Summary of Meeting Held March 9, 2021
Prepared By Brunini, Grantham, Grower & Hewes, PLLC
The Mississippi Environmental Quality Permit Board (“Board”) convened at 9:00 a.m. on March 9, 2021. This meeting was held through a telephone conference call and the public was invited to listen to the deliberations of the Board. The Board first approved minutes from the previous meeting held on February 9, 2021 and the non-controversial actions/ certifications completed by the staff since the February meeting. Then, following a prepared agenda, the Board considered items as follows:
OFFICE OF GEOLOGY
Ron Porter (MDEQ Office of Geology, Mining and Reclamation) presented the MDEQ Staff’s recommendations and Board approved the following:
Surface Mining Bond Releases
| Permittee | County | Permit | Staff Recommendation |
| Eutaw Construction Company, Inc. | Itawamba | P20-006 | Initial 90% |
| Lakeland Terrace, LLC | Rankin | P02-009A | Initial 70% |
OFFICE OF POLLUTION CONTROL
Wilco Properties, Cypress Creek Plantation, Olive Branch, DeSoto County, Mississippi
Staff presented the Buffer Zone Variance for Permit No. MS0050962. Opposition to the proposed variance was expressed by persons present at the meeting, and the Board decided to table the matter until the next meeting.
Other Business
Hearing on Gold Coast Commodities, Inc.’s (“Gold Coast”) Good Cause on Motion to Continue and to Stay Evidentiary Hearing regarding the revocation of Gold Coast’s State Operating Permit NO. MSU218003, Rankin County.
After hearing arguments from the attorney representing Gold Coast Commodities and from Roy Furrh, MDEQ Chief Counsel, the Board voted unanimously to deny the request of Gold Coast to delay an evidentiary hearing scheduled for next month concerning Gold Coast’s objections to revocation in November of a wastewater permit for the Gold Coast facility.
The next Permit Board meeting will be held on April 13, 2021, at 9 a.m.
This Newsletter is a publication of the Environmental Practice Group of the law firm of Brunini, Grantham, Grower & Hewes located in Jackson, Mississippi. This Newsletter is not designed or intended to provide legal or professional advice, as any such advice requires the consideration of the facts of the specific situation.
If you have any questions concerning the content of a newsletter, or if you would like further information about the matters addressed in a newsletter, please contact John Milner, the Brunini Firm Environmental Practice Group leader, at jmilner@brunini.com or (601) 960-6842.