Corps approves sand removal to clean up US 90

GULFPORT, Miss. (AP) - Harrison County employees soon will begin removing 30,000 yards of sand from the beach between Espy and Menge avenues in an effort to keep sand from blowing on U.S. Highway 90.

The Sun Herald reports a representative from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers approved the project at Monday's meeting of the Board of Supervisors in Gulfport. The Corps must approve any changes on the beach.

Chuck Loftis, director of the Sand Beach Department, said as soon as he gets written permission from the Corps, workers will begin excavating the sand.

Plants and sand dunes work best at keeping the sand where it's supposed to be -- on the beach -- but all of that was destroyed in Hurricane Katrina in 2005.

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Information from: The Sun Herald, http://www.sunherald.com