What’s the Word on the
Mouth?
By Roy Edwards
F.O.R. River Mouth Chairman
CEPRA – Coastal Erosion Planning and Response Act – is a funding source
for coastal projects managed by the Texas General Land Office. This funding,
from the Texas Legislature, is basically the funding budget for the G.L.O. for 2
years. The 2007/08 budget funding is in excess of $15 million and is to be
allocated among the 18 coastal counties. The participating county is generally
required to supply 25% of the project funds either in cash or as “in kind”
services.
Working through the Brazoria County Shoreline Restoration Task Force, Brazoria
County is applying for funding under the title of: San Bernard River Sand Source
Investigation. The following is a list of objectives identified for evaluating
whether the material along the San Bernard River spit is a viable sand source
for local coastal engineering projects.
1.
Evaluate
the quality of the material along the San Bernard River Mouth Spit.
2. Quantify available beach quality material.
3. Identify coastal processes affecting the San Bernard River.
4. Perform a coastal engineering analysis to identify impacts to adjacent
shoreline, critical habitat and upstream flooding. .
5. Use numerical models to evaluate coastal processes and evaluate impacts to
adjacent shoreline critical habitat and upstream flooding.
6. Identify and perform a cost estimate for excavation techniques, potential
storage locations, and transportation to desired placement sites. (Surfside
Beach, Quintana Beach, Sargent Beach.)
Congressman Ron Paul supports the San Bernard River Project.
The Economic
Development Alliance for Brazoria County also supports the San Bernard River
Project.
Debbie Pennington, Vice President of Operations, has had the following letter of
support sent throughout the county to businesses, political entities and
Chambers of Commerce. These letters are currently being written to support the
San Bernard River Project and will be forwarded to Jerry Patterson through
Shauna D. Mora.
June 22, 2007
Please show your support for the San Bernard River
Project – you may use the below template for a guide when submitting your own
letter.
DEADLINE for submissions is Friday, June
29th
Thank you !!!
Commissioner Jerry Patterson
Texas General Land Office
P. O. Box 12873
Austin, Texas 78711-2873
RE: San Bernard River Project, Brazoria County, Texas
Dear Commissioner Patterson:
Please accept this letter, on behalf of (your name), in
support of the San Bernard River Project. A Project Goal Summary has been
submitted to the Texas General Land Office requesting funding from the Cycle 5
Coastal Erosion Planning and Response Act (CEPRA) Program.
The objective of the proposed project is to identify whether the San Bernard
River mouth spit is a viable alternative as a potential source of fill material
to be used in coastal engineering projects in Brazoria and Matagorda Counties.
If the material is deemed acceptable for coastal projects,
the material will be used to restore natural beaches for public use and to
restore, enhance, and create habitat for wildlife and endangered species. The
restoration projects will also increase coastal tourism to the local communities
resulting in more state and local tax dollars, in addition to flood reduction
for communities located along the San Bernard River.
(Your name) fully supports this project. Should you have any questions please
don’t hesitate to contact us at (your phone #) Thank you for your consideration
of this important project.
Sincerely,
(name)
(When complete, please send your letter to Shauna D. Mora via fax to
512-342-9708 or email at
shauna@coastharboreng.com
You are the choir for the
“Singing River”.
Let your voice be loudly and clearly heard in Austin.