Title 49, Conservation and Ecology

All bonds (other than refunding bonds, interim notes and certificates of indebtedness, which may be validated) issued pursuant to this act shall be validated as now provided by law in Sections 31-13-1 through 31-13-11, Mississippi Code of 1972; however, notice of such validation …

Bonds issued under the provisions of this act shall not be deemed to constitute, within the meaning of any constitutional or statutory limitation, an indebtedness of the county authority. Such bonds shall be payable solely from the revenues or assets of the county authority pledg…

(a) The county authority shall have power in connection with the issuance of its bonds pursuant to this act to:(a) Covenant as to the use of any or all of its property, real or personal;(b) Redeem the bonds, to covenant for their redemption and to provide the terms and conditions…

The county authority may, in any authorizing resolution of the board of directors, trust indenture or other security instrument relating to its bonds issued pursuant to this act, provide for the appointment of a trustee who shall have such powers as are provided therein to repres…

(1) The exercise of the powers granted by this act will be in all respects for the benefit of the people of the state, for their well-being and prosperity and for the improvement of their social and economic conditions, and the county authority shall not be required to pay any ta…

All bonds issued under the provisions of this act shall be legal investments for trustees, other fiduciaries, savings banks, trust companies and insurance companies organized under the laws of the State of Mississippi; and such bonds shall be legal securities which may be deposit…

The three (3) commissioners from the State of Mississippi shall be authorized to do any and all things necessary in order to effectuate the terms and provisions of the compact contained herein and Sections 49-17-71 through 49-17-77 shall be entitled to a liberal interpretation in…

The state hereby covenants with the registered owners of any bonds of any county authority that so long as the bonds are outstanding and unpaid the state will not limit or alter the rights and powers of any county authority under this act to conduct the activities referred to her…

(a) For the purposes of satisfying any temporary cash flow demands and deficiencies, and to maintain a working balance for the county authority, the county, municipalities or public agencies within the geographic boundaries of the county authority, or other persons, subject to th…

If any clause, sentence, paragraph, section or part of the provisions of this act shall be adjudged by any court of competent jurisdiction to be invalid, such judgment shall not affect, impair or invalidate the remainder thereof directly involved in the controversy in which such …

Sections 49-17-801 through 49-17-811 shall be known and may be cited as the “Wastewater Treatment System Infrastructure Sustainability Act”.

(a) For purposes of Sections 49-17-801 through 49-17-811, the following words and phrases have the meanings as provided in this section unless the context clearly indicates otherwise:(a) “Community Public Wastewater System” means a public wastewater collection and/or treatment sy…

(a) There is hereby established a Community Public Wastewater System accountability process to:(a) Support Community Public Wastewater System infrastructure sustainability for the citizens of Mississippi.(b) Promote the protection of the citizens of Mississippi from environmental…

The department shall create and administer a statewide framework of accountability for Community Public Wastewater Systems. The framework shall include a letter grade schedule based on, at minimum, compliance with state and federal permits, operation and maintenance performance h…

(1) The commission shall promulgate rules and regulations to establish and implement the Community Public Wastewater System letter grade schedule provided for in Sections 49-17-801 through 49-17-811. Such rules and regulations shall provide clear and appropriate point values for …

Sections 49-17-81 through 49-17-89 shall be known and cited as the “Mississippi Water Pollution Control Revolving Fund and Emergency Loan Fund Act.”

The department shall publish the first letter grades issued pursuant to Sections 49-17-801 through 49-17-811 no later than January 1, 2028.

For purposes of Sections 41-26-201 through 41-26-211 and Sections 49-17-801 through 49-17-811, notwithstanding any provisions to the contrary in Chapter 3 to Title 77 of the Mississippi Code, during any period a Community Public Water System or Community Public Wastewater System …

The assessment, scores and letter grades described in Sections 41-26-201 through 41-26-211 and Sections 49-17-801 through 49-17-811 shall not affect a project’s ranking under the department’s Water Pollution Control Revolving Loan Fund Program established under Section 49-17-85. …

(a) For the purposes of Sections 49-17-81 through 49-17-89, the following words and phrases shall have the meaning ascribed in this section:(a) “Administrator” means the Administrator of the United States Environmental Protection Agency.(b) “Commission” means the Mississippi Comm…

(1) There is established in the State Treasury a fund to be known as the “Water Pollution Control Revolving Fund,” which shall be administered by the commission acting through the department. The revolving fund may receive bond proceeds and funds appropriated or otherwise made av…

(1) (a) There is created a fund in the State Treasury to be designated as the “Water Pollution Control Emergency Loan Fund” hereinafter referred to as “emergency fund.”(b) The emergency fund may receive appropriations, bond proceeds, grants, gifts, donations or funds from any sou…

(1) A political subdivision which receives a loan from the revolving fund or emergency fund is required to and authorized to pledge for the repayment of such loan (a) any part of the sales tax reimbursement to which it may be entitled under Section 27-65-75, and (b) any part of t…

(1) Political subdivisions are hereby authorized to borrow monies under the provisions of Sections 49-17-81 through 49-17-89, to issue municipal securities to evidence such loans, and to enter into such other agreements necessary for such loans and municipal securities on such te…

This chapter may be cited as the Mississippi Liability of Persons Responding to Oil Spills Act.

(a) For the purposes of this chapter the term:(a) “Damages” means damages of any kind for which liability may exist under the laws of this state resulting from, arising out of, or related to the discharge or threatened discharge of oil;(b) “Discharge” means any emission (other th…

(1) Notwithstanding any other provision of law, a person is not liable for removal costs or damages which result from actions taken or omitted to be taken in the course of rendering care, assistance or advice consistent with the National Contingency Plan or as otherwise directed …

(1) There shall be a State Forestry Commission composed of ten (10) members, who shall be qualified electors of the state. The Dean of the School of Forest Resources at Mississippi State University shall be an ex officio member of the commission, with full voting authority. The G…

The State Forestry Commission is hereby authorized to protect intermingled or adjacent state owned lands in the same manner and form as other lands within the state and the expenses thereof may be paid out of any appropriation made to the State Forestry Commission; provided such …

For the purpose of providing assistance to all farm woodland and timber landowners in the state, including private ownership, and to promote the growing, managing and harvesting of timber thereon, and to provide organized forest fire protection in all counties, and to encourage t…

In order to carry out further the program herein authorized, the state forestry commission be and it is hereby authorized to organize, divide or set up forest districts and areas throughout the state, which districts and areas shall be so organized, divided or set up in accordanc…

(1) The boards of supervisors of all counties are hereby directed to levy a special tax to be known as “the forest acreage tax.” Such tax shall be Two Cents (2¢) per acre on all timbered and uncultivatable lands in the county in order to receive the financial and supervisory coop…

(1) All forest acreage taxes assessed and collected by such levy as provided for in Section 49-19-115 shall be remitted to the forest acreage account in the State Treasury and shall be expended by the Forestry Commission as the commission may deem necessary in carrying out the pu…

(1) There is created in the State Treasury a special fund to be known as the Volunteer Fire Department Equipment Conversion Revolving Fund. The revolving fund shall consist of monies received from charges for work and services performed for volunteer fire departments by the commi…

(1) There is created in the State Treasury a special fund to be known as the Camden State Forest Revolving Fund. The revolving fund shall be funded by monies received from timber sales, leases, and any other source, and monies collected from these income sources shall be deposite…

The boards of supervisors of the several counties are hereby authorized, in their discretion, to appropriate and pay to the state forestry commission from the general fund of the county each year a sum of money not exceeding twenty-five per cent of the forest severance tax receiv…

The governor on behalf of this state is hereby authorized to execute a compact, in substantially the following form, with any one or more of the states of Arkansas, Louisiana, Oklahoma, and Texas, and the legislature hereby signifies in advance its approval and ratification of su…

When the governor shall have executed said compact on behalf of this state and shall have caused a verified copy thereof to be filed with the state secretary, and when the compact shall have been ratified by one or more of the states named in Section 49-19-141, then the compact s…

The state forester of Mississippi shall act as “compact administrator” for the State of Mississippi and represent Mississippi in the South Central Interstate Forest Fire Protection Compact. The “advisory committee” shall be composed of four (4) members as follows: (1) One member …

The compact administrator, with the assistance of the advisory committee, shall be authorized to do any and all things necessary in order to effectuate the terms and provisions of the compact contained herein, and Sections 49-19-141 through 49-19-149 shall be entitled to a libera…

Among the other rights and powers conferred by Sections 49-19-141 to 49-19-149, but not limiting the same, is the right and power of this state to go to the assistance of a member state and to accept aid and assistance from a member state, paying therefore under the terms and pro…

The state forestry fund when made available by proper appropriation by the Legislature, shall be expended by the commission in carrying out and enforcing all laws pertaining to the protection of forests as the commission may direct, the vouchers to be drawn and paid as by other d…

The state and county boards of public education are directed to provide for proper courses of instruction by textbooks, or lectures on the general subject of forestry in all the public schools and colleges of this state; and they are further directed to provide for the celebratio…

The governor on behalf of this state is hereby authorized to execute a compact, in substantially the following form, with any one or more of the States of Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, Virginia, and West Virginia, and the legislat…

When the governor shall have executed said compact on behalf of this state and shall have caused a verified copy thereof to be filed with the state secretary, and when the compact shall have been ratified by one or more of the states named in Section 49-19-171, then the compact s…

The state forester of Mississippi shall act as “compact administrator” for the State of Mississippi and represent Mississippi in the Southeastern Interstate Forest Fire Protection Compact. The “advisory committee” shall be composed of four (4) members as follows: (1) One member o…