$131 million in GOMESA and Tidelands funds will pay for these projects across South MS

The Mississippi Legislature divided up $11.7 million in Tidelands money and nearly $120 million in GOMESA money to pay for a working waterfront and seafood harbor in D’Iberville and new water, sewer and other projects throughout South Mississippi.

HB 1783 was approved by the conference committees and has been sent to the governor for his signature. It funds Department of Marine Resources for the fiscal year that starts July 1 and also provides millions for coastal projects.

Tidelands funds come from the lease of tidelands and submerged land, primarily paid by casinos in Biloxi. Here is how the money was awarded to each county:

Harrison County

$800,000 — D’Iberville Working Waterfront and Seafood Harbor, City of D’Iberville

$500,000 — Long Beach Small Craft Harbor improvements, City Of Long Beach

$500,000 — Courthouse Road boat launch and jetties improvements/mitigation, City of Gulfport

$400,000 — Dredging project at Brashier Bayou, City of Biloxi

$340,000 — Pass Christian Small Craft Harbor/Pier C-2 improvements, City of Pass Christian

$164,534 — Development of a broodstock of southern flounder, University of Southern Mississippi

$100,000 — Fountain Pier and kayak launch, City of D’Iberville

Jackson County

$400,000 — Beach Park Pier repairs and enhancements, City of Pascagoula

$250,000 — McPhearson Pier rehabilitation, City of Ocean Springs

$250,000 — Fairway Drive boat launch and pier, City of Gautier

$250,000 — Moss Point riverfront enhancements, City of Moss Point

$200,000 — Highway 63 boat launch improvements, Jackson County Supervisors

Hancock County

$400,000 — Municipal harbor beach amenities and improvement, Hancock County Supervisors

$250,000 — Municipal harbor beach amenities and improvement, City of Bay St. Louis

$250,000 —Coleman Avenue waterfront improvements, City of Waveland

$250,000 — Lily Pond public access improvements, City of Diamondhead

Other

$3.8 million for DMR for total management projects

$1,552,697 — Bond repayment

$1 million for prior year projects

Each city and county will be subject to an audit by the state auditor and must submit t detailed reports beginning June 30 and every six months thereafter for the remainder of the project.

GOMESA projects

Gulf of Mexico Energy Security Act provides revenue sharing from offshore wells to Mississippi and the three other Gulf of Mexico gas producing states. The money must be used for coastal conservation, restoration and hurricane protection.

Pass Christian was a big winner this year, along with other cities and counties to improve their sewer systems near the water.

This is how the $119,713,196 to Mississippi was allocated for Fiscal Year 2025:

$10,04,952 — Assist Hancock County Utility Authority with Stennis Space Center wastewater conveyance project

$5,195,000 — Assist Pass Christian with U.S. 90 hurricane mitigation improvements

$5,193,000 —Assist Long Beach with Small Craft Harbor eastern bulkhead improvements

$4,466,316 — Assist Pass Christian with Phase II of the gravity sewer system improvements

$4 million — Assist Waveland with center city infrastructure improvements and sewer

$4 million — Assist DMR with oyster spat

$3.75 million — Assist Moss Point with riverfront coastal river protection

$3.578,590 — Assist Secretary of State with Broadwater Marina restoration

$3,208,475 — Assist Pass Christian with sanitary sewer pump station repairs

$2,941,981 — Assist Gautier with Hickory Hills/Lagrange water quality and stormwater improvements

$2,804,082 — Assist Hancock County Utility Authority with Oak Harbor sewer improvements

$2,701,150 — Assist Gautier with Martin Bluff and Hickory Hills sewer improvements

$2,563,000 — Assist Pass Christian with west breakwater wall hurricane mitigation improvements

$2,554,000 — Assist Long Beach with Small Craft Harbor southern quay bulkhead improvements

$2,520,000 — Assist Biloxi with Keegan Bayou restoration

$2.5 million — Assist D’Iberville with working waterfront marina expansion project phase II

$2,452,575 — Assist Kiln Utility and Fire District with Highway 603 sewer expansion from Highway 43 to Cuevas Town Road

$2,225,600 — Assist Kiln Utility District with Jourdan River Shores sewer improvements phase II

$2,188,000 — Assist Long Beach with small craft harbor southeast bulkhead improvements

$2 million —Assist Pascagoula with Live Oak Corridor drainage to remedy flooding

$2 million — Assist DMR with oyster cultch

$1,999,839 — Assist Diamondhead with drainage, flood prevention and water quality improvements phase II

$1,960,000 — Assist Ocean Springs with sewer rehabilitation

$1,934,039 — Assist Ocean Springs with Front Beach public access and stormwater access and stormwater mitigation improvement

$1,749,220 — Assist Hancock County Port and Harbor Commission with sewer construction and improvements to Site 1 at Port Bienville Industrial Park

$1,710,000 — Assist Jackson County with East Beach outfalls/shoreline protection

$1,643,861 — Assist Pass Christian with gravity sewer system improvements phase I

$1,604,707 — Assist Jackson County Utility Authority with septic system abatement

$1.6 million — Assist Ocean Springs with Front Beach bulkhead

$1.6 million — Assist Harrison County with sand beach outfall coordination

$1,485,958 — Assist Institute for Marine Mammal Studies with monitoring/gauging Habitat suitability for dolphins and turtles

$1,475,000 — Assist DMR with Bonnet Carre Spillway mitigation

$1,339,000 — Assist Jackson County Supervisors with Pascagoula Beach open channel outfalls

$1,334,987 — Assist DMR with with off bottom oyster aquaculture

$1.2 million — Assist Ocean Springs with Washington Avenue and Front Beach utility improvement

$1.2 million — Assist Jackson County Utility Authority with Poticaw Road sewer extension

$1.2 million — Assist Gulfport with the North Gulfport wastewater treatment plant UV disinfection

$1,195,571 — Assist USM with Oak Island Oyster Company in the development and Testing of an off bottom oyster structure

$1,193,447 — Assist Diamondhead with drainage, flood prevention and water quality improvements

$1 million — Assist Hancock County Water and Sewer District with asbestos water pipe replacement ad Port Bienville water improvement

$1 million — Assist The Nature Conservancy with using brood stock reefs to enhance oyster production on commercial leases

$990,128 — Assist Institute for Marine Mammal Studies with monitoring and evaluation of sea turtle nesting in Mississippi

$903,650 — Assist Mississippi State University with evaluation and monitoring of marine mammal and sea turtles after Bonnet Carre Spillway opening

$865,000 — Assist Mississippi State University with fixed lab equipment

$756,537 — Assist Biloxi with Point Cadet Living Shoreline

$750,000 — Assist Jackson County with coastal roadway hurricane protection

$635,819 — Assist DMR with Coffee Creek outfall pavilion

$596,148 — Assist American Shrimp Processors Association with shrimp processors feasibility study

$525,163 — Assist DMR with Bonnet Carre and Mid Breton response

$500,000 — Assist Coastal Mississippi with promotion of the seafood industry and their contributions to the state

$485,406 — Assist Pascagoula with Buena Vista area drainage

$430,000 — Assist DMR with Katrina Key expansion

$402,342 — Assist Hancock County with Atlantic Street sewer repairs

$400,000 — Assist DMR with Phase II of Katrina Key expansion

$382,317 — Assist University of Southern Mississippi with Mississippi coastal fishery resrouce assessment

$348,585 — Assist Pass Christian with sewer pump station repairs

$348,220 — Assist DMR with Pelican Key beneficial use site

$318,151 —Assist Pascagoula with Point Park Pier repair/improvements

$297,348 — Assist DMR with MS reef fish monitoring and assessment

$260,423 — Assist Hancock County Port and Harbor Commission with Port Bienville conservation management

$189,828 — Assist Kiln Utility District with the Jordan River Shores sewer force main relocation

$118,500 — Assist Moss Point with storm water park

$66,971 — Assist National Oceans and Applications Research Center with the inventory of wetlands habitats

$57,606 — Assist DMR with Railroad Corner beneficial use site

$45,262 — Assist DMR with water testing for seafood consumption safety

$43,932 — Assist USM with Mississippi Coastal Fishery resource assessment

$30,000 — Assist USM with collection of fishery-dependent information on blue crabs

$8,731 — Assist National Oceans and Applications Research Center with the Cat Island baseline inventory of seagrass habitat

The bill said it is the intent of the state legislator that DMR has the authority to spend up to $10 million from GOMESA that may become available to the agency in Fiscal Year 2025 if there is an escalation of federal funds.