Vol. 18 Issue 7 July 2021
News from the Mississippi Department of Environmental Quality
enHance Workshop and Luncheon August 25

The annual enHance Workshop and Awards Luncheon will be held Wednesday, August 25, at the Westin Jackson Hotel in Jackson.

The annual meeting is jointly sponsored by MDEQ’s Pollution Prevention Program and the Mississippi Manufacturers Association. 

The workshop will include presentations on various pollution prevention topics and issues and will be followed by the wards luncheon. The enHance classes of 2020 and 2021 will both be recognized at the luncheon. Information regarding registration and the agenda will be available soon on the enHance webpage.   For questions and more information, please contact Khairy Abu-Salah
Mississippi Restoration Summit - Save the Date

The Mississippi Restoration Summit has been scheduled for November 9 at the Mississippi Coast Convention Center in Biloxi.

Stay tuned for more details as the summit draws nearer. Sign up here to join the Restoration email list for updates and upcoming details about the summit.


Trustee Council Annual Meeting Materials Available

MDEQ Executive Director Chris Wells participated in the Deepwater Horizon Natural Trustee Council annual public meeting on June 17.

The Trustees and representatives of the seven Trustee Implementation Groups, responsible for planning and implementing restoration projects for the natural resources injured by the oil spill, provided updates on progress from over the past year.

Information and presentations from that meeting are now available here.
Dam Safety Grants Available

The Mississippi Dam Safety Fund, created during the 2020 legislative session, established a fund to allow owners of high hazard dams to apply for a grant to assist them with work on eligible high hazard dams to improve the safety of the structure. 

Funds will be available to the owners of high hazard dams that are in Fair, Poor, or Unsatisfactory condition. There is currently a one-time funding amount of $1.94 million available for grants that may be used for draining, repairing, rehabilitating, breaching, or removing high hazard dams to protect downstream lives and property. Repairs and rehabilitation activities must address deficiencies that prevent the dam from being in compliance with the Mississippi high hazard standards. Please see the grant guidelines and application for more information.
Medical Sharps Program

Mississippi’s Household Medical Sharps Collection and Disposal Program is managed by MDEQ and has helped collect millions of sharps totaling more than 75,000 pounds across the state since 2009. Medical sharps include syringes, needles, lancets, and other sharp objects used by people in their homes for self-treatment of health-related issues.

Before MDEQ implemented the voluntary program, there were few options for disposing of medical sharps. The Mississippi State Legislature, with input from MDEQ and others, adopted laws that provided for the voluntary medical sharps collection program.

MDEQ encourages Mississippi residents to properly dispose of their sharps rather than tossing them in the trash or flushing them in toilets. Information on the program and drop- off locations can be found here.
Staff Change

Tony Cox was named Chief of MDEQ's Field Services Division in July replacing Steven Bailey who retired recently. Tony brings more than 23 years of experience into this role and previously served as an environmental scientist and as the administrator of the agency's Central Regional Office in Pearl.
 
“To be chosen to lead our division of so many wonderful people is truly an honor and blessing. Our division works with the entire agency, and to be able to continue the relationships that I have and to develop new ones is something that I greatly appreciate. It is a blessing and an honor to continue to serve this agency where I have spent my entire professional career. I greatly look forward to serving the people of Mississippi and follow our mission to conserve and improve our environment in the state that I love,” said Cox.
 
Tony earned a a Bachelor of Science Degree in Environmental Science from Delta State University and is a Board Certified Environmental Scientist. He is a native of Redwood, Mississippi, and lives in Brandon with his wife and son.
Staff Change

Sara Beasley assumed management of the 401/Stormwater Branch in MDEQ's Environmental Compliance and Enforcement Division (ECED) in July. She brings six years of experience to this role and previously served as a staff engineer in the ECED Construction and Building Materials and Water II Branches.
 
“I am eager to take on this new challenge and am excited to continue working with the wonderful people at MDEQ. I look forward to serving the regulated community in this role and carrying out the mission of our agency,” said Beasley.
 
Sara holds Bachelor and Master Degrees in Civil and Environmental Engineering from Mississippi State University. She is also a licensed Professional Engineer in the State of Mississippi. Originally from Versailles, Ohio, Sara grew up in Porterville, Mississippi, and now resides in Brandon with her husband and daughter.  
Starnes Elected Geology Board President

MDEQ's James Starnes was recently elected as President of the Mississippi State Board of Registered Professional Geologists. James is Manager of the Office of Geology's Surface Geology Branch and is regularly in touch with the public regarding questions about geologic finds and Mississippi's unique geology.
Permit Board Officers Change

The Mississippi Environmental Quality Permit Board changed officers beginning July 1, 2021. Les Herrington, representing the Mississippi State Department of Health, was elected Chair and David Snodgrass from the Mississippi State Oil and Gas Board was elected as Vice Chair.

The Permit Board issues, reissues, modifies, denies, transfers, and revokes Mississippi permits and certifications administered under the Clean Water Act, the Clean Air Act, the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act, the Surface Mining Control and Reclamation Act, state mining laws, and state water resource control laws.
Breakfast with the Regulators

The Mississippi Chapter of the Air & Waste Management Association will be hosting the annual Breakfast with the Regulators at the MDEQ offices on August 18. This event offers an opportunity to have questions answered by agency management, receive regulatory updates, and get to know MDEQ staff better. This year’s event will be held in-person, though an option to join by Zoom will be made available. 
 
What: A&WMA Annual Breakfast with the Regulators
When: 9:00 a.m., August 18, 2021
Where: MDEQ Commission Hearing Room (515 East Amite St., Jackson)
Who: All are invited. RSVP requested by emailing awma.mississippi@gmail.com. (A Zoom link will be provided upon request for those who cannot attend in person.)
 
Submit questions no later than August 6 to awma.mississippi@gmail.com. Please note, the offices of MDEQ follow the CDC’s and State Health Department’s latest regulations and guidelines regarding COVID precautions.  
MDEQ Announces Notice of Final Rulemaking for
the Triennial Review of Mississippi’s Water Quality Standards
 
The Clean Water Act requires all states to develop, review, revise, and adopt water quality standards every three years known as the triennial review. Water quality standards must include three components: (1) the designated uses for the state’s waterbodies, (2) the water quality criteria (narrative or numeric) necessary to protect those uses, and (3) antidegradation provisions to protect water quality.

On June 24, 2021, the Commission on Environmental Quality adopted the proposed amendments to Title 11 of the Mississippi Administrative Code, Part 6, Chapter 2, entitled “Mississippi Commission on Environmental Quality Regulation for Surface Water Quality Criteria for Intrastate, Interstate and Coastal Waters,” also known as Mississippi’s Water Quality Standards. This action is also reflected in Commission Order No. 7137-21 dated July 6, 2021. Read More.
Photo of the Month

Dunn's Falls in Enterprise. Taken by MDEQ's Mark Williams.