(BILOXI, Miss.) – The Department of Marine Resources (DMR) along with the Mississippi Department of Environmental Quality (MDEQ) hosted Mississippi House of Representatives Speaker Billy McCoy (Rienzi) and Speaker Pro Tempore J.P. Compretta (Bay St. Louis) Tuesday on a boat tour of preparations in advance of the possible landfall of potential impacts from the Deepwater Horizon incident. Representative Diane Peranich (Pass Christian) joined the group prior to departure.

“I am confident our state agencies are on top of this situation and are doing all they can to ensure as little damage to our natural resources as possible. As everyone on the Coast knows, our citizens are resilient and will get through this ordeal as we did Hurricane Katrina. We all hope things will turn out for the best,” said Representative Compretta.

“We appreciate the interest and support of Speaker McCoy, Representative Compretta, and Representative Peranich in our activities on the Coast. DMR and MDEQ have been working closely together in a spirit of cooperation for our citizens and our state’s natural resources,” said MDEQ Executive Director Trudy Fisher.

Pictured left to right: Trudy Fisher, MDEQ Executive Director, Representative J.P. Compretta, Speaker Billy McCoy, Representative Diane Peranich, and DMR Executive Director Bill Walker.