The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE), Vicksburg District, has announced a 15-day extension of the public comment period for the draft Environmental Impact Statement (DEIS) related to the Yazoo Backwater Area Management Project. Originally set to conclude on Aug. 12, the new deadline for submitting comments is now Aug. 27.

After numerous requests to extend the public comment period, the Assistant Secretary of the Army for Civil Works (ASA-CW) Michael Connor has determined that a 15-day extension for public comment on the Yazoo Backwater DEIS is warranted, USACE officials said. 

“The importance of this project and its profound local impacts justify the need for additional time to receive input from the community and other interested stakeholders.”

The DEIS, the Commander’s Report, and videos from the in-person public meetings can be accessed online at https://www.mvk.usace.army.mil/Missions/Programs-and-Project-Management/Yazoo-Backwater/. The public is encouraged to review these documents thoroughly and submit comments by the revised deadline, USACE officials said. Instructions on how to submit comments may also be found at the site.

The USACE Vicksburg District is engineering solutions to the nation’s toughest challenges. The Vicksburg District encompasses a 68,000-square-mile area across portions of Mississippi, Arkansas, and Louisiana, that holds nine major river basins and incorporates approximately 460 miles of mainline Mississippi River levees. The Vicksburg District is engaged in hundreds of projects and employs approximately 1,100 personnel.