Trudy Fisher Announces Release of Draft Restoration Plan
Mississippi Public Engagement Meeting June 11 in Biloxi
(JACKSON, Miss.) – Mississippi Department of Environmental Quality Executive Director Trudy Fisher announced Thursday that the Gulf Coast Ecosystem Restoration Council’s draft plan has been released and that a public engagement session to receive comments on the draft will be held at the Mississippi Coast Coliseum and Convention Center in Biloxi on June 11.
The “Draft Initial Comprehensive Plan: Restoring the Gulf Coast’s Ecosystem and Economy” describes the objectives, the selection process, and the evaluation criteria for the ecosystem restoration projects and programs that will be funded by the Gulf Coast Ecosystem Restoration Council.
The two funding sources from the Gulf Coast Restoration Trust Fund established by the RESTORE Act addressed in the plan are the 30 percent managed by the Council for ecosystem restoration and the 30 percent that is distributed to the states through an allocation formula to implement state expenditure plans which require Council approval. The Council was created by the RESTORE Act and is comprised of the five Gulf states and six federal agencies.
“I encourage Mississippians to review the draft plan and submit comments because the implementation of the plan will have a significant impact on our state and the Gulf region for decades. Fortunately we have laid a foundation with the substantial work of the GoCoast 2020 teams that highlighted the priorities to help us recover and move forward. It’s important we don’t lose that momentum and continue with the process to improve our Coast. A vital component of the whole process is public engagement. We want to know what you think,” said MDEQ Executive Director Trudy Fisher.
Mississippi’s public engagement session will be June 11 beginning with registration at 5:00 p.m. and the meeting at 6:00 p.m. at the Mississippi Coast Coliseum and Convention Center, 2350 Beach Boulevard, Biloxi.The Draft Initial Comprehensive Plan can be viewed online at http://1.usa.gov/10nO2S9 and will be available for public comment from May 23 until June 24. More information is available at www.restorethegulf.gov.
Periodically MDEQ will release information on RESTORE Act activities and meetings. A text group for the public is available by texting “restore” to 601-863-8082.
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