Mississippi leaders support pumps project to prevent backwater flooding

A new report shows the cost of the widespread damage in the Yazoo Backwater and how pumps would have prevented some of the damage.

GREAT STATE.AGRICULTURE IS ONE OF THEBIGGEST ASSETS AND ONE OF THELARGEST ECONOMIC ENGINES IN OURSTATE.PARTICULARLY IN THE MISSISSIPPIDELTA LAST YEAR, WE EXPERIENCEDA HUGE HIT TO THAT ECONOMICSUCCESS.THE 2019 BACKWATER FLOOD WASBEYOND CATASTROPHIC.THE DELTAS ECONOMY, WHICH MEANSIT WAS BEYOND CATASTROPHIC TOMISSISSIPPI’S ECONOMY.HE WAS ALSO CASH TRAFFIC TO THEINFRASTRUCTURE.THE WORKFORCE AND TO OUR QUALITYOF LIFE FAMILIES WHO HAD LIVEDIN THE DELTA FOR GENERATIONSSOME WERE FORCED.TO PACK UP AND MOVE.SMALL BUSINESSES THAT HAD GROWNWITHIN THEIR COMMUNITIES ANDSUPPORTED THEM FOR YEARS.WE’RE FORCED JUST TO SHUT THEIRDOORS.HOMES THAT HAVE STOOD FORDECADES WERE EITHER WASHED AWAYOR MADE UNLIVABLE.WE KNOW THAT MISSISSIPPIANS ARESTRONG AND RESILIENT, BUT THEYSHOULD NEVER HAVE TO FACE ACHALLENGE LIKE THIS CHALLENGELIKE THIS ALONE.I KNOW THAT MANY MAY FEEL THATTHEIR PROBLEMS AND THEIR PLEASFOR HELP HAVE BEEN IGNORED.BUT I WANT EVERYONE IN THEMISSISSIPPI DELTA TO KNOW WEHAVE NOT FORGOTTEN ABOUT THEFLOOD AND WE HAVE NOT FORGOTTENABOUT YOU.WE’VE BEEN WORKING ON THEPROJECT FOR MANY MANY YEARS INMISSISSIPPI.AND ON MONDAY I SENT A LETTER TOTHE US ARMY CORPS OF ENGINEERSSHARING A BACKWATER IMPACTREPORT COMPILED BY DIRECTORMICHELLE AT MEMA.AND AS WE WORK TO SUPPORT THECORES EFFORTS TO ADDRESS THEFLOODING IN THE YAZOO BACKWATERAREA.BECAUSE THE ONLY WAY THROUGHTHIS IS WORKING TOGETHERS.WORKING TOGETHER AT ALL LEVELSOF GOVERNMENT TO HELP OURBELOVED DELTA.I WANT TO LET SOON AFTER CINDYHYDE-SMITH WHO WERE SO HONOREDTO HAVE WITH US HERE TODAY ASWELL AS COMMISSIONER GIBSON GOINTO MORE SPECIFICS.BUT IT A NUMBERS GUY.JUST WANT YOU TO KNOW THAT THECOST OF THE BACK WATER FLOODINGTO LIVES AND IS IN FACTASTRONOMICAL.OVER 680 HOMES WERE AFFECTED BYTHE STANDING FLOOD WATERS.FIVE HUNDRED AND FORTY EIGHTTHOUSAND ACRES WERE INUNDATED BYTHE BACKWATER 231,000 CROPLAND.CROP DAMAGE HAS COLLECTED BY THEUSDA ARE EXPECTED TO EXCEED 800MILLION DOLLARS.THE MISSISSIPPI DEPARTMENT OFTRANSPORTATION HAD TO SPEND OVERA MILLION DOLLARS CLEANUPEFFORTS DEBRIS REMOVAL FOR OURROADS AND BRIDGES.AND THE REVENUE LOSSES FORWILDLIFE MANAGEMENT AREAS,EXCEEDED THREE HUNDRED AND TENTHOUSAND DOLLARS.AND YET MUCH OF THE DAMAGE THATOCCURRED FROM THE FLOOD IS STILLBEING COUNTED.THE ACTUAL ECONOMIC IMPACT ISEXPECTED TO BE MUCH MUCH HIGHER.IT WILL TAKE YEARS TO FULLYREALIZE.AND IT WILL TAKE YEARS TOEVENTUALLY RECOVER FROM THEHORRIFIC IMPACTS THAT THE FLOODHAS HAD ON THE, MISSISSIPPIDELTA.I WANT TO BE CLEAR.I AM GRATEFUL TO THE CORPS OFENGINEERS FOR THE WORK THAT THEYHAVE ALREADY DONE AND CONTINUETO DO FOR THE PEOPLE OFMISSISSIPPI.WE STAND READY TO ASSIST THECORE AND THEIR EVALUATION OF THEYAZOO AREA PUMP PROJECT AND TOREBUILD THE DELTA SO WE CANEMERGE STRONGER.TOGETHER AT THIS TIME, I WANT TOTHANK PERSONALLY SENATOR CINDYHYDE-SMITH WHO HAS BEEN A LEADERSINCE SERVING IN CONGRESS ONTHIS ISSUE AND QUITE FRANKLY WASA LEADER LONG BEFORE AND HERPREVIOUS ROLE AS OURCOMMISSIONER OF AGRICULTURECINDER, SENATOR CINDYHYDE-SMITH.THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE.THANK YOU GOVERNOR RAISED ANDFOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO JOIN YOUTODAY, AND I WANT TO THANK YOUFOR HOW YOU’VE LET US THROUGHTHIS STORM THROUGH COVID-19 ANDWITH MEMA GREG MISCHEL AND HISSTAFF IT.WE HAVE REALLY GOING THROUGHSOME THINGS, BUT WE’VE HAD AGOOD LEADER IN DOING THAT ANDTHE LEADERSHIP DISPLAYED WASPRETTY OUTSTANDING IN MY OPINIONAS THE GOVERNOR SAID THIS IS SOIMPORTANT THIS REPORT THAT WE’VEGOTTEN BACK SINCE I HAVE BEEN INTHE US SENATE WE HAVE DILIGENTLYWORKED ON THE YAZOO BACK WATERPUMPS WHICH HAS BEEN GOING ON ASHE SAID FOR A VERY LONG TIME,BUT WE HAVE TO SUBSTANTIATE THEDAMAGE THERE THIS ONE THING THATTHIS THE PORT DOES AND YOU KNOW,IT’S SO IMPORTANT FOR SO MANYTHINGS BUT THE INFORMATIONDETAILED IN THE MEMA REPORT ISIMPORTANT FOR ANOTHER REASON.IT ENSURES THE CORPS OFENGINEERS HAS THE MUCH RELEVANTINFORMATION AS POSSIBLE INCARRYING OUT THE REQUIREDENVIRONMENTAL DOCUMENT FOR THEPUMPS.WE HAVE TO SUBSTANTIATE THESINCERE NEED AND THE FACTS THATARE THERE REMAIN IN CONTACT WITHTHE OR WHICH IS CONTINUING TOWORK DILIGENTLY TO PREPARE WHATWE CALL THE SUPPLEMENTALENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT STATEMENT,AND THAT WILL BE UP FO PUBLICCOMMENT BUT THIS PROCESSINCLUDES THE ECONOMIC ASSESSMENTOF THE PROJECTED BENEFITS ANDTHE COST OF THE PROJECT OFOVERCOMING WHAT WE WENT THROUGHIN THE DELTA.OVER HALF A MILLION ACRES UNDERWATER FOR MORE THAN SIX MONTHSAND AS HE SAID, YOU KNOW SEVENALMOST 700 HOMES EITHER DAMAGEDOR DESTROYED AND THEN THE CROPSTHAT WERE NOT REPLANTED.WE HAVE TO ANALYZE ALL THIS ANDWE HAVE TO EVALUATE THOSE LOSSESAND GET THEM IN THE FORM THATMEMA HAS DONE.SO WELL THAT WE CAN PRESENT THISIN GO FORWARD.SO WE FEEL REALLY GOOD ABOUT THEPUMPS, BUT A LOT OF IT WILL HAVETO DO WITH THIS STUDY THAT WASDONE SO WELL AND THAT THE SOGRACIOUSLY STEPPED OUT AND TOOKTHE TASK TO GET THIS DONE, BUTTHIS WILL HELP WITH THEPROGRESSION OF MAKING SURE THATWE INSTALL THESE PUMPS IN THEBACKWATER OF THE DELTA.SO IT IS JUST ONE MORE STEP, BUTIT’S A VERY BIG STEP IN GETTINGTHIS DONE.SO WE HAD A LOT OF INDICATORS OFTHE DAMAGE AND THE COST AMOUNTSNOW, WE HAVE A LOT OF EVIDENCETO BACK THAT UP AND THE DOLLARFIGURE WILL BE EVEN HIGHER THANTHIS BUT IT IS ANCHO IN ENSURINGTHAT WE GET THE PUMPS IN PLACEAND HOPEFULLY PREVENTION DOWNTHE ROAD OF THIS CATASTROPHICFLOODING.THANK YOU SO MUCH THE SENATORSSUCCESSOR AS OUR AGRICULTURECOMMISSIONER IS COMMISSIONERANDY GIBSON.HE IS ALSO BEEN WORKING VERYCLOSELY WITH MEMA AS WELL AS THECORE IN ASSESSING THEAGRICULTURAL DAMAGE IN THELOWER, MISSISSIPPI DELTA.AND SO AT THIS TIME I’M GOING TOASK COMMISSIONER GIBSON.GIVE US A REPORT.THANK YOU GOVERNOR.I REALLY APPRECIATE THISOPPORTUNITY AND SINCERELYAPPRECIATE YOURS AND SENATOR HADSMITH’S WORK ON THIS CRITICALISSUE THIS CRISIS FOR OUR SOUTHDELTA WHEN I WAS ON THEMISSISSIPPI RIVER ABOUT THREEWEEKS AGO WITH COLONEL ROBERTHILLIARD.I ASKED HIM WHAT WE COULD DO ANDHE SAID WHAT WE NEED IS THISEVIDENCE THIS INFORMATION THEVERY TYPE OF INFORMATIONGOVERNOR YOUR OFFICE MIMA HASPUT TOGETHER.SO THEY CAN COMPLETE THEIRENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT STUDY.WE ARE EXPECTING THAT STUDY TOCOME OUT.IN THE NEAR TERM, WE AREOPTIMISTIC ABOUT IT.WE ALL AGREE ON THE FACT, WE’VEGOT TO FINISH THE PUMPS.FOR THOSE WHO HAVE OPPOSED THISPROJECT FOR YEARS PAST THEENVIRONMENTALISTS AND ACTIVISTS.ALL THEY HAVE TO DO IS LOOK ATTHE DOCUMENTED EVIDENCE OF THETHOUSANDS OF EXAMPLES OFWILDLIFE THAT WERE DESTROYED ASA RESULT OF THIS THEAGRICULTURAL DAMAGE SPEAKS FORITSELF OVER 800 MILLION DOLLARSIN DIRECT LOSS IN TERMS OF CROPSNOT COUNTING AS THE SENATOR SAIDCROPS THAT WERE NEVER ABLE TO BEPLANTED.I WAS IN THE SOUTH DELTA SIXDAYS AGO OR SEVEN DAYS AGO ANDSAW THOUSANDS OF THAT WOULD HAVEBEEN GROWING COTTON.ARE GOING OR SOYBEANS AND IT’SGROWING WEEDS AND GRASS AND ITNEVER WAS ABLE TO BE PLANTEDBECAUSE IN ADDITION TO THE 2019FLOOD IT FLOODED AGAIN THIS YEARDUE TO THE HIGH RIVR LEVELS ANDIT JUST WAS TOO WET TO PLANT SOOUR SOUTH DELTA NEIGHBOURS NEEDOUR HELP AND WE’RE NEVER GOINGTO STOP WORKING ON THIS PROJECTAS THE SENATOR WORKS INWASHINGTON DC.WE WORK HERE IN THE STATE OFMISSISSIPPI.WE WILL NEVER FORGET.APPLAUDS AND THE NEED TO FINISHTHE PUMPS MEETING WITH A VERYENCOURAGED BY SOME MEETINGS THATWE’VE HAD AND THE SYNDRA I KNOWHAS HAD GOVERNOR’S WELL WITH THEOUR ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTIONAGENCY THE AGENCY THAT WANTSYEARS AGO VETO THIS PROJECTSEEMS NOW TO BE RECEPTIVE TO ITAND SO WE ARE OPTIMISTIC THAT WEWILL INDEED FINISH THE PUMPSHELP OUR FARMERS HELP OURNEIGHBORS IN THE SOUTH DELTARECOVER FROM THIS TRAGEDY SOTHAT IT DOESN’T HAPPEN AGAIN,AND APPRECIATE GOVERNOR THISOPPORTUNITY SENATOR.THANK VOTE FOR YOUR EXCELLENTWORK THANK YOU.COMMISSIONER GIBSON, SENATORCINDY HYDE-SMITH FOR BEING HEREWITH US.I’M GOING TO ASK DIRECTOR,MICHELLE AND DR. DOBBS TO COMEUP AND WE WILL GIVE HAVE ANUPDATE ON COVID.THANK YOU.THANK YOU SENATOR.A LITTLE BIT DIFFERENT I’M GOINGTO START WITH I’M GOING TO STARTWITH.DIRECTOR MICHELLE SINCE HISAGENCY DID DO THE STUDY THAT WASDISCUSSED AND GIVE HIM LET HIMGIVE YOU AN UPDATE ON ON THATPARTICULAR ITEM.YES, SIR.THANK YOU GOVERNOR AS HASALREADY BEEN MENTIONED HERETODAY PROGRESS IS CONTINUED TOBE MADE ON TRYING TO GET THISPROJECT INITIATED AND TO GETCOMPLETE.IT IS A VERY LENGTHY PROJECTWANTS IT WOULD BEGIN SO IT’SIMPORTANT THAT THIS DATA.BE PUT TOGETHER OR JUST TO GIVEA LITTLE BACK HISTORY ON THEBACK WATER FLOOD JUST AS AREMINDER THIS ACTUALLY BEGAN ATTHE END OF 2018 WHEN WE HAD 20INCHES OF ABOVE-AVERAGE RAINFALLLEADING INTO 2019 10 INCHES ANDTWO DAYS IN LATE DECEMBER 2018WAS WHAT REALLY LED TO WHATBECAME A FEDERAL DISASTER WHICHWAS A FAMOUS AWARD OF A FEDERALDECLARATION OF 4429 THEMISSISSIPPI RIVER.FLOOD STAGE IN JANUARY OF 2019AND IT REMAINED AT THAT LEVELUNTIL MID-JULY OF 2019 CRESTEDAT NINETY EIGHT POINT TWO FEETIN MAY AND HE REMAINED AGAIN ITREMAINED AT FLOOD LEVEL FOR OVERSIX MONTHS THAT AREA THAT WASAFFECTED WAS ALREADY A VERYIMPOVERISHED AREA WITH A 40 OVERFORTY SEVEN PERCENT POVERTY RATESO NOT ONLY WAS THE AGRICULTURALINDUSTRY AFFECTED GREATLY, BUTTHE PEOPLE THAT LIVE IN THOSECOMMUNITIES WERE GREATLY ASWELL.GOVERNOR HAS ALREADY MENTIONEDTHE NUMBER OF HOMES AND THEACREAGE THAT WAS DESTROYED ANDFLOODED PUBLIC ASSISTANCE TODATE IS OVER 26 MILLION DOLLARS,AND THAT NUMBER IS RISING EVERYDAY AS ADDITIONAL WORKSTATEMENTS ARE COME IN OR ASPROJECTS OR WORKED ON THROUGHCOMPLETION.IT’S LIKELY GOING TO BE SEVERALYEARS BEFORE WE TRULY KNOW THETOTAL COST FOR THE INDIVIDUALASSISTANCE AND PA ASSISTANCE FORTHAT DAMAGE REPORT DAMAGE ANDESTIMATES ARE LIKELY TO INCREASEHIS DATA COMES IN AND AS AREMINDER, IT WAS MUCH BEFORE WECOULD EVEN GET IN AND DO DAMAGEASSESSMENTS FOR THAT.SO THE THIS DATA THAT’S BEINGCOLLECTED IN JUST JUST AREMINDER ABOUT THE AREA THE FIVEHUNDRED FORTY EIGHT THOUSANDACRES THAT WERE FLOODED TAKENOUT THE THE 231,000.IT WAS FARMLAND HAD THOSE PUMPSBEEN INSTALLED ROUGHLY 300,000ACRES WOULD HAVE BEEN SPARED HADTHOSE PUMPS BEEN IN PLACE.THAT’S VERY IMPORTANT TOQUESTION WOULD BE WHY 200THOUSAND BECAUSE THEENVIRONMENTAL ISSUES HAVE BEENADDRESSED WITH THAT AND 200,000ACRES WOULD FLOOD ANY WAY TOKEEP THE WETLANDS THERE.SO THE BOTTOM LINE IS, UH,POTENTIALLY 300,000 ACRES COULDBE SPARED AT THAT TIME AND INTHE FUTURE SHOULD THIS PROJECTCOME TO BE SO GOVERNOR.I APPRECIATE YOUR SUPPORT ANDWORKING TO