Vol. 16 Issue 4 April 2019
Mississippi Department of Environmental Quality Newsletter
2019 Legislative Report
Gary C. Rikard, MDEQ Executive Director

The 2019 Legislative Session was a busy one for MDEQ. Our efforts were focused on making changes that will help the agency be more efficient and more responsive to those we serve, including the citizens of the state.  To do so, our priorities this session were increased funding for the agency and securing the full match for the State Revolving Loan fund for wastewater treatment infrastructure.   Read More.

 
enHance Workshop and Awards Luncheon
MDEQ accepted one new member and nine renewal memberships into its enHance program for the 2019 class on April 9. The recognition was part of the annual workshop and awards luncheon held in Jackson each year. 

enHance is a voluntary stewardship program that recognizes committed environmental leaders who accomplish goals beyond their legal requirements. Click here for more information and photos .   
Mississippi’s RESTORE Act State Expenditure Plan Amendment Approved

Gov. Phil Bryant announced April 17 that Mississippi’s 2018 State Expenditure Plan Amendment (SEP) has been approved by the Gulf Coast Ecosystem Restoration Council (RESTORE Council). EPA Administrator Andrew Wheeler, as Chair of the Gulf Coast Ecosystem Restoration Council, approved the document on April 12, 2019. The plan details restoration activities under the Oil Spill Impact Component, or Bucket 3, of the RESTORE Act and are administered by MDEQ. Read More .
 
Solicitation for SOQs for Restoration Engineering Services

MDEQ gave notice on April 17 that it is soliciting Statements of Qualifications (SOQs) from organizations licensed to do business in the State of Mississippi to assist MDEQ with engineering services support, including engineering, planning, environmental, management and other technical services, on an as needed basis, in order to support natural resource restoration on the Mississippi Gulf Coast, which is necessitated by the 2010  Deepwater Horizon o il spill.

To obtain a copy of the Request for Qualifications (RFQ) please visit here or contact Melanie Green at mgreen@mdeq.ms.gov or (601) 961-5270. The SOQs will be accepted until 1:00 p.m. on May 17.  

TMDL Public Notice for Jasper Creek

 MDEQ is currently accepting public comments regarding Jasper Creek in the Yazoo River Basin. This water body has been listed on the State of Mississippi’s List of Impaired Water Bodies. Waters on this list are required to have Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) developed for each listed pollutant. A TMDL is the maximum amount of a pollutant that a stream can assimilate without violating water quality standards. This TMDL has been prepared for Sediment. For more information, access the TMDL public notice webpage .
Mayeu Receives ESGR Award

Employer Support of the Guard and Reserve ( ESGR ) recognized MDEQ's Ethan Mayeu in April with its Patriot Award for his support of Eric James who recently returned from being deployed with the Mississippi National Guard. Pictured are Bill Lee, ESGR, Gary Rikard, MDEQ Executive Director and retired Mississippi National Guard Major, Ethan Mayeu, Eric James, Chris Sanders, Director of MDEQ's Office of Pollution Control, and Mandy Purvis, MDEQ Human Resources.

Jackson Metro E-Waste Collection April 26

The Jackson Metro Area Business E-Waste Collection Day will be held April 26 at the Mississippi Farmers Market off High Street in Jackson. MDEQ, along with several other organizations, sponsor this event twice a year to collect various forms of e-waste such as computers, televisions, printers, and cell phones. For a list of accepted items and more information click here .

Annual Air Workshop

MDEQ staff will be presenting regulatory updates and other information at the Air & Waste Management Association's Annual Air Workshop on May 1 in Ridgeland. For more information and an agenda, click here.
Celebrate the Gulf and Waterfest

For the fourth year, MDEQ partnered with the Mississippi Department of Marine Resources’ Celebrate the Gulf at Art in the Pass , to bring the Waterfest Environmental Education event to the Mississippi Gulf Coast. This year it was held on April 6, 2019, and over 5,800 people attended. More information and photos .
Geology Historical Markers in Belhaven
David T. Dockery III, RPG

In the March 2017 meeting of the Mississippi Geological Society (MGS), Eleana Turner Pope, a former MDEQ employee and now Secretary of the Belhaven Improvement Association (BIA), asked the Society to sponsor two geology historical markers for the Belhaven area in Jackson. MGS officers voted to do so at the cost of $2,000 per marker—one marker for the Jackson Volcano and one for the Moodys Branch Formation.   Read More .  
Photo of the Month

Photo of Saucier Creek in Harrison County taken by MDEQ's Madison Kymes. Madison works in the Office of Land and Water Resources.


Connect with MDEQ