Mississippi River Commission to conduct public hearings during annual high water inspection trip

VICKSBURG, Miss. -- The Mississippi River Commission will host a series of four public hearings during its annual high-water inspection trip along the Mississippi River, March 30 - April 4.

The hearings, which will be conducted aboard Motor Vessel Mississippi in towns along the river, bring together residents, stakeholders, and community members to present their views and share ideas about challenges and opportunities facing the river system.

The hearing dates, times and locations are as follows:

• March 31 9:00 a.m. – 12:30 p.m. Tiptonville, TN. (Park Landing)
• April 1 9:00 a.m. – 12:30 p.m. Helena, TN. (Helena Marine Service)
• April 2 9:00 a.m. – 12:30 p.m. Lake Providence, LA. (Lake Providence Port)
• April 4 9:00 a.m. – 12:30 p.m. New Orleans, LA. (Corps of Engineers Dock)

All hearings are open to the public and will provide a platform for community members to hear directly from the Mississippi River Commission and engage in discussions about the river. During each hearing, the commission’s president will provide a summary report on national and regional issues affecting the U.S. ArmyCorps of Engineers and commission programs and projects on the Mississippi River and its tributaries. Interested parties are invited to present their views on matters affecting the water resources infrastructure
needs in the valley, including flood control, the Mississippi River and Tributaries project, and other water resources challenges.

The Mississippi River Commission, established in 1879, is composed of seven members, each nominated by the President of the United States and vetted by the Senate. The authority of the commission extends the entire length of the Mississippi River from its headwaters at Lake Itasca, Minnesota, to Head of Passes, Louisiana, where the Mississippi River empties into the Gulf of America.

The public hearing process is unique to the Mississippi River Commission and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. The hearings maintain a dialogue between watershed interests, the public and the Corps. The Mississippi River Commission brings engineering representation to the drainage basin, which impacts 41percent of the United States and includes 1.25 million square miles, over 250 tributaries, 31 states and two Canadian provinces.

For more information, contact the MRC administrative officer at 601-634-5768 or email contact, MRC@usace.army.mil.

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