In what officials called a “major milestone” in the steps needed to strengthen Texas’ Gulf Coast defense, officials with the Gulf Coast Protection District and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers reached a design agreement for portions of the Coastal Texas Project.

What you need to know

The design agreement calls for the GCPD to take on 35% of all design costs for parts of the Coastal Texas Project, according to an Aug. 14 release from the USACE. Those portions include:
  • The Galveston Bay Storm Surge Barrier System, which includes the Bolivar Roads Gate System and various aspects meant to manage coastal storm risk
  • The Ecosystem Restoration feature G-28, which will include various shoreline and island protections
Officials in the release caveated the signing saying a separate agreement would be needed to start construction as well as an agreement between the USACE and the Texas General Land Office.

What they said

GCPD President Michel Bechtel said in the release it was “imperative” officials start design activities on the project.


"The Gulf Coast Protection District is excited to formalize our partnership with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and to kick-start design efforts on the Coastal Texas Project,” he said in the release.

Col. Rhett Blackmon, district commander for the USACE’s Galveston District, said in the release the signing was a “major milestone.”

“This collaboration with the GCPD advances the essential design work for the Galveston Bay Storm Surge Barrier and ecosystem restoration, which will ensure a stronger, more resilient Texas for future generations,” Blackmon said in the release.

The background
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The GCPD was created in 2021 by the Texas Legislature to oversee the various incoming projects for the Gulf Coast. The district oversees more than 5,000 square miles of land covering Chambers, Harris, Jefferson and Orange counties, Community Impact previously reported.

The scope of the projects to come includes “multiple lines of defense” with improvements planned for both the Gulf and Bay areas of the coast, according to the Coastal Texas Project’s website. Seawall improvements, pump stations, beach and dune systems, and gates are some of what could be built out.