Harbor Island Dredging Project Delayed Again by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers

The Texas Coastal Coalition is pleased to share the news that the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) has pushed back the timeline once again 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, these huge tankers would be traversing the ship channel close to the heart of Port Aransas, wreaking havoc on one of the most environmentally sensitive areas on the Texas coast, which is also the foundation of the significant tourism economy of Port Aransas.

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers has pushed the timeline by more than a year, from August 13, 2021, to May 17, 2022, 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 is the second time the timeline has been extended, although the USACE did not provide details about the delay. This means there will be more time for public scrutiny, and the opportunity for the Texas Coastal Coalition and many other individuals and organizations to provide 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 here:  https://texascoastalcoalition.com/take-action/

You can track the progress of the project through the Army Corps of Engineers permitting dashboard here:  https://www.permits.performance.gov/permitting-projects/port-corpus-christi-authority-channel-deepening-project