In accordance with the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA),the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Mobile District (USACE) is preparing an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) for Department of the Army Permit Application 01768 for the Port of Gulfport Expansion Project in Harrison County, Mississippi. The USACE is the lead federal agency with the responsibility of evaluating the environmental impacts of the proposed project for the applicant, the Mississippi State Port Authority (MSPA).

As part of the NEPA process, the Mississippi Development Authority (MDA) will be a cooperating agency in the preparation of the EIS. The National Marine Fisheries Service has expressed interest in acting as a cooperating agency in the preparation of the EIS.

The proposed project as described in the application filed on March 17, 2010, proposed filling approximately 700 acres of open-water benthic habitat. Since submittal of the application, the MSPA has modified the proposed project footprint to reduce the overall potential fill required for implementation and to avoid any impacts to the Gulfport Harbor Federal Navigation Channel or Turning Basin. The currently proposed project involves filling of up to 400 acres of open-water bottom in the Mississippi Sound; the construction of wharfs, bulkheads, terminal facilities, container storage areas, intermodal container transfer facilities, dredging and dredged material disposal and infrastructure; and construction of a breakwater of approximately 4,000 linear feet. It may also include additional improvements identified at the public scoping meeting. The proposed expanded port facility will be elevated 25 feet above sea level to provide protection against future tropical storm surge events.

NEPA requires completion of an EIS for federal government agency actions that could significantly affect the environment. An EIS describes the positive and negative environmental effects of proposed agency action and alternative actions. The NEPA process is designed to involve the public as well as to gather and analyze the best available environmental data so decision makers can be fully informed when making choices.

About This Website

The purpose of this site is to inform members of the public and other interested parties about the progress of the EIS for the Port of Gulfport Expansion Project in Harrison County, Mississippi, and to provide additional information about the NEPA process and opportunities for public participation.

Through this site you can sign up to receive updates on the progress of the EIS by joining the mailing list, view project documents as they become available, and submit comments during NEPA comment periods. A bibliography link identifies data sources used in the study. You can e-mail suggestions for additional data sources to the project contact at port.gulfporteis@usace.army.mil.