WASHINGTON – U.S. Senators Roger Wicker, R-Miss., and Cindy Hyde-Smith, R-Miss., and U.S. Congressman Mike Ezell, R-Miss., today welcomed the distribution of more than $51.8 million to the State of Mississippi and its three Gulf Coast counties for coastal conservation, restoration, and hazard mitigation activities.

The funding represents Mississippi’s share of revenues generated through the Gulf of Mexico Energy Security Act (GOMESA). The State of Mississippi will receive $41,470,571 in FY2022 funding, with another $4,321,386 for Jackson County, $4,082,132 for Harrison County, and $1,964,124 for Hancock County.

“Oil and gas production in the Gulf of Mexico not only boosts American energy independence but also helps support important investments along the Gulf Coast,” Wicker said. “I will continue supporting efforts to improve the program and expand American energy production.”

“As we know, Mississippi is no stranger to natural disasters. GOMESA revenues do much to not only shore up our coast with hurricane protection programs, but it also supports infrastructure, coastal conservation and restoration projects,” said Hyde Smith, who serves on the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee. “I will continue to fight for offshore oil and gas production to ensure Mississippi can reap the deserved benefits of this revenue sharing program.”

“Domestic energy production is a critical part of both our national security and Mississippi’s coastal resilience,” Ezell said. “We must ensure that GOMESA revenues grow by cutting bureaucratic red tape and pushing back against President Biden’s war on American energy.”

The U.S. Department of the Interior administers the GOMESA revenue sharing program that provides funding to Mississippi, Louisiana, Alabama, and Texas based on qualified offshore oil and gas leasing revenues. In all, the Interior Department distributed more than $353 million in FY2022 revenue-sharing receipts to the four states.

According to the Interior Department, more than $1.65 billion has been distributed to the four coastal states since GOMESA was enacted. The law also directs a portion of revenue to the Land and Water Conservation Fund.