12 November 2026
SEMINARY, MS – Covington County has a new state permit that allows 12.4 acres of ground to be disturbed at its south rubbish site near Seminary. The paperwork shows the county is planning construction work at the site. What it does not show yet is what will be built, what it will cost or who will build it.
The Mississippi Department of Environmental Quality issued the Covington County Board of Supervisors coverage under the state’s large construction stormwater permit on Nov. 6, according to a certificate posted in MDEQ’s online records. The certificate describes the project as “Construction of the Class I rubbish site.”
What is the short answer?
Covington County has state permission to clear and grade up to 12.4 acres at the Covington County South Class I Rubbish Site at Seminary, under MDEQ coverage number MSR109827. It is one of three filings MDEQ has logged for the site in 2026. They include a modification application the state received in April. The county has not said publicly what the work involves. Pine Belt Guide is seeking the project plans, cost and schedule from the county.
What does the new permit allow?
The permit covers stormwater from construction. Any project that disturbs a large amount of land in Mississippi needs this kind of coverage. The goal is to keep mud and runoff from washing into nearby streams while the ground is torn up.
The certificate says the county submitted “an acceptable Construction Notice of Intent.” It lists 12.4 acres of land disturbance. It names Taylor Branch as the receiving stream. Taylor Branch flows into Okatoma Creek, according to the certificate.
The general permit the county is covered under expires Jan. 31, 2027, the certificate says. The document does not say when work will start or finish. It also does not list specific conditions. Those rules are found in the statewide general permit itself.
What other filings has the county made this year?
MDEQ’s facility record for the Seminary site shows two other filings in 2026.
The first is an application for a “Rubbish Modification” under the state’s solid waste program. MDEQ’s status for that application, dated April 17, reads “Issue Letter Acknowledging Receipt of Application.” The record does not describe what change the county asked for. It also does not show whether the state has approved it.
The second is a separate stormwater filing that MDEQ labels “Baseline Coverage,” number MSR002598. A stamp on the posted document shows it was received by email on Oct. 6. On Oct. 23, MDEQ’s status changed to “Additional Information Requested from Applicant.” The record does not say what information the state wants.
Taken together, the filings point to a planned change at the site. But Pine Belt Guide could not confirm from the public record whether the county plans to expand the site, add a new disposal area or rework the existing one. That is an open question, not a finding.
What is a Class I rubbish site?
A rubbish site is a disposal area for trash that does not rot. It is different from a landfill for household garbage. State rules define rubbish as “nonputrescible solid wastes (excluding ashes) consisting of both combustible and noncombustible wastes.” Combustible rubbish “includes paper, rags, cartons, wood, furniture, rubber, and plastics,” along with “yard trimmings, leaves and similar material.” Noncombustible rubbish includes glass, metal cans and metal furniture.
The Seminary site has been on MDEQ’s books since June 9, 1997, according to the facility record. It has held state land disposal coverage since 2007. The county also runs a north rubbish site in Mount Olive.
Who uses the Seminary site, and when is it open?
The county’s solid waste page lists the Seminary site at 1621 Highway 49 South. It is open Tuesday and Thursday from 7:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. and on the first and third Saturdays from 7:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. Hours can change with the weather.
Residents get one free dump per month, the county says. Businesses pay a fee per load at the time they dump. The county page does not list the fee.
The site may matter more than usual right now. Covington County is under a burn ban through Nov. 20, according to the Mississippi Forestry Commission’s county list. The commission says a burn ban “means no outdoor burning of ANY KIND.” That includes debris piles. For many families, hauling limbs and leaves to a rubbish site is the legal option while the ban lasts. Pine Belt Guide reported on the Pine Belt burn bans in October.
What is still unknown?
The state records leave several questions open. Pine Belt Guide is seeking details from the county on:
- What the construction includes, and whether it adds disposal space.
- The engineer and contractor, and whether the job was bid.
- The cost and how the county will pay for it.
- When work will begin, and whether the site will close at any point during construction.
- What the April modification application asks MDEQ to approve.
The board’s approval of the project, if any, would be in its minutes. The chancery clerk keeps those minutes. The board meets the first Monday of each month at 10 a.m. in the Chancery Building in Collins, according to the county’s website. Its next regular meeting would be Monday, Dec. 7. The board office number is 601-765-8605.
Pine Belt Guide has also reported on the county’s aging warning sirens and the Dec. 1 District 2 supervisor runoff.
FAQ
What did the state approve?
MDEQ granted Covington County construction stormwater coverage for 12.4 acres of land disturbance at the south rubbish site near Seminary on Nov. 6.
Is the Seminary rubbish site closing?
No closure has been announced. The county’s website still lists regular hours.
Is the site being expanded?
The public records do not say. The county filed a modification application in April, but MDEQ’s record does not describe it. Pine Belt Guide is seeking details.
Can I burn yard debris instead?
Not right now. Covington County is under a burn ban through Nov. 20, according to the Mississippi Forestry Commission.
Who do I call with questions?
The Covington County board office at 601-765-8605, or Chancery Clerk Guy Easterling at 601-765-4242.