MS Soil and Water Conservation Commission; authorize to construct and maintain levee system along the Yazoo River.

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To: Energy
MISSISSIPPI LEGISLATURE REGULAR SESSION 2026

By: Representatives Ford (54th), Clark,
James-Jones

COMMITTEE SUBSTITUTE
FOR
HOUSE BILL NO. 1041

AN ACT TO AUTHORIZE THE MISSISSIPPI SOIL AND WATER 1
CONSERVATION COMMISSION TO CONSTRUCT AND MAINTAIN A LEVEE SYSTEM 2
ALONG THE YAZOO RIVER, WITHIN YAZOO COUNTY, AND TO PERFORM 3
NECESSARY ACTIVITIES RELATED TO SUCH CONSTRUCTION AND MAINTENANCE 4
OR TO CEDE SUCH MAINTENANCE AND MANAGEMENT TO THE FEDERAL 5
GOVERNMENT; TO AMEND SECTION 69-27-13, MISSISSIPPI CODE OF 1972, 6
WHICH RELATES TO THE POWERS AND DUTIES OF THE MISSISSIPPI SOIL AND 7
WATER CONSERVATION COMMISSION, TO CONFORM TO THE PROVISIONS OF 8
THIS ACT; AND FOR RELATED PURPOSES. 9
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MISSISSIPPI: 10
SECTION 1. (1) As used in this act, the following terms 11
have the meanings as defined in this section unless the context 12
clearly indicates otherwise: 13
(a) "Commission" means the Mississippi Soil and Water 14
Conservation Commission. 15
(b) "Levee project" means a levee system bordering 16
portions of the Yazoo River, within Yazoo County, and funded by 17
Federal grants and/or appropriations. 18
(c) "Political subdivision" means any agency, board, 19
department or commission of the State of Mississippi or of the 20
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Federal government, and any political subdivision of the State of 21
Mississippi. 22
(2) The Commission shall be authorized to construct a levee 23
project and perform, without limitation, all necessary 24
construction, pre-construction and design activities, including 25
environmental mitigation activities and right of way acquisition. 26
(3) The Commission shall be authorized to enter into 27
contracts with public and private entities, as it deems necessary, 28
to carry out the purposes of this section. 29
(4) The authority granted under this section shall be 30
construed liberally to authorize the performance of any and all 31
activities necessary to construct the levee project. 32
(5) The Commission shall be authorized to maintain the levee 33
project and to contract with one or more political subdivisions 34
for such maintenance for a period not to exceed ninety-nine (99) 35
years and shall further have power to cede all rights of way and 36
levees and the maintenance, management and control thereof to the 37
federal government. A political subdivision may provide funding 38
to defray the cost to maintain the Levee Project. 39
SECTION 2. Section 69-27-13, Mississippi Code of 1972, is 40
amended as follows: 41
69-27-13. The State Soil and Water Conservation Commission 42
shall have the following duties and powers: 43
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(a) To offer any assistance as may be appropriate to 44
the commissioners of soil and water conservation districts in the 45
carrying out of their powers and programs. 46
(b) To keep the commissioners of each of the districts 47
informed of the activities and experience of all other districts, 48
and to facilitate cooperation between districts. 49
(c) To coordinate the programs of the soil and water 50
conservation districts. 51
(d) To secure the cooperation and assistance of the 52
United States and any of its agencies and of agencies of this 53
state in the work of the districts. 54
(e) To disseminate information concerning the 55
activities and programs of the soil and water conservation 56
districts, and to encourage the formation of districts. 57
(f) To seek and receive grants of monies, and other 58
assets, from any source to carry out this article. 59
(g) To distribute any appropriated or other funds or 60
assets under its control, from state, federal or other 61
governmental agencies or political subdivisions, or from private 62
grants, including matching funds to districts. 63
(h) To establish and administer qualification standards 64
for district commissioners and officers. 65
(i) To give guidance and overall supervision to 66
districts when assistance is requested, or acceptable. 67
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(j) To study, classify and evaluate land use needs and 68
problems in the State of Mississippi; to make recommendations 69
leading to adoption of land use policy and broad guidelines for 70
meeting the needs and problems so identified. 71
(k) To demonstrate to landowners and operators within 72
the state, equipment that will demonstrate energy and soil and 73
water conservation. 74
(l) To enter into and to authorize the executive 75
director to execute with the approval of the commission, 76
contracts, grants, cooperative agreements and memoranda of 77
understanding with any federal or state agency or subdivision 78
thereof, or any public or private institution location inside or 79
outside the State of Mississippi, or any person, corporation or 80
association in connection with carrying out the purposes of this 81
article. 82
(m) To cooperate with the Commission on Environmental 83
Quality in addressing agricultural nonpoint source pollution. 84
Subject to Section 49-17-13, Mississippi Code of 1972, the 85
Commission on Environmental Quality and the commission shall enter 86
into a memorandum of understanding which shall establish the 87
commission's role in nonpoint source pollution issues. 88
(n) To construct a levee project and to perform and 89
enter into contracts to perform related construction and design 90
activities as provided in Section 1 of this act. 91
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ST: MS Soil and Water Conservation Commission;
authorize to construct and maintain levee system
along the Yazoo River.
SECTION 3. This act shall take effect and be in force from 92
and after its passage. 93