The GCPD is a five-county special purpose district that includes all of Harris County — the most populous county in Texas and the third most populous county in the U.S. — and Galveston, Chambers, Jefferson and Orange counties. It’s nearly 5,500 square miles with about 5.5 million people, so it’s very large for a local government entity. FN: How is the Texas General Land Office (GLO) involved? GCPD: The GLO is also a non-federal sponsor. While GCPD will be overseeing the hard infrastructure like the gate system, the GLO will have primary responsibility for the Coastwide Ecosystem Restoration Plan components of the Coastal Texas Project. These components include restoring degraded ecosystems that buffer communities and critical industry along the Texas coast, including restoration of beaches, dunes, marshes and islands, as well as the creation of oyster reefs and breakwaters. The GLO is also the lead for the third major Coastal Texas Project, the South Padre Island Beach Nourishment Project, which will provide storm surge protection for South Padre Island in the form of beach and dune restoration and enhancement. This nature-based feature provides ecosystem and recreational benefits while reducing storm surge risk. Both GLO and GCPD are working on the state’s behalf with the federal government to implement the Coastal Texas Project. The GLO works with the Corps for the ecosystem restoration pieces, while GCPD partners with the Corps for the infrastructural pieces. The GLO also provides funding and oversight to GCPD for its operations, administration and implementation of the district’s coastal infrastructure projects. FN: How do storms impact the state’s biggest industries like oil and gas? GCPD: When you consider that 40% of the world’s oil supply is used in the petrochemical industry, and those petrochemicals are used to manufacture products like clothing, electronics, consumer goods, fertilizer and semiconductors, and then you narrow that down to our region — the upper Texas Gulf Coast — where we produce more than 40% of those basic chemicals, you begin to see how events impacting this region could have a significant effect on what businesses and manufacturers rely on to operate. And it’s not just statewide but nationwide. With respect to alternative energy, the Houston area has been designated as one of seven “hydrogen hubs” around the country, with the Department of Energy investing $1.2 billion. FN: How do these storms impact the tourism industry? GCPD: Texas produces 60% of the nation’s aviation fuel. In 2022, travel spending in Texas reached $81.9 billion and generated $5.2 billion in state and local tax revenues, and the travel industry placed eighth in employment ranking. For Galveston, the tourism industry is responsible for one out of three jobs on the Island, and just last year, we hosted more than 8 million tourists. The Port of Galveston is currently negotiating an operating agreement to build a fourth cruise line terminal. So, when a severe storm grinds tourism to a halt for a long period, our state, regional and local economies take a massive hit. FN: How will the Galveston Bay Storm Surge Barrier System be funded? GCPD: The project has been authorized by Congress, and we’re pursuing federal funding to get the project started. The Texas Legislature has already recognized that these supply chain protections are essential and has appropriated funding through the GLO. We have been working to get Congress to recognize that as well. We hope the Coastal Texas Project will receive some of the additional funding Congress appropriated DEALERS’ CHOICE 26
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