Big Next Step: Mississippi Grants $10M for Vicksburg Port Complex Megasite

VICKSBURG, Miss. – Governor Tate Reeves announced yesterday that the state of Mississippi is investing over $110 million toward economic development, infrastructure upgrades, workforce development, tourism, and conservation efforts throughout Mississippi. Part of those funds include a $10,483,796 grant to conduct wetlands mitigation as required by the site’s U.S. Army Corps of Engineers permit for the MS River Inland Port Complex Megasite. The new Vicksburg port expansion project has been in the works since 2018.

Wetland mitigation is the compensation of lost acres, functions, and values from a converted wetland through restoration, enhancement, or creation of new wetlands at another location. Converted Wetlands (CW) are wetlands that have been drained (dredged, filled, leveled, or otherwise manipulated, including removal of woody vegetation) for the purpose of or to make possible the production of an agricultural commodity after the Dec. 23, 1985 Food Security Act (FSA) was set in motion.

“Mississippi’s economic development results have been historic and unprecedented,” said Governor Tate Reeves. “We’ve secured billions in new private sector investment and created thousands of jobs across the state. The funding we announced today will go a long way toward continuing Mississippi’s economic momentum and will help create more high-paying job opportunities for Mississippians across the state.”

The Warren County Port Commission announced last year that Warren County now controls all the parcels needed for the Port Expansion Project south of Interstate I-20. Warren County and the City of Vicksburg worked with the Port Commission to acquire over 1,700 acres along the river. The project began in fall 2018 when the state legislature allocated funds to Vicksburg to explore the feasibility of expanding port capabilities in the region.