MDEQ

09/04/2026

MDEQ offices will be closed Monday, September 7, in observance of Labor Day.

We will resume normal business hours on Tuesday, September 8.

We wish everyone a safe and enjoyable Labor Day weekend!

09/04/2026

Some 30 million years ago, warm Gulf waters covered much of Mississippi—and left behind a fossil-rich geological story that can still be traced across the state.

This week’s features a remarkably preserved creature that lived in those ancient waters and bears a striking resemblance to one of the Gulf Coast’s most familiar residents today.

Can you guess what it is? Keep reading to find out: https://www.mdeq.ms.gov/geology/fossil-friday/ .

09/03/2026

Ready to clear out those old electronics?

Businesses and residents in Hinds, Madison and Rankin counties can recycle unwanted electronics during the Jackson Metro Area E-Waste Collection Day.

📅 Friday, Oct. 9
🕗 8 a.m.-2 p.m.
📍 Mississippi Farmers Market, 929 High St., Jackson

Computers, laptops, televisions, cellphones, printers, scanners, electronic games and many other electronics will be accepted. Lithium-ion, lead-acid and nickel-metal hydride batteries are also accepted. Please do not bring alkaline batteries.

Most items are free. Fees apply per item for monitors and televisions:

• $2 for flat-screen computer monitors
• $5 for CRT computer monitors
• $15 for televisions

Please remain in your vehicle while event staff collect fees and unload your items.

09/03/2026

Headed to the Mississippi Gulf Coast this Labor Day weekend?

Check MDEQ’s Beach Monitoring website for current water quality information at 21 monitored beaches along the Mississippi Gulf Coast.

We handle the science, so you can handle the fun.

▶️ Watch this video to learn more: https://youtu.be/zQjcxjGN9AY?si=zoY1XgrtALad3kQC .

Check beaches.mdeq.ms.gov as you make your Labor Day weekend plans.

09/02/2026

The Mississippi Department of Environmental Quality is issuing a water contact advisory for an unnamed tributary of Trahon Creek along its path to the Pearl River due to an ongoing sewage bypass.

The advisory covers the unnamed tributary and Trahon Creek from the culvert at the Interstate 55 frontage road (32.194572 N, 90.250330 W) to its confluence with the Pearl River. (See attached map.)

The longstanding water contact advisory for the section of the Pearl River from Hanging Moss Creek to the Byram Swinging bridge remains in effect.

MDEQ recommends that people avoid water contact recreational activities such as swimming, wading and fishing in these waters. MDEQ will monitor conditions and revise the advisory as needed.

08/30/2026

Reminder to join our geologists in Meadville this coming Saturday for the next .

Calling all fossil fans!

Have a fossil, rock or interesting find you’ve always wondered about? Bring it to the Franklin County Fossil Road Show on Saturday, Sept. 5, in Meadville.

MDEQ Office of Geology geologist James Starnes will join George Phillips, paleontology curator at the Mississippi Museum of Natural Science, to help identify fossils, rocks and other finds and share a little of Mississippi’s prehistoric past.

The event is free and open to all ages, so bring your discoveries — and your questions!

Where: Meadville Baptist Church Fellowship Hall
When: Saturday, Sept. 5 | 9 a.m.-3 p.m.

See the flyer for additional details.

08/28/2026

Something unexpected was hiding in the gravel of Blueskin Creek.

During a routine geologic survey in Jefferson County, MDEQ scientists uncovered 16 fossilized shell fragments. But these weren’t from just any turtles, and what they revealed offers a glimpse into a Mississippi landscape very different from the one we know today.

How old are they? What kind of turtles left them behind? And what can they tell us about how Mississippi has changed over time?

Uncover the story in this week’s :
https://www.mdeq.ms.gov/geology/fossil-friday/

08/25/2026

MDEQ Recognizes 2026 enHance Members

We are recognizing 10 organizations from across the state as members of its 2026 enHance Environmental Stewardship Program. enHance is a voluntary stewardship program that recognizes committed environmental leaders who accomplish goals beyond the standard regulatory requirements.

https://www.mdeq.ms.gov/mdeq-recognizes-2026-enhance-members/

08/24/2026

Save the date: Hazardous Waste Disposal Day coming up October 3 in Madison the City!

Mark your calendars for Hazardous Waste Disposal Day on October 3. Check out the list of items that will be accepted and those that will not. Please adhere to any limits, and be advised that you will not be able to watch your documents being shredded - the shredder will not be loaded until a bin is full. There is no charge for disposal of the acceptable items.

08/24/2026

It’s Map Monday!

What lies beneath portions of Chickasaw and Clay counties? MDEQ’s Office of Geology and Mississippi State University have teamed up to help answer that question with the new Sparta 7.5-minute geologic quadrangle map.

The project fills an important gap in Mississippi’s detailed geologic mapping while giving the next generation of professional geologists valuable hands-on experience.

Explore the geology of northwest Mississippi and download the new map for free: https://www.mdeq.ms.gov/geology/map-monday/ .