Kemper County, Mississippi
The Kemper County, Mississippi BDO Zone for Woody Biomass is rated ‘A’.
Rating Issue Date: October 31, 2024.
'A' ratings denote high prospective viability of Feedstock Supply and Infrastructure and low expectations of default risk in the Zone. Capacity to support new biobased plant operations is considered strong.
Kemper County, MS, BDO Zone Overview
Feedstock quantities are expressed in bone dry tons per year (bdt/yr), while feedstock costs are expressed in USD ($). Maximum transport distance is based on a 75-mile driving distance from the centre point (Scooba, MS).
BDO Zone Assets
- Leading regional forest industry with large network of experienced suppliers.
- Nationally competitive supply chain labor costs.
- Underutilized pine forest resource.
- Comprehensive transport infrastructure, including dense road network, rail access, and proximity to a major waterway providing access to the Gulf Coast.
BDO Zone Liabilities
- Wood processing facility with demand for pulpwood under construction in vicinity of Scooba.
- Investments in logging and trucking workforce development required.
- Procurement of specialized labor challenging due to remoteness of region.
Infrastructure
- The 34-acre Kemper County site has excellent connectivity to regional transportation infrastructure. The site is located in proximity to Kansas City Southern (KCS) rail service and Highway 45, a key four-lane corridor. Water freight access to ports on the Gulf Coast is enabled by the Tombigbee Waterway, located within a 35-mile drive distance from Scooba. To support industrial operations, the site has received extensive utility infrastructure investments. Electric service upgrades to 160kV will enhance reliability and meet the demands of energy-intensive operations. New natural gas feeder lines are under construction. Kemper County is also proactively expanding water availability within the industrial park.
- The Electric Mills Industrial Site, situated south of Industrial Site #1 on Highway 45, is a newly identified property for which the Kemper County Board of Supervisors has secured a Letter of Intent to purchase. This site will be equipped with the same comprehensive infrastructure as Industrial Site #1, ensuring full utility support. With ample acreage to accommodate industries of various scales, the site will feature railroad spurs and multiple crossovers, making it an ideal location for large-scale industrial operations requiring robust transportation capabilities.
Local Grants and Incentives
MFLEX – Mississippi Flexible Incentive PlanThe State of Mississippi provides a number of economic development incentives that support capital investment and job creation across the state. In 2022, the State rolled out its latest program known as M-Flex that provides an easy to calculate and transparent incentive for the private sector. Gone are the days when incentives are left on the table as companies can now choose which state tax liability they want M-Flex credits to mitigate. Mississippi’s new tax incentive, the Mississippi Flexible Tax Incentive (MFLEX), is a streamlined universal tax credit that may be used to offset a company’s Mississippi state tax liabilities.
Locally, you will be hard-pressed to find another community that appreciates the timber/woody biomass industry. Kemper County and its local infrastructure partners are ready and willing to provide full property tax exemptions to support job creating investments. Kemper County is located within qualified census tracts for Federal Opportunity Zones and is recognized as a Special Opportunity County by TVA, the wholesale electric provider in the county.
