Vol. 15 Issue 8 October 2018
Mississippi Department of Environmental Quality Newsletter
Mississippi Restoration Summit
November 13, 2018

The 2018 Restoration Summit will be held November 13 at the Mississippi Coast Coliseum and Convention Center in Biloxi. The event includes two sessions concurrently on the Blue Economy and Marine and Living Resources from 2:00 to 5:00, an Open House from 5:00 to 7:30, the Evening Session from 6:00 to 6:45, and Community Conversations from 6:45 to 7:15.

More information and an agenda are available here.
Restoration Project Update – Pascagoula River Corridor Land Acquisition
Gary Rikard, MDEQ Executive Director

Our restoration efforts are integrated for the overall improvement of our natural resources just as the natural resources are dependent on one another. We view projects as key components that complement one another as part of the overall strategy of improving the state’s natural resources. In addition, we also strive to leverage funding among projects whenever possible.   Continue
‌
EPA Announces Deletion of Davis Timber Company Site from Superfund NPL
“Thirty years ago, MDEQ ordered the Davis Timber Company to cease operations due to improper operations at the facility. The surrounding area had been exposed to numerous fish kills in the Country Club Estate Lake and the intentional drainage of pentachlorophenol-contaminated wastewater discharges into West Mineral Creek. To reach the de-listing phase for this site is a monumental event. This once contaminated 30-acre facility has been cleaned up and revitalized. Portions of the Davis Timber Company are now home to a community-based animal shelter, the Hub City Humane Society animal shelter and the Fields of Barktopia Dog Park, and a restored habitat for pollinators. There are also other opportunities for development. We are proud of the success of this joint project between EPA and MDEQ,” said Gary Rikard, MDEQ Executive Director.
Responding to Fish Kills
MDEQ biologists from the agency’s Laboratory and Regional Offices investigate numerous fish kills throughout the state each year. While many of these are due to natural causes such as low dissolved oxygen in the water or algal blooms, other kills are caused by human activities such as chemical spills, release of raw sewage, agricultural accidents, and misuse of pesticides.   Read more
Jackson Metro E-Waste Collection Day
The Jackson Metro Chamber Area Partnership is sponsoring the Jackson Metro Area E-Waste Collection Event on Friday, November 2, at the Mississippi Farmers Market at 929 High Street in Jackson. MDEQ is a co-sponsor of the event that focuses on assisting small businesses and residents with the collection and recycling of discarded electronics including personal computers, laptops, televisions, tablets, cell phones, video/audio players, printers, and other similar electronics. Learn more
Fall Household Hazardous Waste Events
MDEQ has awarded grants to a number of local communities to host Household Hazardous Waste (HHW) collection days. These events are held in the spring and the fall at various locations around the state and are posted on the agency's website calendar. Three local HHW events remain this fall.   Learn more
Applications for MRC School Recycling Grants Due Nov. 16
The Mississippi Recycling Coalition (MRC) is offering grants of $500 and $1,000 to public and private K-12 schools in Mississippi to support new or expanding school recycling programs. The deadlines for schools to apply is November 16. The application form and more information on the recycling grants is available here .
MDEQ Sponsors Sustainability Workshop for Food and Beverage Industry 
MDEQ’s Pollution Prevention program sponsored a workshop with the assistance of the Manufacturing Extension Partnership at MMA :  Enhancing Sustainability in the Food and Beverage Industry at MDEQ’s offices on September 28. The presentations from that meeting are available here .
The Mississippi Trustee Implementation Group has initiated drafting of two restoration plans:
Mississippi's FEMA Risk MAP and Flood Mapping Program Update
Read the MDEQ's Office of Geology's quarterly update on the status of ongoing FEMA Risk MAP and flood mapping program projects.

Risk MAP is the successor to FEMA’s Map Modernization program and expands the focus to include risk assessment, mitigation planning, and traditional hazard identification activities.
Geologic History Beneath the Museum of Mississippi History
David T. Dockery III, RPG
The Museum of Mississippi History in downtown Jackson occupies a site near the crest of the Jackson Dome, a structural uplift atop an extinct volcanic island of Cretaceous age. Like the museum, the Jackson Dome enlightens history.  

Photo of the Month

Cat Island marsh at sunrise. Taken by MDEQ's Chris Wells.
Connect with MDEQ