BOEMRE Awards $4.1 Million in Grants to Mississippi

Funding Provided through the Coastal Impact Assistance Program

WASHINGTON, DC — The Bureau of Ocean Energy Management, Regulation and Enforcement (BOEMRE) announced today that it has awarded $4.1 million in grants to the state of Mississippi through the Coastal Impact Assistance Program (CIAP).

Created by the Energy Policy Act of 2005, CIAP provides funding to the six Outer Continental Shelf oil and gas producing states to conserve and protect the coastal environment. CIAP is an ongoing program with grant funding that is allocated based on the offshore energy revenues collected by the United States.

“BOEMRE will continue to work with the state of Mississippi to support projects that protect these valuable coastal areas for future generations,” said BOEMRE Director Michael R. Bromwich. “We are proud to help the state of Mississippi by funding worthy projects to preserve the state’s precious coastal and marine resources.”

The state of Mississippi, which selected the projects being funded through CIAP, received $3,725,300 in grant funding to acquire 1.72 waterfront acres in Jackson County. The protection and conservation of this marshland area will prevent future redevelopment and will provide for the conservation and protection of local fish and wildlife habitats. This funding will also assist with erosion control and water quality protection in this flood prone area.

The state of Mississippi also received $400,000 for land management and education in the Mississippi coastal area. These efforts include measures to control invasive species, controlled burns in areas to reduce fuel sources that feed wildfires, and sponsoring a series of meetings for land management partners to strengthen collaboration on coastal restoration efforts.

CIAP will receive $250 million annually, from 2007-2010, to be disbursed to six eligible Outer Continental Shelf oil and gas producing states – Alabama, Alaska, California, Louisiana, Mississippi and Texas.

Contact: BOEMRE Public Affairs