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Mississippi

Public Records Requests

Agency Mississippi Department of Environmental Quality

The Mississippi Department of Environmental Quality (MDEQ) handles public records requests under the Mississippi Public Records Act of 1983 (Mississippi Code § 25-61-1). MDEQ says the Act states the Legislature's policy that public records must be available for inspection by any person unless otherwise provided. Its public records office handles the agency's requests.

In a Phase I ESA

A listing says a record exists. The reports and letters are in the file. Six details from MDEQ's pages shape how to get one.

  • A request is in writing and names the facility. MDEQ says a formal request must be made in writing and contain the name of the facility, the city and county where the facility is located, and specifics on the type of information requested. Its online form also asks for your name, email, phone number, company name and full company street address, a subject and the details of the request.
  • Files are viewed by appointment. Once a request has been received and processed, MDEQ says the requesting party will be contacted to make an appointment to view files at MDEQ offices.
  • Fees may cover MDEQ's costs. MDEQ says that under Miss. Code Ann. § 25-61-7 it may charge fees reasonably calculated to reimburse its actual cost of searching, reviewing and producing copies of public records. It says what it calls Protected PII is redacted before production, to the extent allowed by state law.
  • The form can fail. MDEQ's page warns that because of intermittent technical issues with its online form, some submissions may be delayed or may not be received. If there is no response within three business days, it asks you to contact the Office of Public Records Requests to confirm receipt.
  • Seven working days, then fourteen. MDEQ's rule on public records requests, 11 Miss. Admin. Code Pt. 1, Ch. 2, which its regulations page links, says any person may inspect, copy or obtain a copy of a public record. Within seven working days of receipt, not counting the day the request arrives, MDEQ gives an estimate of when the records will be ready, asks for clarification, makes the records available, or denies the request, and MDEQ aims to produce records that are not exempt within those seven working days. If it cannot, it sends a written explanation and provides the record no later than fourteen working days after receiving the request, or later by agreement with the requester. Records in storage come within seven working days of reaching MDEQ, and the rule lets MDEQ adjust the time when a request would disrupt its business. The three business days above are only for confirming that the form arrived.
  • The website is not the file. MDEQ's Disclaimer says the information on its website is not a legal substitute for the Department's official administrative files and may be less complete, and that where the two conflict, the official administrative files should be considered the official record. Check what a web list shows against the file.

Where to look a site up

MDEQ's search tools are described on the Mississippi overview. Among them, the Environmental Permits Division describes enSearch Online as providing access to public information about permitted facilities, and, for a permit at public notice, it says to request additional documents from its Public Records Request Officer.

Getting the file

  • Online. The Online Public Records Request Form.
  • Email. The page lists the Office of Public Records Requests at mdeqpublicrecords@mdeq.ms.gov, and asks you to contact that office if a form submission goes unanswered.
  • Mail. Mississippi Department of Environmental Quality, P.O. Box 2261, Jackson, MS 39225.
  • Phone. MDEQ's contact page gives (601) 961-5758 for public records requests. Its Disclaimer gives 601-961-5171 for the Public Records Officer, which is also MDEQ's general inquiries number, and its Environmental Firms FAQ gives (601) 961-5171 for its Public Records section when reviewing UST files.

Sources

Mississippi Department of Environmental Quality pages, read October 12, 2026, no modified date shown:

Mississippi Department of Environmental Quality pages, read October 13, 2026, no modified date shown:

Maintained by Barrow. General reference only, not legal or professional advice. Barrow is not affiliated with any government agency, and neither Barrow nor the information as presented here is endorsed by any state or government agency. See how Barrow drafts the report