water quality improvements Phase II
▪ $2 million — City of Pascagoula for Live Oak Corridor Drainage to remedy flooding
▪ $2 million — Department of Marine Resources for Oyster Spat
▪ $1.96 million — City of Ocean Springs for sewer rehabilitation
▪ $1.8 million — Jackson County Utility Authority for Septic System abatements
▪ $1.75 million — Hancock County Port and Harbor Commission for bank mitigation
▪ $1.7 million — Jackson County for East Beach Outfalls/Shoreline Protection
▪ $1.7 million — City of Pass Christian for Gravity Sewer System Improvements Phase I
▪ $1.6 million — Harrison County for Sand Beach Outfall coordination
▪ $1.5 million — Institute for Marine Mammal Studies for Monitoring/Gauging Habitat Suitability for Dolphins and Turtles
▪ $1.5 million — Department of Marine Resources for Bonnet Carre Spillway Mitigation
▪ $1.5 million — Department of Marine Resources for Off Bottom Oyster Aquaculture
▪ $1.4 million — Department of Marine Resources for GOMESA project management, development and mitigation
▪ $1.3 million — Jackson County Supervisors for Pascagoula Beach Open Channel Outfalls
▪ $1.2 million — City of Gulfport for North Gulfport Wastewater Treatment Plant UV Disinfection
▪ $1.2 million — University of Southern Mississippi for Oak Island Oyster Company in the Development and Testing of an Off Bottom Oyster Structure
▪ $1.2 million — City of Diamondhead for Drainage, Flood Prevention and Water Quality Improvements
▪ $1 million —Institute for Marine Mammal Studies for Monitoring and Evaluation of Sea Turtle Nesting in Mississippi
▪ $1 million — Department of Marine Resources for Oyster Clutch
▪ $985,054 — Department of Environmental Quality for water quality
▪ $967,575 — City of Pass Christian for Sanitary Sewer Pump Station Repairs
▪ $894,380 — City of Biloxi for East Biloxi Boardwalk sand re-nourishment
▪ $802,931 — Department of Marine Resources for Bonnet Carre and Mid Breton Response
▪ $764,863 — City of Biloxi for Point Cadet Living Shoreline
▪ $750,000 — Jackson County for Coastal Roadway Hurricane Protection
▪ $744,054 — Department of Marine Resources for artificial reef construction
▪ $665,918 — American Shrimp Processors Association for Shrimp Processors Feasibility Study
▪ $658,740 — Jackson County Supervisors for Front Beach Erosion Control
▪ $650,000 — Department of Marine Resources for Coffee Creek Outfall Pavilion
▪ $532,242 — University of Southern Mississippi for Mississippi Coastal Fishery Resource Assessment
▪ $500,000 — Coastal Mississippi for promotion of the Seafood Industry and Economic Contributions to the State
▪ $500,000 — City of D‘Iberville for Working Waterfront and Seafood Harbor project
▪ $498,277 — City of Pascagoula for Buena Vista Area Drainage
▪ $495,000 — City of Diamondhead for marsh erosion prevention
▪ $430,000 — Department of Marine Resources for Katrina Key Expansion
▪ $400,000 — Department of Marine Resources for Phase II of Katrina Key Expansion
▪ $392,378 — Kiln Utility District for Jordan River Shores Sewer Force Main Relocation
▪ $381,000 — University of Southern Mississippi for Mississippi Coastal Fishery Resource Assessment
▪ $369,614 — National Oceans and Applications Research Center for Inventory of Wetlands Habitats
▪ $348,220 — Department of Marine Resources for Pelican Key Beneficial Use Site
▪ $367,638 — Department of Marine Resources for Coffee Creek Outfall
▪ $366,335 — City of Pass Christian for Sewer Pump Station Repairs
▪ $347,351 — City of Pascagoula for Point Park Pier Repair/Improvements
▪ $289,727 — National Oceans and Applications Research Center for Cat Island Baseline Inventory of Seagrass Habitat
▪ $265,010 — Hancock County Port and Harbor Commission for Port Bienville Conservation management
▪ $258,368 — Jackson County for Watershed Development Plan
▪ $165,967 — Department of Marine Resources for Infinity Science Center
▪ $161,132 — Department of Marine Resources for Bonnet Carre response
▪ $114,530 — Department of Marine Resources for Railroad Corner Beneficial Use Site
▪ $102,241 — Department of Marine Resources for Coffee Creek water quality
▪ $99,774 — University of Southern Mississippi for collection of fishery-dependent information on Blue Crabs
▪ $87,792 — National Oceans and Applications Research Center for Pelican Key Baseline Hydrographic Survey
▪ $70,789 — Department of Marine Resources for MS Reef Fish Monitoring and Assessment
▪ $45,262 — Department of Marine Resources for water testing for Seafood Consumption Safety
This story was originally published March 31, 2023 at 9:14 AM.
Mary has won numerous awards for her business and casino articles for the Sun Herald. She also writes about Biloxi, jobs and the new restaurants and development coming to the Coast. She is a fourth-generation journalist.
