ROLLING FORK, Miss.–The Yazoo Backwater Pumps project is a go in one regard, but not necessarily in others. Money has been allocated for the planning and design of the project and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers has signed off on it. But, the capabilities of the Corps to move forward with the project may be in a gray area.
“With the work plan funding, with the engineering pre-construction work we’re doing right now, I don’t really know what our capability is concretely for ’26,” said Lt. Gen William H. Graham, chief engineer for the U.S. Army Corps, when questioned Wednesday by Sen. Cindy Hyde-Smith.
Her concern is getting the project underway. But, that depends on two things: The capabilities of the Army Corps, and funding from Congress.
The money that has already been set aside is for most of the preliminary work.
“Wildlife and habitat will be better off for this project, aquatic resources will be better off…water quality will be better off…Everything is positive here. Everything will be better off,” said the senator in reviewing the EPA findings in the latest study.
The pumps have been in the works since the 1940s, but before approval from the Army Corps recently, had been held up for a variety of reasons, including EPA findings under Democratic administrations.
