On January 10, 1997, the State of Texas received federal approval of the Coastal Management Program (CMP) (62 Federal Register pp. 1439 - 1440). Under federal law, federal agency activities and actions affecting the Texas coastal zone must be consistent with the CMP goals and policies identified in 31 TAC Chapter 501. Requests for federal consistency review were deemed administratively complete for the following project(s) during the period of October 14, 2019 to October 25, 2019.  As required by federal law, the public is given an opportunity to comment on the consistency of proposed activities in the coastal zone undertaken or authorized by federal agencies.  Pursuant to 31 TAC §§506.25, 506.32, and 506.41, the public comment period extends 30 days from the date published on the Texas General Land Office web site. The notice was published on the web site on Friday, November 1, 2019.  The public comment period for this project will close at 5:00 p.m. on Sunday, December 1, 2019.

FEDERAL AGENCY ACTIONS:

Applicant: Texas Parks and Wildlife Department

Location: The project site is located in West Bay as well as Dana Cove, Carancahua, Butterowe, and Oak Bayous, north of Galveston Island State Park, in Galveston County, Texas.

Latitude & Longitude (NAD 83): 29.21277 -94.975067

Project Description:  The applicant proposes to dredge approximately 67,000 cubic yards of sediment from 15,800 linear feet of optional construction flotation/access channels to facilitate the construction of a rock breakwater. The channel bottom width would range from 60 ft. - 100 ft., totaling a maximum of approximately 37 acres. The dredged material would be temporarily side cast directly adjacent to the construction access channels and returned to the access channels after the rock breakwater is constructed. Upon completion of work, dredged material shall be placed back into the channels. The proposed project would place approximately 31,250 cubic yards of graded rock riprap to construct 7,550 linear feet of breakwater. The bottom width range of the breakwater would range from 21 ft. - 34 ft. and would cover a maximum of approximately 5.9 acres of bay bottom. The rock breakwater will be constructed to elevation ~3.5 NAVD 88.

The rock breakwaters would be constructed at the mouths of Oak Bayou, and Dana Cove. The breakwaters would follow the alignment of deteriorated geo-textile tubes that were constructed in 1998-1999. A backhoe on a barge will also be used to dredge the optional flotation channel and then place the dredged material in the temporary stockpile area and return the dredged material to the flotation channels after the breakwater is constructed.

The purpose of the project is to protect existing estuarine habitat, approximately 87 acres of emergent marsh, approximately 12 acres of mud and sand flats from erosion and to protect and enhance approximately 311 acres of shallow open water including seagrass beds. The proposed project would also complement other restoration projects that have been completed at this area; the most recent being the Recovery Act: Restoring Estuarine Habitat in West Galveston Bay constructed in 2010 and the Galveston Island State Park Marsh Restoration and Protection in Carancahua Cove and Dana Cove Project in 2017 (SWG-2009-00292)

This project has received funding through the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation (NFWF) Gulf Environmental Benefit Fund (GBEF). This funding source was created out of the criminal settlements associated with the Deepwater Horizon (DWH) oil spill. The project is being jointly managed by the Texas General Land Office and Texas Parks and Wildlife Department.

Type of Application: U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) permit application # SWG-1998-02298. This application will be reviewed pursuant to Section 404 of the Clean Water Act. Note: The consistency review for this project may be conducted by the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality as part of its certification under Section 401 of the Clean Water Act.

CMP Project No: 20-1017-F1

Further information on the applications listed above, including a copy of the consistency certifications or consistency determinations for inspection, may be obtained from Ms. Allison Buchtien P.O. Box 12873, Austin, Texas 78711-2873, or via email at federal.consistency@glo.texas.gov. Comments should be sent to Ms. Buchtien at the above address or by email.