Port of Houston dredge plans near HYC, public comments needed by 6/4

[MaryM]

There will be an open meeting this weekend at HYC at 12:30 Sunday June 10th to discuss the proposed dredging project.  Interested parties are encouraged to attend.

The Corps of Engineers has extended the comment period until July 5th.  HYC will be generating a template letter that you can use to submit your comments to the agency on the project.  Please check back here as this letter should be available within the next week for your use.

[Emma]

bumping to remind everyone about the meeting at HYC this Sunday at 12:30.

The meeting will be informational - about the project, the issues with it, and next steps. 
It is open to everyone who is interested in learning more.

[dc1sail]

I attended the HYC information session yesterday and learned a few things that highten my concern about the proposed spoil disposal plan.  The proposed "beneficial use marsh" hiding 3 fit under the water's surface is the MOST EXPENSIVE option according to the HYC leadership. Using the existing spoil islands East of the HSC is the LEAST EXPENSIVE.  Given the state of the public's finances why would the Port want to spend considerably more to dispose of the spoil from widening the Bayport channel?

Apparently the long term plan for spoil disposal created in 1995 is proving inadequate; maintaining the HSC is requiring far more spoil disposal area than envisioned in 1995.  According to the HYC presentation they believe this proposal is an attempt to "get their nose under the tent"  by establishing the first spoil bank of many that will be located up and down the West side of the HSC.  The HYC leadership believes this first spoil bank will be followed by many more to the south !   

Creating spoil banks of the size shown in the diagrams up and down the west side of the channel will severely impact Galveston bay from a sailing perspective.   The various clubs and their members such as GBCA, LYC, TMCA, Seabrook Sailing Association, etc.... need to get involved quickly to help HYC fight this since this impacts all of us.  Please check the HYC web site under the "news" section for the addresses, etc... of public officials and agencies whom you can contact to state your point of view.

Dave Christensen
S/V Airborne

[JListon]

The US Army Corps of Engineers is taking public comment on the Dredge Island project until July 5, 2012, after being asked for an extension requested by Houston Yacht Club and others.

As you are now probably aware, the Port of Houston is seeking a permit from the Army Corps of Engineers to use the clay, sand, and silt dredged from the Bayport channel to create a 475-acre marsh alongside the Bayport Ship Channel in Upper Galveston Bay. I encourage all sailors and users of Galveston Bay to use the public comment procedure to let their feelings be known and express any concerns about this proposed use of the Upper Bay. Citizens are able to submit their comments, by regular old-fashioned mail, through the US Army Corps of Engineers

Ms. Denise Sloan
Regulatory Branch, CESWG-PE-RB
U.S. Army Corps of Engineers
P.O. Box 1229
Galveston, Texas 77553-1229

Naturally, given the location of the Houston Yacht Club (HYC) and its racing area, HYC is quite concerned about any plans to create a marsh, or spoils island, in this area of the open Bay. But it would be a mistake to believe this is simply a matter of one yacht club being upset because ?its? backyard is being encroached on, or that HYC sailors will have to play elsewhere. The proposed project is monumental and has grave consequences for not only for sailors and those who use the Bay, but for the Bay itself. Many people are not necessarily against the Channel being widened and deepened. They just feel that the dredging byproducts should disposed of properly and in a location where they don?t ruin the Bay.

The notion that the proposed Marsh which would sit alongside the busy Bayport channel in the upper Bay will support a wetland-type habitat or anything environmentally beneficial appears contrary to experience with other spoils areas. The fact that ships? wakes and wash would flow alongside (over) the Marsh further erodes the idea of an ecosystem. Let?s be frank: first and last, this is a matter of finding an expedient place to dump spoils. Right now, there are other already designated areas for dumping spoils that don?t involve filling-in the Bay. This project has been on the public radar for about a month or so now and will have an incalculable effect on the entire Bay, and yet the ecological ramifications are unexplored. For starters, the issue of how a large marsh would affect the ability of Bay water to move back and forth in the event of a hurricane has not been explored. And yet the comment periods end in a month. Perhaps the first comment of any interested citizen should simply be, ?SLOW DOWN! Further study is necessary.?

From a recreational sailor?s and boater's point of view, the idea of converting large portions of the open Bay into area shallow, semi-submerged areas of ?marsh? or spoils bank is offensive, especially if there are few ecological benefits.  Worse, the precedent this project would set for further development of the Bay is staggering. Dumping dredge spoils alongside the channels will soon reduce the Bay to little more than a shallow swamp crossed by a deepwater channel. Recreational activities, such as racing, on the Bay will be impeded, and recreational boats will be forced into the ship channels to travel to different parts of the Bay.  It?s not just about HYC?it?s about all forms of boating, sailing and fishing on Galveston Bay.

I encourage you to join in echoing concern in making sure that dredge spoils are placed where they belong, and not change recreational boating areas forever. The Corps is taking written public comment on the project until July 5, 2012.

[s/v Amenah]

A little late from the "Industry's ground-breaking news provider," but I imagine someone can find out what went down at the meeting this morning...

Houston Hosts Port Commission Special Meeting
Posted on Jun 11th, 2012

The Port Commission of the Port of Houston Authority will meet in special session today at 9 a.m. in the boardroom of the Port Authority Executive Building,111 East Loop North (Exit 29 off Loop 610) in Houston.

Staff will make a presentation on the current permit application to deepen and widen the Bayport Ship Channel, among other matters on the agenda.

http://www.dredgingtoday.com/2012/06/11/usa-houston-hosts-port-commission-special-meeting/

[Emma]

Port Of Houston Authority Commission Expresses Doubt at meeting today
http://www.guidrynews.com/story.aspx?id=1000043920

Looks like maybe we need write letters to the Port Commissioners and show them this is more than just HYC.

[JListon]

Please note that the cut-off date for the written comments to the Corps of Engineers hs been extended from 6/4 until JULY 5.

In addition to the Army Corps of Engineers, the 6 Port Commissioners for the Port of Houston Authority are the public officials who are the ones who most need to hear from citizens about the Port's proposal to create a spoils bank.


The Port Commissioners may be contacted through the Port of Houston Authority, either aia email:  PortCommission@poha.com

or via letter:

c/o Port of Houston Authority
P.O. Box 2562
Houston, Texas 77252-2562

[JListon]

In addition to the Port Of Houston Commissioners, the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ) is the State agency with jurisdiction over Texas inland waters, and its officials are charged with protecting the quality of our state?s waters.  The TCEQ is the environmental agency for the state, and strives to protect its natural resources, consistent with sustainable economic development.

Placing dredge spoils into semi-submerged portions of the Upper Bay raises issues of sedimentation;  namely, will dredge spoils and silt 'stay put,' or will they migrate outside the dumping area and adversely affect fish, oysters, and marine life, and change the ecology of the Upper Bay?

TCEQ needs to hear from concerned citizens.   Further info about TCEQ is available at their website, and their mailing address is

TCEQ
P.O. Box 13087
Austin, TX 78711-3087

[Charles]

Please note that the cut-off date for the written comments to the Corps of Engineers hs been extended from 6/4 until JULY 5.

In addition to the Army Corps of Engineers, the 6 Port Commissioners for the Port of Houston Authority are the public officials who are the ones who most need to hear from citizens about the Port's proposal to create a spoils bank.


The Port Commissioners may be contacted through the Port of Houston Authority, either aia email:  PortCommission@poha.com

or via letter:

c/o Port of Houston Authority
P.O. Box 2562
Houston, Texas 77252-2562

I sent my email!

[sailmom]

Website for all the contact information and action items needed: http://ourgalvestonbay.com/

Please share it with your friends and the whole community.  This is not just a sailors' issue.

Contact me for an email that you can share with your neighborhoods, friends, colleagues . . . .  sailmom@gmail.com

1. This is the most expensive, wasteful option with more costs that aren't even listed.
2. This is a totally untested experiment and an environmental disaster
3. This is OUR GALVESTON BAY

We MUST let the Port Commissioners know that we don't want this, because they are being told otherwise.

[Emma]

Also to echo what Dave said above, there isn't an adequate long term plan.  I heard the same thing at the HYC meeting - that if they manage to get this approved, they may try to create more spoil banks down the west side of the channel.

We need to voice a lot of concern now to show the port that the community doesn't want them creating these west of the channel.  And we need to show that it is more than just HYC members that are opposed to it. 

If we can raise a big stink with them now, it may prevent them from proposing this type of thing further south in the bay.

[Charles]

This is not a good address: PortCommission@poha.com.  My email came back rejected.  I guess that's one way of not getting any opposing comments!

[Bee]

Is there anyway to get the email addresses of these idiots?  Flooding them with emails might send a resounding note.

[Emma]

I found this contact info at http://www.deepeningportofhouston.com/contact.html

Contact:
Port of Houston Authority
Mark Vincent
deepeningportofhouston@poha.com

[Emma]

Bee - Googling the Commissioners names with @poha.com turns up 2 of the commissioners emails.

Leonard D. Waterworth: lwaterworth@poha.com
James T. Edmonds: jedmonds@poha.com

Charles - if you have your email ready, maybe you can try those addresses too?