Mississippi
Environmental complaints and spill reports
The Mississippi Department of Environmental Quality (MDEQ) takes complaints about environmental problems on its main number and on a toll-free Complaint Hotline, and its contact page sends spill reports to the 24-hour State Warning Point. Its Environmental Compliance and Enforcement Division and Field Services Division respond to citizen complaints about air and water pollution, and MDEQ says they handle more than 1,000 complaints a year.
In a Phase I ESA
ASTM E1527-21 does not name state spill or complaint lists among its standard record sources. The federal counterpart of a state spill list is the emergency response record described on the ERNS page. Mississippi's records still matter, because a complaint or a spill report can be the only record of an event that never became a cleanup case.
- A complaint can be anonymous. MDEQ says that to file a complaint you may call (601) 961-5171 and tell the operator you wish to report an environmental problem, giving its nature and location with directions to the site. You do not have to give your name, but MDEQ must have your name and contact information to contact you during the investigation or give you the results.
- Regional offices investigate. MDEQ's Field Services Division has regional offices in Lafayette, Rankin and Harrison Counties, which MDEQ says provide investigative, logistical and limited analytical support for its major regulatory programs.
- Illegal dumping has its own route. MDEQ says illegal dumping can be reported to a local enforcement agency or local Solid Waste Enforcement Officer, or to MDEQ at 601-961-5171, and that a complainant may remain anonymous with MDEQ.
- A spill call may go to two agencies. MDEQ's contact page says to report any spills to the 24-hour State Warning Point at 1-800-222-6362. Its tank release page says a release or spill that may affect state waters, land, air or public health should be reported at once to the Mississippi Emergency Management Agency (MEMA) at the same number, then reported to MDEQ with confirmation that MEMA was told. For a spill on or near the property, ask MDEQ. The pages read do not say whether MEMA keeps a record of the calls it receives or how to ask for one.
MDEQ's regulations page lists the Pollution Emergency Response Regulations as 11 Miss. Admin. Code Pt. 9, Ch. 1. This handbook did not read them.
Where to ask
- Complaints. MDEQ's general inquiries line is (601) 961-5171. Its toll-free Complaint Hotline is 1-888-786-0661; MDEQ says calls after business hours are recorded.
- Complaint status. MDEQ links a Complaint Status Check on enSearch Online.
- Spills. The 24-hour State Warning Point, 1-800-222-6362.
The pages read do not say whether spill reports can be searched online.
Getting the file
MDEQ's route is a written public records request that names the facility, the city and county where it is located, and the type of information wanted; see Public records requests. Say in the request that complaint and spill records are wanted.
Sources
Mississippi Department of Environmental Quality pages, read October 12, 2026, no modified date shown: