The city of Gulfport is getting nearly $1.6 million to repair piers and jetties damaged by Hurricane Isaac in 2012 — work that U.S. Sen. Thad Cochran says has been languishing because of bureaucratic environmental hurdles.

Cochran, who serves on the Senate Homeland Security Appropriations Subcommittee, worked with the Federal Emergency Management Agency to resolve a stalemate involving environmental assessments and the obligation of federal disaster recovery money to repair damaged pier and jetties in Gulfport.

Cochran said Tuesday he hopes he’ll be able to reach similar agreements on other outstanding disaster recovery projects for other Gulf Coast communities.

In all, FEMA has approved $1.19 million to restore Gulfport’s existing West Side, Ken Combs, Moses and Urie piers. Another $400,821 is being obligated for Ken Combs, Moses and Urie jetty repairs.

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