PINE BELT, Miss. (WDAM) – Industrial parks and water/sewer systems.
Airports and other means of transportation.
Land clearing, site studies and workforce training.
Mississippi Gov. Tate Reeves announced Wednesday afternoon that the state would be investing more than $110 million into a slew of projects across the state, including millions earmarked for a variety of developments, initiatives, studies and systems in the Pine Belt.
Two of the Pine Belt’s largest benefactors in Reeves’ announcement involved two of the region’s largest projects: The Eagle One Mega Site, which straddles Lamar and Forrest counties, and the I-59 South Industrial Site in Jones County.
Eagle One was accorded $2.43 million “to conduct the necessary engineering to pursue a U.S. Army Corps of Engineers permit for the site,” which will involve a deep dive into any potential environmental impacts site development could have on the area.
“There will be wetlands mitigation to do, I am sure, at the Hattiesburg site, but this puts in the engineering that is necessary so we can file the application for the Army Corps of Engineers site, so it is a great site at a great location,” Reeves said. “Perhaps I am a bit biased, but I will say this, I believe it is one of the best sites available in the state of Mississippi, (and) that probably makes it one of the best sites available in these United States.
But, you can’t build anything on it until you have the Army Corps of Engineer permits that you’ve taken care of the wetlands mitigation, so this is the obvious next step in that process and we are pleased to be able to fund it.”
The I-59 South Industrial Site is slated for $828,500 “to extend water lines into the site, rehabilitate an existing 1,000,000-gallon water tank and improve an access road.”
In addition, both Smith and Jasper counties had water sewage projects with money from Delta Regional Authority funds.
Mize received $281,750, which will allow the town to “complete necessary improvements to (its) sewer lagoon.”
Smith County was awarded $239,976 to replace approximately 2,500 linear feet of asbestos cement water line with PVC pipe on County Road 528 in the vicinity of County roads 139, 538E and 150A. The project will existing customers to the new piping while abandoning the old, asbestos cement pipe.
In Jasper County, the Town of Montrose will receive $343,784 “to replace approximately 4,700 feet of small-diameter pipe in the water system with new 6-inch PE/PVC pipes. The project will connect the existing customers to the new piping and abandon the old pipes.
The majority of grant approvals, totaling more than $97 million, will help expand infrastructure capabilities at sites across the state and better position Mississippi to secure even more private sector investment.
Funding for these projects was made available through various entities, including DRA; Mississippi Development Authority; Appalachian Regional Commission; RESTORE Act, GOMESA and (SCRC).
“Mississippi’s economic development results have been historic and unprecedented,” Reeves. said “We’ve secured billions in new, private sector investment and created thousands of jobs across the state.
“The funding we announced today will go a long way toward continuing Mississippi’s economic momentum and will help create more high-paying job opportunities for Mississippians across the state.”
Earmarked projects in the Pine Belt area and the sources funding them include:
Three categories, including:
Select Site Grants
In addition to Select Site grants for Jones County and Forrest/Lamar counties, funding also included:
- Pearl River County Industrial Park – Pearl River County – $1,438,650 to construct a water tank and relocate power lines.
Premier Site Grants
- Greene County Rail Site – Greene County – $250,000 to clear and grub 125 acres.
Ready Site grants
- Lamar County Industrial Park – Lamar County – $50,000 to conduct a geotechnical investigation and an ALTA survey, as well as clear and grub.
In addition to the three projects in Smith and Jasper counties, others included:
- Pearl River Community College (PRCC) Hydrographic Technicians – Hancock and Pearl River Counties – $1,925,000 to provide a career development pathway from Hancock County Career and Technical Center to PRCC for hydrographic science instruction
- Mississippi Artificial Intelligence Network (MAIN) Program – Coahoma, Copiah, Newton, Kemper, Hinds, Holmes, Itawamba, Jones, Lauderdale, Pearl River, Pike, Prentiss, Sunflower, Stone, & Tate Counties – $7,141,244 to develop a workforce training program to support the growing AI and technology fields.
Projects included:
- Nicholson Water & Sewer Expansion and Upgrade – Pearl River County – $446,888 to the Nicholson Water and Sewer Association to extend water and sewer infrastructure along the I-59 corridor
- I-59/Sycamore Intersection Improvements and Frontage Road – Pearl River County –$500,000 to Pearl River County for the Sycamore Road Intersection and Frontage Road project
- Poplarville-Pearl River County Airport Advancement Plan – Pearl River County – $50,000 to Pearl River County for the development of a strategic advancement plan for the Poplarville/Pearl River County Airport
- Ole Miss Coastal Business Growth Accelerator – George, Harrison, Stone, Hancock, Jackson and Pearl River Counties – $312,000 to the Mississippi Small Business Development Center for a two-year initiative to support small businesses in Stone, George, Harrison, Pearl River, Hancock, and Jackson counties.
A map showing the projects can be found here.
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