U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Pushes Timeline on Dredging Permit for Harbor Island Project

The Texas Coastal Coalition is pleased to share the news that the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) has pushed back the timeline for the Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) required for the dredging permit sought by the Port of Corpus Christi. The Port of Corpus Christi is seeking permits to create a huge industrial complex within the city limits of Port Aransas on Harbor Island.

The Texas Coastal Coalition is strongly opposed to the project, which includes plans to dredge 12.8 miles of the Corpus Christi ship channel from 54 feet to 80 feet to accommodate Very Large Crude Carriers, some of the largest oil tankers in the world. A loaded VLCC is longer than three football fields, and if the plan goes forward, would bring these behemoths into the heart of Port Aransas, threatening one of the most environmentally sensitive areas on the Texas coast.

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers has pushed the timeline by five months, from March 15, 2021, to August 13, 2021, for the “Notice of Availability of a Draft EIS published in the Federal Register beginning both the public comments period and concurrent Clean Air Act Section 309 Review.” This means there will be more time for public scrutiny, and the Texas Coastal Coalition and many other individuals and organizations will be providing input into this process.

Every Texan is a stakeholder in the economic development of our beaches, bays, and estuaries, and every Texan who loves the Gulf Coast should care about the current and future health of those public resources. We invite all who care about the iconic beaches of the Texas coast to stay informed and involved as this project wends its way through the regulatory process.

Sign up for Texas Coastal Coalition updates by cutting and pasting this link: https://texascoastalcoalition.com/take-action/

You can track the progress of the project through the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers permitting dashboard. Cut and paste this link: https://www.permits.performance.gov/permitting-projects/port-corpus-christi-authoritychannel-deepening-project