Vol. 19 Issue 3 March 2022
News from the Mississippi Department of Environmental Quality
Mississippi Beach Water Quality Monitoring Program
 
MDEQ leads a multi-agency beach task force that monitors the water quality at 21 stations along the Mississippi Gulf Coast. Water is tested for the presence of Enterococcus bacteria which is an indicator for fecal bacteria pollution. MDEQ issues advisories when bacteria levels exceed water quality criteria and pose an increased risk to human health. When an advisory is issued, water contact should be avoided.
 
The beach program’s website is updated with the issuing or lifting of advisories. The public can also be added to an email list and a texting group to be notified when advisories are issued or lifted. The information is also tweeted on the agency’s Twitter account. 
Air Quality Forecasts Begin April 1

MDEQ issues daily ozone and particulate matter forecasts from April 1 to October 31 for DeSoto County, the Jackson Metro Area, and the Mississippi Gulf Coast. These forecasts keep residents and industries apprised of the current air quality conditions and alert them if an Air Quality Action Day is forecast. These forecasts are updated and available daily via the MDEQ website, MDEQ Twitter account, and daily emails.
Take Steps to Reduce Nonpoint Source Pollution

When water from rainfall flows across the landscape, it can wash bacteria, pesticides, fertilizer, pet waste, oil, antifreeze, and other toxic materials into lakes, streams, and eventually into the Gulf of Mexico. Nonpoint Source Pollution is difficult to control because it comes from a diverse number of activities including from around homes and businesses. MDEQ's website includes steps people can take to reduce nonpoint source pollution here.
Restoration Project Portal Update

Beginning April 1, 2022, MDEQ will archive projects in the Restoration Project Portal that were submitted before January 1, 2018, and is soliciting new or revised restoration projects:
 
  • New project ideas can be submitted here.
  • Updates to existing project ideas such as relevancy, description, budget, progress etc. can also be submitted. The project’s date will be updated and will continue to be included for consideration in future project selection processes across the various restoration funding streams.
 
If assistance is needed in updating or entering a Portal project idea, please email restore.portal@mdeq.ms.gov to schedule an online appointment.
North Beardslee Lake Marsh Restoration Project - Invitation for Bids

MDEQ is seeking sealed bids for the MDEQ–North Beardslee Lake Marsh Restoration Project in Jackson County. This project, administered by MDEQ and funded by the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation Gulf Environmental Benefit Fund, will construct a containment system from dredge sediments obtained from dredge disposal sites in and along the Pascagoula River and other areas ultimately creating new marsh habitat at the site.

A pre-bid meeting will be held on March 18, and the deadline to submit bids is 3:00 p.m., April 5.

More information including the contract documents, online meeting details, and how to submit bids can be found here.
Celebrate the Gulf - Marine Education Festival

MDEQ staff will be participating in the Celebrate the Gulf - Marine Education Festival on April 2 at Memorial Park in Pass Christian. This event is hosted by the Mississippi Department of Marine Resources and the Grand Bay National Estuarine Research Reserve. It is held annually in conjunction with Art in the Pass. Find out more here.
Spring Grant Deadlines Approaching for Solid Waste Assistance Grants
 
MDEQ is announcing the availability of the agency’s Local Government Competitive Solid Waste Assistance Grants (SWAG), and the deadline to submit a grant application is 5:00 p.m., Friday, April 1, 2022. The competitive SWAG grants are open to municipalities, counties, regional solid waste management authorities, solid waste districts and other local government entities. In addition, county governments were provided with a notice from MDEQ in November 2021 of the availability of the noncompetitive allocated SWAG funds. These noncompetitive grants are allocated annually to county governments based on the county's state aid road mileage formula. County governments may submit an application for these noncompetitive grant awards at any time up until April 30, 2022.

Both the competitive and allocated SWAG grants may be used by eligible local governments for clean-up of unauthorized dumps; establishment of a collection programs for recyclables, white goods or other bulky wastes; public education campaigns on solid waste and recycling; salary support for local solid waste enforcement officers; household hazardous waste collection programs; and other activities that support proper management of solid wastes. Grant application forms are available on the MDEQ website. For more information or to request a grant application, contact Mark Williams.
Farewell From the Editor

I launched this newsletter in 2004, and I hope its content about MDEQ's various programs and initiatives has been informative and made your jobs and lives easier. MDEQ plays a significant role in protecting and enhancing Mississippi's natural resources and bolstering its economy. I'm hopeful this newsletter helped promote and inform the public about the agency's vital mission and its accomplishments. After a long career in the public sector, I am leaving MDEQ March 31 for an opportunity in the private sector. Thank you for reading these newsletters, and the positive feedback I received kept me encouraged to write the next one. Robbie Wilbur
Photo of the Month

MDEQ's Elena Woodard and Richard Murray at Hashuqua Creek sampling for the agency's Mississippi Benthic Index of Stream Quality (MBISQ) program.