Project Name: Petal Wastewater Infrastructure Improvements
Requested Amount: $4,200,000
Intended Recipient: City of Petal, MS
Recipient Address: 119 W 8th Ave., Petal, MS 39465
Request Explanation: The City of Petal, home to over 11,000 residents, faces an urgent risk of environmental and humanitarian disaster due to aging wastewater infrastructure. This project will provide critical upgrades to protect citizens and the Leaf River, a vital waterway in southeast Mississippi enjoyed by communities and essential to the local ecosystem. Petal’s current system was installed in 1985 after a U.S. Army Corps of Engineers study led to the closure of its lagoon. A 16-inch pipe beneath the Leaf River was constructed to carry untreated wastewater to Hattiesburg for treatment. This 40-year-old pipe remains the only conduit for all of Petal’s untreated wastewater. Its condition is unknown due to the inability to pause flow for inspection. Experts estimate its lifespan is 40–50 years—an alarming threshold Petal is now reaching. Failure of this system would force 11,000 residents, 4,400 schoolchildren, and local businesses to operate without wastewater services, while untreated waste could leak into the Leaf River—causing widespread environmental and public health harm. Without redundancy, Petal cannot inspect, repair, or safely grow. This project will install two new pipes under the Leaf River (each with full carrying capacity), a new wet well, upgraded lift station, and a grit chamber. These improvements will provide a safe, reliable, and redundant wastewater system, reduce sewer overflows, support economic growth, and protect U.S. waters. Petal’s population has nearly doubled since 1985, increasing pressure on the current system. A major failure would not only cripple Petal’s infrastructure but threaten water quality across southeast Mississippi. Investing in this solution now ensures long-term protection, public safety, and economic opportunity for the region.
Financial Disclosure Statement
Project Name: Enhancement of Jackson County Public Safety Equipment and Technology
Requested Amount: $1,919,422
Intended Recipient: Jackson County Sheriff's Office/Pascagoula Police Department
Recipient Address: 2915 Canty Street, Pascagoula, MS 39567
Request Explanation: The funding would be used for safety and equipment upgrades for Jackson County to be distributed to law enforcement officers within the Jackson County Sheriff’s Department and the Pascagoula Police Department. These critical public safety investments would bolster the departments’ ability to serve and protect their community.
Financial Disclosure Statement
Project Name: The Napier School of Design and Building Arts
Requested Amount: $ 3,000,000
Intended Recipient: Jones County Junior College
Recipient Address: 900 South Court Street, Ellisville, MS 39437
Request Explanation: The expansion of Jones County Junior College’s Ellisville campus introduces the Napier School of Design and Building Arts. This trade school, dedicated to construction and design, will annually prepare 200 graduates for high-demand jobs across Mississippi and beyond, with each expected to earn an average salary of$40,000, contributing about $8 million yearly to the economy. The Napier School will not only equip students with essential skills but also engage them in projects aimed at revitalizing Ellisville, Mississippi, and small towns across Jones College’s district. This initiative, serving as a blueprint for community development, promises to drive sustainable growth and revitalize rural areas in Mississippi and the southeastern U.S.
Financial Disclosure Statement
Project Name: Coastal Railroad Rehabilitation and Velocity Improvement Project
Requested Amount: $ 9,000,000
Intended Recipient: George County Board of Supervisors
Recipient Address: 5177 Main Street, Lucedale, MS 39452
Request Explanation: The Coastal Railroad Rehabilitation and Velocity Improvement Project will increase train velocity and freight movement on the Mississippi Export Railroad’s (MSE) mainline in George and Jackson Counties by hardening 42 miles of track, constructing 20 miles of sidings and storage tracks, and upgrading sub-ballast conditions over 35 miles. The project also includes enhancements to a nearby barge dock to expand transloading capacity. The MSE mainline, over 100 years old, has suffered wear from heavy use and repeated damage from hurricanes Katrina, Nate, Sally, Zeta, and Ida. These conditions have caused drainage issues and excessive maintenance, which continue to slow freight movement. This project will modernize infrastructure, reduce delays, and significantly improve import/export flow through the Port of Pascagoula, strengthening regional and national freight capacity. The estimated total cost is $15 million, with substantial private investment from MSE and other partners. Preliminary engineering and planning are complete, and no significant regulatory or environmental delays are anticipated. With funding, the project is expected to be completed within 10–12 months. This investment will bolster the freight network in South Mississippi, support the Port of Pascagoula’s operations, and increase the region’s economic competitiveness. It will create short-term construction jobs for George County residents and other Mississippians and help preserve long-term employment for workers at the Port, George County Industrial Park, and the Evaston Rail Yard—critical hubs of Mississippi’s freight economy. By enhancing rail infrastructure, the project ensures safer, faster, and more efficient freight movement while supporting economic development, job creation, and resilience in the face of future natural disasters.
Financial Disclosure Statement
Project Name: PRCC Road Infrastructure Project
Requested Amount: $4,951,000
Intended Recipient: Pearl River Community College
Recipient Address: 101 Highway 11 North, Poplarville, MS 39470
Request Explanation: Pearl River Community College is requesting support for a road construction and paving project located on the Poplarville campus. This project will include building new roads and repairing some existing ones that intersect with the new construction, while enhancing the safety and accessibility of our campus. This road construction project will provide safe access to existing facilities, while also securing access to sites identified for future new construction.
Financial Disclosure Statement
Project Name: Perry County Street Rehabilitation
Requested Amount: $6,000,000
Intended Recipient: Perry County Board of Supervisors
Recipient Address: P.O Box 345, New Augusta, MS 3942-0345
Request Explanation: Perry County requests funding for Buck Creek Road, East Bond Road, and Cochran Road. On each project there will be installation of hot mix asphalt and thermoplastic striping. One of the roads will require widening the paved surface and trench widening. Each of these roads is vital to the county and are needed to sustain commercial and residential traffic including the largest industry in the county, Leaf River Koch Cellulose.
Financial Disclosure Statement
Project Name: Lincoln Road Phase 2
Requested Amount: $5,312,500
Intended Recipient: Lamar County Board of Supervisors
Recipient Address: 402 Pecan Street, Purvis, MS 39475
Request Explanation: The scope of the project is to update and improve 1.1 mile of Lincoln Road that extends from the Oak Grove Road intersection to Lamar Blvd. This project will provide safety for the increased traffic flow and will complete a 30-year project, connecting Highway 98 with Highway 49, making a major corridor for the area.
Financial Disclosure Statement
Project Name: Hall Street Widening
Requested Amount: $5,000,000
Intended Recipient: City of Wiggins, MS
Recipient Address: 117 North First Street, Wiggins, MS 39577
Request Explanation: Hall Street is a major two-lane commercial corridor in Wiggins, which spurred 60% of job growth between 2017 and 2021 and an additional $1M in proposed new development in 2023. The corridor has an estimated traffic count of 2,800 vehicles per day, with the expectation of exceeding 3,500 in the next 20 years. The city is proposing to widen Hall Street to include a two-way left turn lane, lighting, sidewalks, and subsurface drainage to continue economic growth along this corridor.
Financial Disclosure Statement
Project Name: Popps Ferry Road Extension from Hwy 90 to Pass Road
Requested Amount: $5,000,000
Intended Recipient: City of Biloxi, MS
Recipient Address: P.O. Box 429, Biloxi, MS 39530
Request Explanation: Popps Ferry Road Extension from Hwy 90 to Pass Road has been strategically identified as a vital component in the long-range advancements of the Gulf Regional Planning Commission (GRPC) and Mississippi Department of Transportation (MDOT). The roadways surrounding the planned Popps Ferry Road connector have surpassed their intended capacity, with congestion resulting in millions of dollars spent due to increased travel times, vehicle operation costs, and greenhouse gas emissions. Additionally, this extension will create a second evacuation route for the citizens of Biloxi with this road connecting Hwy 90 with Interstate 10. This project is listed in the STIP and is being administered by the City of Biloxi.
Financial Disclosure Statement
Project Name: USACE Feasibility Study to Deepen and Widen the Navigation Channel at Gulfport Harbor, MS
Requested Amount: $1,250,000
Intended Recipient: Mississippi State Port Authority of Gulfport
Recipient Address: P.O. Box 2288 Mobile, AL 36628
Request Explanation: A deeper and wider channel would have an impact on the economy in Mississippi. Bigger ships would bring more cargo which would demand more labor and create jobs. A deeper channel would make the port more attractive to shipping companies and terminal operators wishing to expand their footprint and reach. Currently, Mississippi companies are limited in where they may export their goods from the Port of Gulfport. A deeper channel increases the likelihood of ships coming to Mississippi from Europe and the far East, potentially opening up the globe to Mississippi exporters. Finally, a deeper and wider channel would expand the Port’s capabilities as a Commercial Strategic Seaport, thereby strengthening national security.
Financial Disclosure Statement
Project Name: Kiln Waveland Cutoff Road Safety Improvements
Requested Amount: $3,679,510
Intended Recipient: City of Waveland, MS
Recipient Address: 301 Coleman Avenue, Waveland, MS 39576
Request Explanation: Currently serving as a critical evacuation route for City of Waveland residents, the 1.5 mile stretch of Kiln Waveland Cutoff Road links Hwy 90 and Hwy 603 and Interstate 10. This road experiences frequent flooding during storms and can cause delays in travel and hinders emergency response times. This road is one of the most traveled roads in Waveland and is Functionally Classified by Gulf Regional Planning Commission as a Major Collector Road. Approximately 7,110 vehicles use this road daily. The proposed project entails multiple flooding remediation measures, such as removing, replacing, and upgrading ditches and drainage culverts to alleviate flooding issues. Improvements will include improved signage, stripping, and pedestrian access connecting from Waveland Ave., and addressing utility needs. This road would also increase access to a low-income area that could benefit from increased development.
Financial Disclosure Statement
Project Name: Eagle One Mega Site Water Infrastructure Improvements
Requested Amount: $3,000,000
Intended Recipient: Forrest-Lamar Alliance
Recipient Address: One Convention Center Plaza, Hattiesburg, MS 39401
Request Explanation: This project will fund water infrastructure and site development improvements at the Eagle One Mega Site (“Eagle One”), located in Forrest and Lamar Counties in south Mississippi. Eagle One offers unmatched economic development potential in the state and could have a transformative impact on the Hattiesburg Metropolitan Statistical Area (“Hattiesburg MSA”)—a key regional hub between Jackson and the Mississippi Gulf Coast. Investing in Eagle One unlocks major opportunities for the Pine Belt region. This request supports potable and grey water infrastructure, including a 2.5-million-gallon elevated storage tank, two 500-gallon-per-minute wells, and a water treatment plant that will address aeration, pH, and iron levels. These upgrades will resolve “speed to market” challenges and position the site to attract large-scale industrial users capable of creating thousands of jobs, particularly for low- and moderate-income Mississippians. Studies show that Eagle One can support employers who draw workers from within a 60-mile radius. The Hattiesburg MSA already supports key workforce drivers. The City of Hattiesburg is home to the University of Southern Mississippi, William Carey University, and Pearl River Community College. It also includes Camp Shelby Joint Forces Training Center, the largest military training site owned by a state in the United States. In addition, the city is supported by major healthcare institutions such as Forrest General Hospital, Merit Health Wesley, and Hattiesburg Clinic. Despite these strengths, the U.S. Census Bureau reports that 30.4 percent of Hattiesburg’s population lives in poverty, compared to 11.1 percent nationally. Experts agree that the missing economic pillar in the Hattiesburg MSA is large-scale industrial employment. Eagle One represents the best opportunity to deliver that pillar and bring long-term prosperity to the region.
Financial Disclosure Statement
Project Name: Edwards Street Reconstruction
Requested Amount: $3,000,000
Intended Recipient: City of Hattiesburg, MS
Recipient Address: 200 Forest Street, Hattiesburg, MS 39401
Request Explanation: Reconstruction of Edwards Street between Tuscan Avenue and James Street to include landscape medians, drainage improvements, replacing the curb and gutter, 8’ sidewalk on the west side, 5’ sidewalk on the east side, replacing driveways, keeping the existing pavement (except where necessary for removal for medians, drainage, etc.), asphalt, striping, signs, and lighting.
Financial Disclosure Statement
Project Name: Geospatial Science for Disaster and Emergency Management (GeoDEM)
Requested Amount: $1,425,000
Intended Recipient: University of Southern Mississippi
Recipient Address: 118 College Drive, Hattiesburg, MS 39406
Request Explanation: The GeoDEM program will create a partnership between the University of Southern Mississippi’s Gulf Coast Geospatial Center and the School of Construction and Design to strengthen disaster mitigation and resilience across Mississippi. Research, data, web tools, and educational materials will support infrastructure and community development that is more resilient to disasters, better planned, economically sustainable, and cost-effective in response. The program’s specific goals are to: Expand local-level disaster risk quantification methods. Deploy web tools to visualize community-level risk. Engage local governments to share risk data and support mitigation strategies. Provide updated aerial LiDAR coverage of the Mississippi Coastal Zone for elevation, vegetation, structure, and shoreline mapping. Research disaster monitoring methods using 5G, UAVs, and AI to assess flood extent and infrastructure damage in real time. Improve post-disaster recovery by researching UAV, LiDAR, and photogrammetry-based debris quantification and removal methods. Optimize evacuation and egress planning using geospatial analysis. The program will leverage public remote sensing data, the Mississippi Real-Time Network (rtn.usm.edu), and precise GNSS, aerial, UAS, and satellite imagery to enable fine-scale hazard analysis and actionable disaster management insights.
Financial Disclosure Statement
Project Name: Petal School District Herrington Road Expansion
Requested Amount: $1,900,000
Intended Recipient: City of Petal, MS
Recipient Address: 119 W. 8th Ave., Petal, MS 39465
Request Explanation: The funding would be used to complete the final phase of a four-lane road expansion in front of the new Petal Elementary School located on Herrington Road. The project is an appropriate use of taxpayer funds because these initiatives would improve accessibility and ease traffic flow, while allowing the Petal School District to focus more of its local resources on strengthening academic programs and supporting instructional priorities.
Financial Disclosure Statement
