AUSTIN — The Texas General Land Office (GLO) and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) will be hosting a second round of public meetings on the Coastal Texas Study to update the community regarding study changes and to hear community feedback on the Draft Proposal. Due to COVID-19, these meetings will be virtual.

The revised Coastal Texas Study Draft Proposal is now available and is open for a 45-day public review and comment period beginning on October 30, 2020, and ending on December 14, 2020. View and download the report here.

The Coastal Texas Protection & Restoration Feasibility Study, or the Coastal Texas Study, is a comprehensive study to examine the feasibility of construction projects for coastal storm risk management and ecosystem restoration along the Texas coast.

Throughout the study process, public feedback is critical to understanding the needs and opportunities along the Texas coast. The intent of the public comment period is to receive ideas and concerns from the citizens of Texas. Constituent feedback is a vital part of this process. The Texas GLO and USACE remain committed to ensuring the voices of the people of Texas are heard.

Meetings entail live remarks from USACE Galveston District Commander Col. Timothy Vail and Texas GLO Deputy Commissioner Mark Havens, followed by a detailed overview of the Draft Proposal. Public meeting attendees then will have the opportunity to comment on the study if desired.

“Community feedback is vital to the success of this study,” said Deputy Land Commissioner Mark Havens. “As the local sponsor, The Texas General Land Office will do everything in its power to ensure local needs and concerns are reflected in the final report. After the last public comment period, the Study Team made significant changes to reflect local concerns, and we look forward to again hearing from the community in this second phase of public comments.”  

“The overly active 2020 Hurricane Season has once again shown us we must take action to reduce storm surge and flood risks along our Texas coastline,” said Vail. “The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers is committed to ensuring the public has updated information on our ongoing 'Coastal Barrier' project, which identifies storm risk management and ecosystem restoration measures needed to protect the health and safety of Texas coastal communities. This plan would also reduce the risk of storm damage to industries and businesses critical to the Nation’s economy. We have revised the original designs based on public feedback and now we again invite you to review and comment on this revised plan."
 
The dates and sign up links for public meetings are as listed below:

• November 16, 11 AM - 1 PM
• November 16, 6 - 8 PM
• December 3, 11 AM - 1 PM
• December 3, 6 - 8 PM
• December 8, 11 AM - 1 PM
• December 8, 6 - 8 PM

To submit a comment or ask a question by mail, e-mail, or phone, see contact information and further instructions on the Coastal Texas Study website.