Hinds Today

U.S. Senator Cindy Hyde-Smith (R-Miss.) has welcomed the release of a draft environmental impact statement (EIS) aimed at addressing recurring backwater flooding in the south Mississippi Delta. The Yazoo Backwater Area Water Management Project, prepared by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and other agencies, includes both structural and non-structural measures to reduce flood risk for residents, commercial properties, churches, schools, roads, and other infrastructure while preventing environmental losses.

“The draft EIS published in the Federal Register represents an important step in the exhaustive environmental review process. The recommended plan represents a balanced approach to flood protection as well as environmental protection, so everyone should be on board with this,” said Hyde-Smith, who has championed completion of the project following devastating flooding in 2019.

“I continue to recommend that those affected by Yazoo Backwater flooding study the draft EIS and offer a public comment on the plan before the mid-August deadline. Let’s keep making progress until we can finally get a Record of Decision later this year to move us toward the flood protection this area deserves,” Hyde-Smith added.

The Army Corps Vicksburg District issued the draft EIS for the Yazoo Backwater Study Area (YSA), as stipulated in the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), which requires federal agencies to prepare an EIS for proposals deemed major federal actions. Public comments on the draft EIS will close on August 12, 2024.

Public comments will be incorporated into a final EIS expected to be published later this year, followed by a Record of Decision (ROD) explaining the agency’s decision to proceed with the project and discussing various alternatives considered during the process.

In July 2023, the Corps took its first significant action on a new plan developed with the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service when it published a Notice of Intent for the Yazoo Backwater Area Water Management Project. This notice informed the public about its plans and upcoming environmental analysis.

The Notice of Intent restarted efforts to “Finish the Pumps” after EPA used a rare provision of the Clean Water Act to halt a previous Yazoo Backwater Area ROD issued by the Army Corps in January 2021.

“I could not disagree more with EPA’s stance taken back in November 2021 regarding its view of the previously proposed project and its interpretation of authority under the Clean Water Act. However, I applaud the Corps, EPA, and other supporting agencies for developing what is currently under consideration as possibly being this project's best proposal yet,” said Hyde-Smith.

“I want and expect the Corps to complete remaining NEPA work and issue a new ROD before year-end,” she added.

In addition to its preferred plan under NEPA requirements, several project alternatives were evaluated by Corps ranging from “No Action Alternative” or do-nothing approach to fully non-structural solutions involving property buyouts or constructing ring levees around individual homes among others.

“I am pleased that this draft EIS examines benefits or lack thereof associated with concepts lacking pumping stations,” said Hyde-Smith. “Environmental organizations opposed adequate flood protection have suggested alternative ways without pumps; however science indicates otherwise.”

The Yazoo Backwater Area Project is part of comprehensive Mississippi River & Tributaries (MR&T) Project protecting Lower Mississippi River Valley through levees system stabilization improvements across tributary/backwater areas including St Francis River White River Red River each having operational pump stations except Yazoo experiencing frequent floods due absence station over past two decades.