May 7, 2010
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Mississippi Department of Environmental Quality
Mississippi Department of Marine Resources Contacts: Robbie Wilbur, MDEQ, 601-421-5699
Lauren Thompson, DMR, 228-219-5226,
LOCATIONS FOR MAY 8 COASTWIDE VOLUNTEER BEACH CLEANUP
Prepare to protect Mississippi’s beaches, help keep them clean!
(BILOXI, Miss.) – The Mississippi Department of Environmental Quality (MDEQ), the Department of Marine Resources (DMR), and the Mississippi Emergency Management Agency (MEMA) are leading a coastwide beach cleanup day from western Hancock County to the east side of Jackson County this Saturday, May 8, from 8:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. Each county is designating meeting points for volunteers to sign in and to pass out trash bags and gloves. Volunteers should arrive by 8 a.m. at one of these locations. The meeting points are posted on the MDEQ, DMR and MEMA websites. Volunteers will be directed to cover specific areas near the sign-in station. Safety guidelines will be posted and should be followed. Protection of Mississippi’s beaches starts with keeping them clean.
Pre-impact beach cleanup is essential to aid in remediation should any material from the spill in the Gulf reach Mississippi’s coastal beaches. Removing trash, vegetative debris, and other waste reduces the amount of potentially contaminated material, remediation time, cost of post-impact cleanup, and human exposure to possibly harmful material.
The beach cleanup is open to everyone. Groups and families are welcome. There are no age restrictions; however, parents must accompany children and are responsible for them.
SIGN-IN LOCATIONS FOR MAY 8 VOLUNTEER BEACH CLEANUP
HANCOCK COUNTY
Bay Waveland Yacht Club, Beach Blvd, Bay St. Louis
Washington St. Pier, Beach Blvd, Bay St. Louis
Garfield Lander (Waveland) Pier, Coleman Ave and Beach Blvd, Waveland
Buccaneer State Park, Beach Blvd, Waveland
HARRISON COUNTY
Pass Christian West Harbor (near Shaggy’s Restaurant).
Long Beach Harbor
Gulfport – Ken Combs Pier at Courthouse Rd
Biloxi Small Craft Harbor
JACKSON COUNTY
Belfontaine Beach, Ocean Springs
Ft. Maurepas Beach, Ocean Springs
The Point (boat launch), end of Beach Blvd, Pascagoula
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