WASHINGTON - U.S. Senator Roger Wicker, R-Miss., today praised the release of a Record of Decision from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) on the Yazoo Backwater Pumps Project. This decision marks the final step of the environmental review process for the revised pump project, allowing the project to proceed.

"Today is a monumental day for the South Delta. For too long, residents have suffered losses and damages from preventable backwater flooding. The Yazoo Backwater Pumps will bring much-needed relief and certainty,” Wicker said. “I commend the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and the EPA for listening to the voices of so many Delta residents and moving this project forward.”

The Record of Decision signifies that the federal environmental review process required by the National Environmental Policy Act is complete. Upon receiving funding, the USACE can start construction.

Wicker has been a staunch supporter of the Yazoo Backwater Pumps project. The senator has worked with members of the Mississippi congressional delegation, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, and the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to advance a flood control solution.

The Yazoo Backwater Pumps will provide protection for homes, agricultural land, businesses, infrastructure, the environment, and wildlife by reducing flooding in the area.

To read the full Record of Decision, click here.