Hutchison, Cornyn Deliver Major Texas Water Resources Projects

Press Release

Hutchison, Cornyn Deliver Major Texas Water Resources Projects

U.S. Senators Kay Bailey Hutchison and John Cornyn highlighted eleven major water projects that they included in the Senate's version of H.R. 1495, the 2007 Water Resources Development Act (WRDA), which passed today 91-4.

"It's been seven years since Congress passed a water resources development act," Sen. Hutchison said. "These worthy projects will generate jobs across Texas, benefit local economies, and improve Texas infrastructure. We are providing critical flood protection, and ecosystem restoration. This legislation will ensure our waterways remain viable for commerce."

"This legislation authorizing important infrastructure improvements in Texas has been unnecessarily delayed for far too long," Sen. Cornyn said. "These flood control and prevention measures are critical to protecting Texans' lives, homes and businesses. The bill also includes initiatives to improve and expand some of our state's coastal waterways that serve as economic engines for both local communities and the nation."

Totalling at least $369 million, the eleven projects that Senators Hutchison and Cornyn successfully included in the Senate version of the bill are:

1. Corpus Christi Ship Channel - Project for navigation and ecosystem restoration. Total cost of $188,110,000 with a federal cost of $87,810,000 and a non-federal cost of $100,300,000.
2. Gulf Intracoastal Waterway - Navigation from the Brazos River to Port O'Connor (Matagorda Bay re-route). Total cost of $17,280,000 (half from general fund of the Treasury and half from the Inland Waterways Trust Fund). Navigation from Sabine River to Corpus Christi. Total cost of $14,450,000 (cost-share same as above).
3. Buffalo Bayou - Authorization of flood control construction project by non-federal interest.
4. Halls Bayou - Authorization of flood control construction project by non-federal interest.
5. Cedar Bayou - Changes 2000 WRDA navigation channel authorization from 12 feet deep by 125 feet wide to 10 feet deep by 100 feet wide.
6. Freeport Harbor - Makes all costs relating to the discovery of the sunken vessel COMSTOCK the responsibility of the federal government - including the vessel's removal and project delay costs.
7. Harris County - Flood control project.
8. Lower Colorado River Basin - Flood damage reduction, ecosystem restoration with a total cost of $110,730,000 (estimated federal share $69,640,000 and non-federal cost $41,090,000).
9. Red River Chloride Control (Texas / Oklahoma) - Direct the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to provide operations and maintenance for the Red River Chloride Control Project.
10. Rio Grande Environmental Management Program - Program for fish and wildlife habitat rehabilitation and enhancement. For related projects on federal land, all cost is the responsibility of the federal government. For related projects on non-federal property, the cost-share is 65% federal and 35% non-federal with $15 million being authorized in each fiscal year for 2008-2011.
11. Texas Water Development Board (TWDB) - Establish the Texas Environmental Infrastructure Program administered by the TWDB to provide environmental assistance to non-federal interests in Texas. This assistance can be in the form of planning, design, and construction assistance for water-related environmental infrastructure and resource protection and development projects. The cost-share is 75% federal and 25% non-federal for project costs with a total authorization of $40 million. Operations and maintenance of these projects will be 100% non-federal.

The House of Representatives passed their version of the bill, HR 1495, in April. The Congress has not enacted a water bill since 2000 (public law 106-541).

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