PUBLIC NOTICE OF SPECIAL WAIVER PROPOSAL BY MS DEPARTMENT OF MARINE RESOURCES The Mississippi Department of Marine Resources (MDMR) is proposing the renewal of a special Certificate of Waiver which would authorize minor impacts associated with the construction of Living Shorelines (LS) and Alternative Bulkhead Designs (ABD), including structures and discharges of dredged or fill material into Waters of the State located within the Coastal Zone. An LS or ABD has a footprint that is made up mostly of native material and incorporates vegetation or other living, natural elements alone of in combination with some type of harder shoreline structure, such as oyster reefs or rock sills, for added protection and stability. Approved projects would be required to maintain the natural continuity of the land-water interface, retain or enhance shoreline ecological processes, and have a substantial biological component. The draft proposed Certificate of Waiver, including the specific conditions and limitations approved projects would be required to meet, can be found on MDMR's website at http://dmr.ms.gov/index.php/coastal-resources-management/wetland-permitting. A copy can also be mailed upon request. The proposed conditions include, but are not limited to: The structures and fill area cannot extend into the waterbody more than 35 feet from the OHWM [Ordinary High Water Mark] or more than 25% of the distance across the waterbody,The activity is no more than 500 feet in length along the bank,Native plants must be used if the site is planted,The project area must be monitored for invasive species and any that are found must be removed,All constructed shorelines must be marked in accordance with United States Coast Guard standards,Shoreline accretion resulting from authorized activities shall not result in a change in property boundaries, andThe Waiver would not authorize beach renourishment, land reclamation, groins, jetties, solid structures roughly perpendicular to the shoreline or bank, hazards to navigation, or use of chemically treated or processed lumber. The Executive Director of the Department of Marine Resources will decide whether to approve this proposed Certificate of Waiver. Approval will include approval of a variance to MDMR's Requirements for Regulated Activities, specifically to the portion of 22 Miss. Admin. Code, Part 23 which states, "Permanent filling of coastal wetlands below the OHWM is not authorized" provided that the applicant adheres to the conditions specified. Any person wishing to make comments on or objections to the proposed special Certificate of Waiver must submit those comments in writing to the Department of Marine Resources, Attn: Willa Brantley by mail to 1141 Bayview Avenue, Biloxi, Mississippi 39530; by fax to 228-374-5008; or by email to willa.brantley@dmr.ms.gov before 1:00 p.m. on the day August 22, 2025. IPL0259740 Aug 3,10,17 2025