HomeMy WebLinkAboutR-2012-05 Port of Houston’s project to deepen and widen the Bayport Ship Channel/Chambers, Harris CountiesRESOLUTION NO. 2012- CJ
A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF LA PORTE
CONCERNING THE PORT OF HOUSTON'S PROJECT TO DEEPEN AND WIDEN
THE BAYPORT SHIP CHANNEL IN CHAMBERS AND HARRIS COUNTIES, TEXAS.
WHEREAS, the Port of Houston has submitted Permit Application No. SWG-
2011-01183 to deepen and widen the existing Bayport Ship Channel (BSC), deepen the
Turning Basin (TB), deepen a portion of the Bayport Flare (BF), and place the new work
dredged material and maintenance material in a proposed beneficial use (BU) site
and/or in existing dredged material placement areas (PA); and
WHEREAS, the City of La Porte supports the deepening and widening of the
Bayport Ship Channel, Turning Basin and the Bayport Flare; and
WHEREAS, the existing dredged material placement areas were previously
studied and permitted after completion of a formal Environmental Impact Statement
(EIS); and
WHEREAS, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (Corps) has made the initial
determination that an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) is not required for the new,
proposed open bay Beneficial Use (BU) area, despite the fact that previously permitted
Beneficial Use (BU) areas were identified and designed based on a site -specific EIS;
and
WHEREAS, the proposed Beneficial Use (BU) site was not included in the
previous study and EIS for the deepening and widening of the Houston Ship Channel;
and
WHEREAS, the proposed new Beneficial Use (BU) area has not been fully
studied, modeled, designed and proven to not be a threat to water quality from wind,
wave and ship wake erosion, tidal and current erosion, and a hazard to navigation for
recreational and commercial vessels that use Upper Galveston Bay; and
WHEREAS, the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ) has
expressed written concerns with the proposed new Beneficial Use (BU) area, including
water quality degradation from erosion and suspension of sediments from ship wakes
and concerns with adjacent oyster beds, as well as the proposed mitigation of displaced
oyster beds.
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE
CITY OF LA PORTE, TEXAS:
1. The City of La Porte supports the deepening and widening of the Bayport Ship
Channel, Turning Basin and the Bayport Flare.
2. The City of La Porte supports the disposal of dredged material in the existing
placement areas (PA).
3. The City of La Porte objects to the creation of any new Beneficial Use (BU) area
on the west side of the Houston Ship Channel in Upper Galveston Bay, as
identified in Permit Application No. SWG-2011-01183, due to concerns with
water quality, navigation, lack of actual design and final determination of the
actual location and configuration of the proposed new Beneficial Use (BU) area
without the requirement of a formal Environmental Impact Statement (EIS).
4. Should the Corps determine that a formal Environmental Impact Statement is not
required for the creation of the proposed new Beneficial Use (BU) area, the City
of La Porte formally requests that the Corps hold a Public Hearing to receive
comments from the public regarding the need for a formal Environmental Impact
Statement (EIS).
5. The City Manager shall send a certified copy of this resolution to the Regulatory
Branch, Galveston District of the United States Army Corps of Engineers and the
Texas Commission on Environmental Quality.
PASSED AND APPROVED this 25th day of June, 2012.
ATTEST:
LA
Patrice Fogarty
City Secretary
CITY LA PORTE
By:
ouis R. Ri y
APPROVED:
"ezi�
Clark T. Askins
Assistant City Attorney