MEMA awards LEPC grants

ACROSS MISSISSIPPI — The Mississippi Emergency Management Agency has awarded Local Emergency Planning Committee (LEPC) grants to 27 Mississippi counties and the Mississippi Band of Choctaw Indians (MBCI). The grants will assist the LEPCs in each county with emergency preparedness, response and public education about hazardous materials.

The funds are provided by the U.S. Department of Transportation through the Hazardous Material Emergency Preparedness Grant program. These grant funds can be used to supplement salaries, travel, education and outreach, exercises as well as for purchasing equipment.

LEPC grants were awarded to the counties of Clay ($4,490), Marion ($1,000), Copiah ($8,250), Covington ($7,250), Oktibbeha ($5,000), DeSoto ($4,200), Panola ($4,500), Forrest ($4,000), Pontotoc ($3,500), George ($2,250), Rankin ($3,000), Itawamba ($1,000), Scott ($4,250), Jackson ($3,000), Tallahatchie ($5,550), Jefferson Davis ($6,250), Tate ($1,600), Lauderdale ($5,500), Tunica ($4,000), Lawrence ($6,350), Warren ($5,750), Leake ($2,500), Wayne ($4,550), Leflore ($4,750), Webster ($4,250), Lowndes ($2,300) and Yazoo ($5,050).

The MBCI will receive $4,250.

The total grant award is $118,340 going to the local counties. Mississippi currently has 49 active LEPCs.