McComb Enterprise-Journal
Farm Bill clears way for Okhissa takeover
Staff Writer
The Scenic Rivers Development Alliance has the go-ahead to pursue taking over 150 acres surrounding Okhissa Lake in the Homochitto National Forest in Franklin County with the passage of the $867 billion Farm Bill.
U.S. Sen. Cindy Hyde-Smith, R-Miss., a member of the Senate Agriculture Committee, inserted language into the bill earlier this year promoting the transfer of land.
The Senate passed the Farm Bill 87-13 this week.
Okhissa Lake opened with fanfare as a premier fishing destination but offers little in the way of amenities and has no developed campgrounds, with the nearest places to stay the night some 30 miles away.
The acreage being transferred is near the intersection of Highway 98 and Berrytown Road on the lake's northwest corner, according to the legislation. Scenic Rivers must pay fair market value for the land, although a figure has not been released, as well as appraisal costs. The alliance has 180 days to initiate the transaction.
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