CONGRESSMAN GENE GREEN IS BRINGING SOME GREEN TO TEXAS!

PART OF THE ECONOMIC RECOVERY PACKAGE!

Representative Gene Green today announced that almost $300 million in civil works project funding would be sent to the Galveston District Army Corps of Engineers, including $123.9 million for the Port of Houston.

 

Congress passed an economic recovery and stimulus package, the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA), and it was signed into law by President Obama on February 17th.  ARRA was an investment in the workforce designed not only to rebuild America and protect jobs, but also to transform the economy for long-term growth and make Americans globally competitive.

 

“ARRA was designed to invest in infrastructure and create jobs, and I am proud to say that thousands of jobs will be created by these projects in a region that is suffering from the effects of the current economic downturn,” said Rep. Green.  “Every day we continue to hear of ARRA investments across the country that will contribute to the recovery of our economy.”

 

In early March 2009, Green was joined by Representatives Olson, Culberson, A. Green, Poe, Jackson Lee, Brady, McCaul, Paul, Carter, Edwards, and Rodriguez, in sending a bipartisan letter asking the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to fund $103.47 million in shovel-ready projects for the Port of Houston.  As the largest U.S. port in foreign commerce, the Port of Houston is responsible for 785,000 direct and indirect jobs and $117.6 billion in economic impact.

 

“Congress expressed their commitment to the value of ports by investing $4.6 billion from ARRA for navigation projects,” said Green.  “The Port of Houston will benefit from these investments in infrastructure, operations, and maintenance.  This will allow shippers to continue to economically transport their goods through the Port and expand business activity in the area.”

 

Below is a list of projects announced for the Port of Houston:

 

Construction:

 

• $300,000 - Grass Plantings at Bolivar Marsh.
• $500,000 - Complete Dredge Material Management Plan for Galveston Ship Channel. Provides a more efficient, least costly, environmentally acceptable disposal plan.
• $500,000 - Atkinson Island Grass Planting.
• $25.1 million - Phase II contract to dredge Galveston Channel to authorized project depth. Completes project.
• $25.4 million - Rehabilitate and enlarge Mid Bay Placement Area creating 200 acres of wetland marshes, and reducing future maintenance costs.
• $35.4 million - Rehabilitate Placement Areas 14 & 15 to increase dredged material placement capacity and reduce future maintenance costs.

 

Operation and Maintenance:

 

• $600,000 - Contract to complete feasibility study for assumption of maintenance on Jacinto Port Channel and expanded portion of Bayport Channel to reduce future maintenance costs.
• $36.1 million - Construction contract to rehabilitate Spilman, Lost Lake, and Peggy Lake Placement Areas. Reduces future maintenance costs.