The Clock Is Ticking: You Have Until March 23rd to Weigh In on the Mississippi Crossing Pipeline

This is the second in our series on the Mississippi Crossing Pipeline (MSX). If you're new here, catch up with our first post [link], which covers the basics of the project and what it means for landowners along the route.

Last summer, we wrote about the Mississippi Crossing Pipeline — a nearly 208-mile natural gas pipeline proposed by Kinder Morgan's Tennessee Gas Pipeline Company that would run from Greenville, Mississippi to Butler, Alabama. At that point, the focus was on a critical legal deadline to preserve your rights to challenge the project. Many of you responded, and we're grateful for the engagement.

Now there's a new deadline you need to know about, and it's just around the corner: March 23, 2026.

What's Happening Right Now

Federal regulators at the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission — FERC for short — are the ones who decide whether this pipeline gets built. Before they make that decision, they're required by law to study the project's potential environmental effects and share those findings with the public. That study is called an Environmental Impact Statement, or EIS.

FERC released a draft version of that study on January 30, 2026, and they are now accepting public comments on it through March 23rd. This is one of the most meaningful opportunities you will have to put your concerns on the record before a final decision is made.

What the Draft EIS Found

The draft EIS is a lengthy technical document, so here's what you need to know in plain terms.

The pipeline would cross ten counties in Mississippi — Washington, Sunflower, Humphreys, Holmes, Attala, Leake, Neshoba, Newton, Lauderdale, and Clarke — and Choctaw County in Alabama. Construction would require three new compressor stations and cross more than 1,000 bodies of water, including the Big Black River, affecting approximately 146 acres of wetlands along the route.

FERC's staff concluded that the project would have some adverse environmental effects, but stated that with the company's proposed mitigation measures in place, those effects would be "less than significant." Not everyone along the route agrees with that assessment — and that's exactly what the public comment process is for.

Something Worth Knowing

Since our last post, new information has come to light about who this pipeline is actually being built to serve. Reports indicate that a significant portion of the pipeline's capacity is intended to supply power to data centers — the large facilities that run the internet, cloud computing, and artificial intelligence systems. We're sharing this because it's information that may be relevant to how you think about this project and whether you want to weigh in.

Your Voice Matters — Here's How to Use It

FERC is a federal agency, and it hears from industry and pipeline companies constantly. Public comments from real people — especially people who live along the route — carry genuine weight. You do not need to be a lawyer or an expert to submit one. You just need to speak from your own experience and perspective.

What Does a Public Comment Look Like?

A public comment doesn't have to be long or formal. It can be a few paragraphs. It should identify who you are and your connection to the project — whether you own land along the route, live nearby, farm the land, hunt on it, or simply care about your community. From there, you say what's on your mind.

You can submit your comment electronically through FERC's eComment system at ferc.gov, or by mail addressed to: Debbie-Anne A. Reese, Secretary, Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, 888 First Street NE, Room 1A, Washington, DC 20426. Be sure to reference docket number CP25-514-000 on your submission.

Things to Think About as You Draft Your Comment

There's no formula for a good comment, but here are some questions that might help you figure out what you want to say:

• What does this land mean to you? Have you farmed it, hunted it, or passed it down through your family? The personal and economic value of your property is relevant — and it's something you know better than any federal agency.
• What do you know about the land's relationship to water? If your property sits near a creek, river, wetland, or flood-prone area, share that. FERC's staff reviewed maps and data, but you've lived there.
• Have you already been contacted by the company? If a right-of-way agent has approached you, or if you've felt pressured to sign anything, that context is worth sharing.
• What concerns do you have about the compressor stations? Three new stations will be built in Humphreys, Attala, and Lauderdale counties, Mississippi. If you live near one of those sites, air quality, noise, and safety are all fair topics to raise.
• Do you feel the environmental review accounted for your community? If you think the draft EIS underestimated impacts on your neighborhood, farm, water supply, or way of life, say so specifically.
• What alternatives would you like to see considered? You can ask FERC to require the company to look at different routes, additional protections, or alternative approaches.

The Deadline Is March 23rd — Don't Wait

Once the comment period closes, FERC will finalize the EIS and move toward a decision. Comments submitted before the deadline become part of the official record and must be considered. Comments submitted after do not. If this project affects your land, your water, or your community, now is the time to say something.