Corps of Engineers releases plan for Port of Gulfport

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The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers recently released its record of decision on the Port of Gulfport (Miss.) Expansion Project. The record contains information on the project’s Final Environmental Impact Statement.

The record allows the port to diversify its business activities.

The expansion project includes a 282-acre dredge, the construction of a 4,000-foot breakwater system and expansion of the east pier, west pier, and north harbor. The port has been seeking a permit for the dredge since 2013.

The port is limited on how it can acquire more waterfront, so completing the impact statement is necessary for the completion of the expansion project.

The statement includes an environmental review conducted by several state and federal agencies including the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, the Mississippi Department of Environmental Quality, and National Marine Fisheries Service.

“The Port of Gulfport is a major economic driver for Harrison County and the entire Mississippi Gulf Coast,” Gov. Phil Bryant said. “The approval of the Environmental Impact Statement marks a significant step toward the port’s goal of becoming the port of the future by opening more doors for continued growth, investment and job creation, all of which will benefit the economy for generations to come.”