Today, Monday, June 15, is the final day to submit comments to the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers on a new review on the Yazoo Backwater Area Project, a step that could lead to much-needed flood protection in the South Delta.
“In the past, the voices of Mississippians and residents directly affected by catastrophic backwater flooding in particular, have been drowned out by outside groups with little to no connection to or understanding of the importance of this effort. We need to correct that,” said U.S. Sen. Cindy Hyde-Smith in a statement earlier this month. “There is still time to make our voices heard and to play an important role in giving the South Delta the flood control it has needed for almost 80 years.”
“Repeated, damaging backwater floods over the past decade have harmed the people, economy, and environment of the South Mississippi Delta,” wrote U.S. Sen. Roger Wicker in a statement. “I encourage USACE, as well as its agency partners such as the Environmental Protection Agency, to advance this proposal to provide long overdue flood control for the Mississippi Delta.”
“The lack of a pumping feature is devastating to the region’s residents. The Yazoo Backwater residents are resilient and have endured great difficulties to preserve their way of life and to live in their homes. The stories of courage and heroism in the face of the backwater flooding are inspiring, but these are preventable tragedies,” he added.
The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers is receiving comments regarding its proposal to issue a “Supplemental Environmental Impact Statement” for the “Yazoo Basin Reformulation Study, Yazoo Backwater Area.” The public comments will help inform the Corps of Engineers Vicksburg District’s intent to prepare a SEIS on a new project proposal based on new data.
Today, you can still submit comments regarding the SEIS:
- By email to YazooBackwater@usace.army.mil
- By phone to Mr. Kenneth Parrish at 601-631-5006.