They’re fighting a controversial road in Gulfport. Here's what to know

A long-running battle over wetlands in Gulfport’s Turkey Creek watershed is tilting toward developers as the city advances a connector road that would destroy 98 acres of protected land. Residents who fought off development since the 1990s now face flooding concerns as the project moves closer to final federal approval.

FULL STORY: They prevailed for decades in fight to save South MS wetlands. Now the tide’s turning

Here are key takeaways:

• The project: Gulfport plans to extend Airport Road about 3 miles west of U.S. 49, with an overpass over Interstate 10, connecting commercial areas that include Gulfport Premium Outlets. Construction is expected to take three years and cost $48.5 million, with a $20 million federal grant covering part of the bill.
• Wetlands at stake: The road will destroy 98 acres of wetlands and open an estimated 380 more acres to commercial development, according to a federal lawsuit.
• Legal setbacks for opponents: A federal judge recently dismissed an environmental lawsuit against the U.S. Department of Transportation, and Mississippi’s Department of Environmental Quality approved a key permit. Final approval rests with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.
• Flooding fears: An EPA letter warned that replacing wetlands with impervious surface “may exacerbate flooding of neighborhoods” in minority communities already prone to flooding. MDEQ reported previous projects shrunk the Turkey Creek drainage area from 14.35 to 0.39 square miles.
• Conservation reversal: A Harrison County judge approved Gulfport’s forced taking of more than 50 acres — land bought for conservation less than a decade ago with federal and state funds — for a stormwater detention pond. “It was federal grant money that put this land in conservation that they are now trying to destroy,” resident Kathy Egland said.

The summary points above were compiled with the help of AI tools and edited by journalists. The full story in the link at top was reported, written and edited entirely by journalists.

Anita Lee

Sun Herald

601-909-0638

Anita, a Mississippi native, graduated with a journalism degree from the University of Southern Mississippi and previously worked at the Jackson Daily News and Virginian-Pilot, joining the Sun Herald in 1987. She specializes in in-depth coverage of government, public corruption, transparency and courts. She has won state, regional and national journalism awards, most notably contributing to Hurricane Katrina coverage awarded the 2006 Pulitzer Prize in Public Service. Support my work with a digital subscription