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

[sailmom]

If you have your email handy, try the same format for the other names and report back. 

The other commissioners:
Steve Phelps
Jim Fonteno
Kase L. Lawal
Jimmy A. Burke
Janiece M. Longoria
Elyse Lanier

[Charles]

My email to "deepeningportofhouston@poha.com"  seems to have gone through.  I also sent it to the above mentioned two commissioners. 

[ChrisK]

More great information, sorry if this was posted before

http://ourgalvestonbay.com/

[Bee]

We made the front page of Sailing Anarchy.  Check it out.

[Emma]

That is great to see it up on Anarchy!  Now if we can get some of those guys to email/write letters too. 


Some new news on http://ourgalvestonbay.com/news/

La Porte and Shore Acres City Councils both come out against the proposed BU Marsh.
Any Seabrook residents available to go to tonight's meeting to urge the same thing?

[s/v Amenah]

We made the front page of Sailing Anarchy.  Check it out.

Awesome!

[Emma]

Form Letters to the Corps and TCEQ are ready!

They have a couple of sections where you can personalize the letter.  Please add some of your own comments - personalized letters will carry more weight with the Corps than a form letter.

You can find them on the Take Action page: http://ourgalvestonbay.com/take-action/

Happy Letter Writing everyone!

[Burns]

Where is the Galveston Bay Foundation on this plan?

[Charles]

I have received a reply to my email from Mr. Waterworth, one of the commissioners.  At least, they are getting our emails.

"Mr. Broaddus,

Thank you for your e-mail.. I have forwarded your e-mail to Mark Vincent who is the Program Manager of this Project. Drop me a note if you have not receive a response.. Thank you for your E-mail.. Len "

[sailmom]

The Galveston Bay Foundation is also opposed to the placement of the BU Marsh.

There is now a form letter for the Port Commissioners on ourgalvestonbay.com to help.  Contacting them is the most important action at this point.  This will go down as the next cruise terminal, millions wasted and THEIR responsibility.

Thanks for those letters sent so far!!

[ChrisK]

Houston Chronicle on 3/13:
http://www.chron.com/default/article/Yacht-club-disputes-role-in-port-proposal-3632570.php

[sailmom]

Updates:
Find additional information on ourgalvestonbay.com including support from Sen. Jackson, Reps. Davis, Smith, and Taylor.

There are local council meetings happening tonight and tomorrow.  Several have resolutions against this dredge disposal option on their agenda.  Tomorrow morning at 9, the Port of Houston Commissioners are meeting, and this project is item #1 on the agenda.  Attend any and all! Speak!  times and places are on ourgalvestonbay.com  To the Port, this particular "marsh" is phase one; this would set a precedent for open water disposal throughout the bay.

AND, We have added a page to the site for local organizations, businesses, community groups to add their voice to the list of those opposed. There is frighteningly limited non-sailor awareness in the communities that this option is in the works or what the real effects would be throughout the community, not just for the people who use the bay for business or pleasure.  Real estate, service industries, commercial fishing and shrimping, including oysters, recreational tourism, and all recreational boating businesses would be affected.

If you have a business or are part of any organization opposed to this, please let us add you to this list. AND share this with your neighbors and connections in the community.

sailmom@gmail.com

[Emma]

Update from HYC:


Thanks to everyone who has already written letters and help spread the word on this important issue facing HYC and Galveston Bay. The swell of opposition to dredge spoil disposal in Upper Galveston Bay is growing, and progress is being made with the Port Commission and other officials who can help prevent this travesty on our Bay.

The comment period deadline is approaching and we need to make sure the Corps and the TCEQ understand the magnitude of the opposition. While the comment deadline is July 5, remember the July 4 holiday and get your letters in early.
Please, this week we need each of you to:
Write letters to the Corps and TCEQ expressing your concerns. Please try to personalize your letter as much as possible so that the Corps and TCEQ understand the personal stake each of us has in this project.
Send a copy of your Corps/TCEQ letter to the Port Commissioners or write them a special letter asking them to eliminate dredge spoil disposal in Upper Galveston Bay from the Port of Houston's Bayport dredging project. The Port Commissioners can solve this problem.
Keeping spreading the word to friends, neighbors, fellow boaters, and other concerned citizens about this issue and how they can help.
Sample letters, as well as additional background materials, can be found at houstonyachtclub.com (OurClub/News page) and ourgalvestonbay.com. We'll keep you posted as this issue continues to develop.

[sailmom]

Regarding an earlier question about Galveston Bay Foundation's position, they have issued a statement:

http://galvbay.org/index.html

In order to make the July 5th deadline to send hard-copy letters to the Corps, today is really the best day to mail these out.  This is a 5-minute task if you just use the form letter here: http://ourgalvestonbay.com/  There are a few places to personalize the message, but it won't take long.

Thanks, everyone for all your help in getting the word out in the local community.  There are sure signs of progress among the Port Commissioners, but they have stated that they will see what the comments collected by Corps (our letters due on the 5th) have to say before making a call.

[sailmom]

Today is the last day to send your comments to the USACE, they just have to be postmarked by the end of the day or they can be faxed.  Details are on the ourgalvestonbay.com site.

Newly posted is the full set of HYC's comments to the USACE and the TCEQ.  Exhibit 4 shows how the sailing areas could still be fit in with the dredge spoils.  However, 1.) the study area in the permit is for the whole trapazoid shape, not the little triangle in the corner that is "conceptual" and 2.) this would set the precident for similar areas to the south of the Bayport flare.

Also posted are some interesting 'track changes' we found from the FOIA requests.  The Port didn't even call it a "marsh" in their draft, it was a "submerged berm".  The term "Marsh" was provided by the Corps, our impartial governement permitting agency.