GOMESA Application Details
- 1. Title of Project
- Fixed Laboratory Equipment for Phase I of the Northern Gulf Aquatic Food Research Center
- 2. Location of Project
- The Northern Gulf Aquatic Food Research Center within the SUNPLEX Light Industrial Park, Ocean Springs, MS.
- 3. Requesting Organization
- Mississippi State University
- 4a. Name
- James Henderson
- 4b. Position
- 4c. Phone Number
- 228-546-1000
- 4d. Fax Number
- 4e. Address Line 1
- 1815 Popp’s Ferry Road
- 4e. Address Line 2
- 4e. City, State Zip
- Biloxi, MS 39532
- 4f. Email
- j.henderson@msstate.edu
- 5. FundingRequested
- $865,000
- Awarded Amount:
- $865,000
- 6. Other State or Federal Funding Sources
- Yes
- 7a. Amount of Additional Funds
- $7,000,000
- 7b. Source of Additional Funds
- RESTORE Act ($3,000,000) Mississippi Legislature Appropriation ($4,000,000)
- 8. Total Project Funds Amount
- $7,865,000
- 9. Project Description/Overview
- Phase I of the Northern Gulf Aquatic Food Research Center will include a chemical analytical and biosafety laboratory that will provide pathogen analyses and measurement of chemical residues in water, fisheries, and aquatic food products. This laboratory will include testing for heavy metals, vibrio, norovirus, and algal bloom toxins. Currently, limited access to these capabilities requires shipping products for food safety analyses out of state, which causes delayed results, hampering the ability to open fisheries and to get harvested products into the food supply system in an effective and timely manner. The investment of RESTORE Act funds and Mississippi Legislative appropriation totaling to a combined $7 million will be used to construct Phase I of the Northern Gulf Aquatic Food Research Center. This proposal is requesting GMOESA funding support to purchase fixed equipment to complete the analytical and biosafety laboratory capabilities of this center.
- 10. Project Goals/Objectives
- The project goals and objectives are to purchase the needed equipment to operationalize the chemical analytical and bio-safety laboratory of Phase I of the Northern Gulf Aquatic Food Research Center. Specifically, these funds will be used to purchase fixed equipment to be installed during the construction of Phase I of the Northern Gulf Aquatic Food Research Center.
- 11. Which of the following authorized uses set forth in the GOMESA Act does this project fall under?
- (A) Projects and activities for the purpose of coastal protection, including conservation, coastal restoration, hurricane protection, and infrastructure directly affected by coastal wetlands losses
- (B) Mitigation of damage to fish, wildlife, or natural resources.
- Yes: The chemical analytical and biosafety laboratory capabilities of Phase I of the Northern Gulf Aquatic Food Research Center, as supported by GOMESA funding to purchase equipment, will offer a laboratory to provide needed analysis in support of the mitigation of damage to fish, wildlife, or natural resources. The requested funding will allow Phase I of the Northern Gulf Aquatic Food Research Center to establish a robust, state-of-the art base for conducting seafood safety testing for chemicals and biological toxins.
- (C) Implementation of a federally-approved marine, coastal, or conservation management plan.
- (D) Mitigation of the impact of Outer Continental Shelf activities through funding of onshore infrastructure projects.
- 12. Project Timetable/Milestones
- Purchase of equipment in early 2023 followed by installation in late 2023 or early 2024. The equipment would become operational with the opening of Phase I of the Northern Gulf Aquatic Food Research Center in late 2024.
- 13. Project Timing
- Short-term
- 14. Current status of architectural/engineering plans & specifications for this project (if applicable):
- In Progress
- 15. In what way does this project meet the goals and objectives of the Department of Marine Resources, which includes enhancing, protecting and conserving the marine interest of Mississippi for present and future generations?
- This project will support the mission of the Department of Marine Resources by providing a laboratory that can address testing needs for tissue sampling providing toxicity analysis and testing for hydrocarbons or other contaminants or toxins that may potentially impact or harm Mississippi’s marine resources. The type of analysis that Mississippi State University’s laboratory will provide in support of the Department of Marine Resources has historically not been available locally. Phase I of the Northern Gulf Aquatic Food Research Center will become that local chemical analytical and biosafety laboratory that will provide needed time sensitive services.
- 16. Estimated Years To Completion
- 2
- 17. Estimated Completion Date
- 10/1/2024
- Budget:
- Salaries,Wages, Fringe
- $0
- Travel
- $0
- Architecture & Engineering
- $0
- Legal
- $0
- Consulting
- $0
- Construction
- $0
- Site Work
- $0
- Equipment
- $865,000
- Indirects
- $0
- Other
- $0
- Total
- $0
- Internal Project Number
- 2025008
- Application Submission Date
- 05/10/2022
- Fiscal Year
- 2025
- Project Status
- Awarded
- Application Status
- Accepted
- Meets Criteria
- Yes
- Internal Notes:
- 1783-h