Moss Point receives federal grant to repair natural gas lines

Federal transportation leaders were in the River City Thursday to announce plans to update natural gas infrastructure in the area.

The City of Moss Point is receiving relief from the U.S Department of Transportation to help modernize the aging and high-risk natural gas pipelines. USDOT Deputy Admin Tristan Brown said, “The first of its kind infrastructure repair upgrade program to keep natural gas pipes safe and to keep the natural gas in the pipe. Right. And this is part of the president’s bipartisan infrastructure law.”

The Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration presented a grant of nearly $400,0000 to eliminate methane emissions through gas pipelines. Mayor Billy Knight said, “This will give us an opportunity to start detecting where those gas leaks are and the next phase will be to help us correct those problems. So, we are excited about getting these funding to be to do that.”

The mayor and residents say the city has suffered from natural gas leaks for years but today is changing the tide for safer infrastructure for the city. “This has been an on-going problem that all of our pipes, all of our city, whether its water and gas, they’re corroding and you have to maintain those things. So, this will give us an opportunity to start that process.”

Moss Point resident Anthony Proctor said, “I can see Moss Point making progress. Our schools are doing better. They get the grades up. And the mayor it’s like the bow of a ship. He’s bringing it around, heading it in the right direction.”

Moss Point resident Loretta Jennings said, “The citizens frequently smell gas, the smell of gas is all over the city. So how good this is for us. We know, we recognize that infrastructure has been in place and little work has been done. So, this speaks volume for our city, just to get started to stop some of those leaks, which might really cause a serious problem. Every citizen in Moss Point is just proud of this day.”