STATE OF MISSISSIPPI
Phil Bryant, GOVERNOR
MISSISSIPPI DEPARTMENT OF ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY
Trudy D. Fisher, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE CONTACT: Robbie Wilbur
May 23, 2013 601/961-5277
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.
# # #
Mr. Robbie Wilbur
Communications Director
Mississippi Department of Environmental Quality
Post Office Box 2261
Jackson, Mississippi 39225
601/961-5277
601/421-5699 (c)
601/961-5715 (f)
rwilbur@deq.state.ms.us
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