Gulf Coast economic development, infrastructure to receive $51 million in BP funds

BP continues to pay the state of Mississippi for damages resulting from the 2010 oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico.

The Mississippi Legislature has adopted the conference report for Senate Bill 3047 which appropriates nearly $51 million in BP settlement funds to be spread mainly across the lower six counties in the Gulf Coast region. In all, 29 projects were named in the bill that now heads to the desk of Governor Tate Reeves (R).

The conference report passed the Senate unanimously and only received five no votes in the House.

BP continues to pay the state of Mississippi for damages resulting from the 2010 oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico. The funds are largely used to support economic development and infrastructure with an eye to creating future business investments and increased opportunity for jobs in Hancock, Harrison, Jackson, Pearl River, Stone and George counties.

Here are the 29 projects outlined in this year’s appropriation:

• City of Diamondhead: Commercial District Transformation Project – $2,000,000
• City of Moss Point: Moss Point-Point of Connection Road – $200,000
• City of Long Beach: Long Beach Harbor Complex Restoration – $3,500,000
• Stone County: Heritage Spring Water Project – $260,000
• Pascagoula Redevelopment Authority: Live, Work, Play Pascagoula Riverfront Redevelopment – $1,500,000
• Pearl River County: Pearl River County Industrial Park Infrastructure and Site Development – $1,922,800
• City of Bay St. Louis: City Government Safety Complex – $1,000,000
• Hancock County Port and Harbor Commission: Technology Park and Site Development at Stennis Airport Phase I – $2,000,000
• Mississippi State University Research and Technology Corporation: Continued Development of the Mississippi Cyber Center Project – $2,000,000
• City of Gulfport: Daniel Boulevard Extension and Connector Road – $4,600,000
• City of Lucedale: Lucedale Municipal Park Stage – $498,000
• City of Moss Point: Highway 63/Escatawpa Natural Gas Pipeline Installation – $1,750,000
• Moss Point Redevelopment Authority: Moss Point Downtown Revitalization – $1,000,000
• George County: Grain Elevator/River Road Rehabilitation – $1,599,906
• George County: Old Highway 63 North Regional Agriculture and Agri-Tourism Accelerator Project – $1,599,372
• Jackson County Economic Development Foundation: Sunplex Light Industrial Park Site Improvements and Trent Lott Airport – $2,000,000
• Pearl River County: Pearl River County Technology Park Phase I and Site Development – $1,800,000
• Jackson County: Vancleave Medical Center – $3,193,750
• City of Bay St. Louis: Downtown ADA Boardwalk – $1,400,000
• City of Ocean Springs: Mary C. O’Keefe Cultural Arts Center Renovations and Signage – $700,000
• Gulf Hills Resort: Development of 2,000 feet of Blueway Waterfront with Public Marina Access – $900,000
• Mississippi Coast Model Railroad Museum: All Aboard Mississippi Coast Model Railroad Museum Project – $1,000,000
• Ohr-O’Keef Museum of Arts: Completion of the Ohr-O’Keef Museum Campus – $1,000,000
• University of Southern Mississippi: USM Visualization and Digital Multimedia Center of Excellence – $2,501,320
• Pinchers Seafood: Working Waterfront – $3,600,000
• Jackson County Economic Development Foundation and the Biloxi Bay RV Resort – $1,585,000
• Plaid Properties, LLC: Redevelopment of Blighted Property into a WAMA Connected District – $250,000
• Ocean Springs Redevelopment Foundation: Public Works Redevelopment and Relocation – $2,000,000
• Harrison County Development Commission: I-10 and Canal Road Site Development – $3,600,000