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<br />{ 18, 2003
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<br />6 Pages - 50 Cents
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<br />
<br />Opinions Are Mixed On
<br />Bayport 'Impact' Study
<br />
<br />.
<br />
<br />The U.S. Army Corps of
<br />Engineers, chargeu with the deci-
<br />sion as to whether the Port of
<br />Houston Authority will get a permit
<br />to build a container terminal at the
<br />Bayport Channel just south of La
<br />Porte and Shoreacres, issued this
<br />past week the long-awaited final
<br />Environmental Impact Study on the
<br />project, and that study drew far
<br />different reaction from the parties
<br />involved.
<br />liThe Corps has done an outstand-
<br />ing job in its diligent review of the
<br />proposed Bayport plan," said Jim
<br />Edmonds, chairman of the Port
<br />Commission. "Throughout this
<br />process, the Port Authority has
<br />maintained its commitment to good
<br />environmental stewardship and
<br />open communication with the
<br />citizens of the communities sur-
<br />rounding the port. We are confident
<br />that the FEIS now paves the way for
<br />quick approval of a permit that will
<br />allow the first phase of construction
<br />i at Bayport to get underway soon."
<br />On the other hand, Jim Blackburn,
<br />chairman of the Galveston Bay
<br />Conservation and Preservation
<br />Association, said, "This is not the
<br />end. This is where we are supposed
<br />to get to see the truth. We get only
<br />30 days to respond, even though the
<br />Port and the Corps have taken fully
<br />four years to prepare this massive
<br />document."
<br />GBCPA has formally requested a
<br />90-day extension of the comment
<br />neri0d. to a tot a! of 120 davs. The
<br />
<br />.
<br />
<br />deadline now in place by the Corps
<br />is 30 days -- June 16.
<br />"The Port Authority has drawn 011
<br />expertise developed in other ports
<br />around the world to make the pro-
<br />posed Bayport facility environmen-
<br />tally sound," Edmonds said. "We
<br />will continue to review our develop-
<br />ment plans as new environmental
<br />technologies and techniques evolve.
<br />The Port Authority will continue to
<br />work to address all public concerns
<br />and issues regarding the proposed
<br />facility, setting a new standard in the
<br />maritime industry for environmental
<br />stewardship and community friend-
<br />linesS. The Port Authority wants to
<br />be a good neighbor and will work as
<br />hard as we can to meet that goal."
<br />Blackburn, however, criticized the
<br />$800-apiece cost securing a copy of
<br />
<br />the final EIS.
<br />"This is supposed to be a public
<br />document prepared by a govern-
<br />ment agency for citizen review,"
<br />Blackburn said. "How can some-
<br />thing costing that much money be
<br />called public? It is far beyond the
<br />reach of nearly everyone."
<br />Blackburn also reiterated the
<br />GBCPA pledge to seek legal action
<br />to intercede should the Corps grant
<br />the Port Authority the permit to
<br />proceed with Bayport construction.
<br />More comments from Blackburn
<br />and the GBCPA can be found on
<br />Page 2 of today's Bayshore Sun.
<br />Information from the Port Authority
<br />was received just before deadline
<br />Friday, and will be reviewed in
<br />more detail in our Wednesday, May
<br />21 edition.
<br />
<br />',~~bliC :co;"ments on t1.ze, u..s.A.~y. Cqrps of Engineers
<br />fiii{rIEnvironmentallmpq,ctStclte1jJetit regarding the pro-
<br />,piJiedjJayportcontaillertennit,aJizte aueby June 16, 2003
<br />.;-.;uhl,ess theCorPsgran4'the. reg';est~y.thlJ Galveston'Bay
<br />'Conie.rvation and, PresetY.atiiJn, AssoCiation that' the
<br />com'",entperiodbe extertde4~q 1,/-0 tkzys~ .,... .
<br />,,:'Th'e Corps willconsider.i:omments on' the FEIS in the
<br />:1i#a,lizaiioni' ,of, its RecoriJ~f,,!J.~cfiio,n~'(RqD), which is
<br />s,cheduled for July28,~OOj.:. The ~ llliD is expected to
<br />,'autluJrize one a/three a~t(oils' r"e1at~dto a construction per-
<br />};i'itlor Bayport: " ... '... .~. ',: ., " "
<br />> ,'. .' .".. . - '\.;,..
<br />lYiSsuance of the permit,.2J issifance of the penn it with
<br />,modifications aT' ctmditio.ns, ,'or' j Xdl!1llal of the permit.
<br />
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