07-27-15 Regular Meeting of La Porte City Council

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A RESOLUTION OF THE TEXAS MUNICIPAL LEAGUE SUPPORTING A COASTAL BARRIER SYSTEM TO PROTECT THE HOUSTON/GALVESTON REGION FROM STORM SURGE AND SUB-TROPICAL RAIN EVENTS; REQUESTING FUNDING FROM THE STATE OF TEXAS TO PROVIDE FOR COMPREHENSIVE STUDIES TO DETERMINE THE MOST EFFECTIVE COASTAL BARRIER SYSTEM TO SAFEGUARD THE REGION; REQUESTING THE TEXAS FEDERAL DELEGATION TO SEEK AND SUPPORT FEDERAL FUNDING FOR THE DESIGN, CONSTRUCTION AND MAINTENANCE OF A COASTAL BARRIER SYSTEM FOR THE AREA; AND PROVIDING FOR DELIVERY OF SUCH RESOLUTION TO ALL TEXAS STATE LEGISLATORS AND THE ENTIRE TEXAS FEDERAL DELEGATION REPRESENTING TEXAS CITIZENS IN WASHINGTON, D.C. WHEREAS, the Houston/Galveston region is home to the largest and most important concentration of petroleum refining and petrochemical processing plants in the United States, and the Port of Houston is the second-busiest port in the nation; and WHEREAS , the region is hit by a major hurricane about every 15 years; and the Perryman - of $73 billion in gross product, $61.3 billion in income and 863,000 jobs while causing an enormous amount of damage to the economy of the United States; and WHEREAS , storm surge entering Galveston Bay as a result of a hurricane or other significant storm event tends to increase in height as it moves further up into the Bay and the Houston Ship Channel, endangering human life, destroying property, and damaging sensitive ecosystems; and WHEREAS , a coastal barrier system, using manmade sand dunes (revetments covered with sand and natural grasses) along the length of the coast connecting to the existing Galveston Seawall as well as large moveable flood gates, is essential to protect the industries, citizens, and WHEREAS , such a coastal barrier system currently under serious study is based on a proven concept directly modeled from other technologies successfully installed around the world - including in Rotterdam, the Netherlands, St. Petersburg, Russia, along the Thames River in London, England, and in New Orleans, Louisiana; and WHEREAS , such a coastal barrier system is technically feasible, economically sound, environmentally friendly and socially equitable, and justifies funding from the State of Texas to conduct comprehensive studies to determine the most effective coastal barrier system to safeguard the entire Houston/Galveston region to include the coastal barrier system currently under study modeled from proven technologies used in the Netherlands and elsewhere.