Committee advances bill to create annual coastal restoration report

Senate Bill 2261, a bill to create an annual comprehensive restoration and conservation report to guide coastal projects, was reported out of the Mississippi Senate Ports and Marine Resources Committee.

Senator Ladner, who presented the bill, described it as a multi-year effort intended to coordinate agencies and funding to establish goals for coastal restoration and conservation. He said the report would help direct GoMesa and other funds toward projects tied to identified water-quality and restoration priorities rather than an ad hoc allocation of dollars.

Committee discussion framed the bill as providing scientific basis to identify areas of concern and potential solutions, and as a tool to guide both state and federal agencies administering restoration funds. The sponsor said the measure has passed the committee in prior years but stalled in the House; he said he planned to continue discussions with House counterparts.

Senator Seymour asked whether references to “commission” in several line items should instead say “department.” Committee members discussed which sections referenced the Department of Environmental Quality and which referenced the Department of Marine Resources. No roll-call vote was recorded; the committee reported the bill out by voice vote.

The sponsor said he hoped the bill would complete the legislative process this year. The committee chair called for the ayes and the measure was reported out for further consideration.

No specific funding allocations or numeric goals were included in the transcript.