This is a good update on Cedar Bayou that appeared in the Rockport Pilot this weekend.
Heavy hitters throw support behind Cedar Bayou permitBy: NORMA MARTINEZ, Managing Editor
Published:
Friday, October 9, 2009 12:10 PM CDT
The future of Cedar Bayou could be known in as little as four weeks now that a representative from the Corps of Engineers has met with officials from 18 agencies regarding the status of the permit application for dredging of that bayou.
It was a meeting some said would never happen, but County Judge C.H. “Burt” Mills persisted and with a little help from Austin brought together 30 individuals to discuss the issue.
The judge originally hosted a meeting on Aug. 21 to determine where the process stood at that point, and if there is anything he or others could do to expedite the process.
At that time, Texas Parks and Wildlife Department (TPWD) officials were in attendance, but no one from the Army Corps of Engineers (COE), the agency who determines if the permit will be approved, was present.
Mills explained after that meeting, he then called State Rep. Todd Hunter’s office in Austin. Hunter’s administrative assistant Bech Bruun then began making telephone calls and the end result was the Friday, Oct. 2 meeting in Rockport.
Those who attended, listed by who they represent, are as follows:
Aransas County - Mills, commissioner Charles Smith, and county attorney Richard Bianchi.
Harte Research Institute for Gulf of Mexico Studies - Megan Reece (Corpus Christi), and Greg Stunz (TAMUCC).
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) - Pat Clements, Dawn Whitehead and Allan M. Strand (ecological services, Corpus Christi), Tom Stehn and Dan Alonso (Aransas National Wildlife Refuge), Denise Ruffino.
General Land Office - Rene Garcia (Corpus Christi), Rene Truan and Trace Finley (Austin).
COE - Casey Cutler (Galveston).
U.S. Rep. Ron Paul’s office - Jackie Gloor (Victoria).
CCA Texas - Bobby Byers (executive director of Houston).
Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ) - John Trevino and David Galindo (Austin).
U.S. Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison’s office - Jesse Hereford (San Antonio).
Save Cedar Bayou Inc. (SCBI) - Lynn and Bobby Edwards.
TPWD - Leslie Williams, Paul Silva, Rebecca Hensley and Mike Ray (Austin).
Coast and Harbor Engineering Inc. - Josh Carter.
State Rep. Todd Hunter.
Office of Gov. Rick Perry - Tobey Baker.
U.S. Sen. John Cornyn’s office - J. Hugh (San Antonio).
Blanton & Associates - Carlos Swanke.
Mills said he opened the meeting by stating he is behind this project, and asking, “Where are we in the permit process, where is the hold up, and how can we speed it up.”
A few of the agencies present, including the TPWD and USFWS, are responsible for providing input to the COE to determine if the permit for dredging should be approved.
Hunter began by asking, “Why is Cedar Bayou not open today?” When no response was given, he said it appears then, everyone agrees it should be open.
Mills said they addressed GLO representatives noting Commissioner Jerry Patterson has already stated he is ready to sign off on the permit. Representatives present reaffirmed that comment.
TCEQ representatives said that agency is on board.
USFWS representatives said they do have concerns about environmental issues, but said those issues may be addressed in the latest file.
TPWD officials expressed concern for seagrass.
Representatives from Paul’s, Hutchison’s, and Cornyn’s offices all expressed support for the project. Cornyn’s representative said he and Hutchison’s representatives will be looking into the matter further, and could seek federal funds.
Cutler, the only COE representative present, stated the applicant has “thrown down the hammer,” and demanded an answer.
The applicant, SCBI, is headed by the Edwardses who have been working on the permit for about seven years.
Cutler said the file is extensive, possibly the largest in COE history, and is now being reviewed.
He also stated a decision will be known in the next four to six weeks. Cutler’s statement regarding when a decision will be reached is the the first time such a comment has been made from anyone at the COE.
Mills said when the meeting began, it was somber as local officials made it clear they wanted answers.
By the end of the meeting, officials from different agencies were speaking to each other. B. Edwards said, “The light got brighter at the end of the tunnel.”
Mills and the Edwardses agreed it was an unprecedented meeting, noting the COE never attends such meetings.
Mills said his hat is off to Hunter and Bruun for getting all those officials from all the agencies in the same room.
The representative from Cornyn’s office told Mills they were unaware Aransas County was having these problems with the COE.
State and federal officials are now going to be watching the COE and waiting for an answer.
They won’t be waiting quietly, however, as Hunter told those present he is going to stay involved with the permit application and will keep Mills up to date on its progress.
Aransas County officials, as well as SCBI representatives (the Edwardses) have been watching the COE over the last seven years waiting for an answer. B. Edwards said with state officials now involved in the process, “the eyes of Texas are upon” both the COE and TPWD, and an answer is expected.
Heavy hitters throw support behind Cedar Bayou permitBy: NORMA MARTINEZ, Managing Editor
Published:
Friday, October 9, 2009 12:10 PM CDT
The future of Cedar Bayou could be known in as little as four weeks now that a representative from the Corps of Engineers has met with officials from 18 agencies regarding the status of the permit application for dredging of that bayou.
It was a meeting some said would never happen, but County Judge C.H. “Burt” Mills persisted and with a little help from Austin brought together 30 individuals to discuss the issue.
The judge originally hosted a meeting on Aug. 21 to determine where the process stood at that point, and if there is anything he or others could do to expedite the process.
At that time, Texas Parks and Wildlife Department (TPWD) officials were in attendance, but no one from the Army Corps of Engineers (COE), the agency who determines if the permit will be approved, was present.
Mills explained after that meeting, he then called State Rep. Todd Hunter’s office in Austin. Hunter’s administrative assistant Bech Bruun then began making telephone calls and the end result was the Friday, Oct. 2 meeting in Rockport.
Those who attended, listed by who they represent, are as follows:
Aransas County - Mills, commissioner Charles Smith, and county attorney Richard Bianchi.
Harte Research Institute for Gulf of Mexico Studies - Megan Reece (Corpus Christi), and Greg Stunz (TAMUCC).
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) - Pat Clements, Dawn Whitehead and Allan M. Strand (ecological services, Corpus Christi), Tom Stehn and Dan Alonso (Aransas National Wildlife Refuge), Denise Ruffino.
General Land Office - Rene Garcia (Corpus Christi), Rene Truan and Trace Finley (Austin).
COE - Casey Cutler (Galveston).
U.S. Rep. Ron Paul’s office - Jackie Gloor (Victoria).
CCA Texas - Bobby Byers (executive director of Houston).
Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ) - John Trevino and David Galindo (Austin).
U.S. Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison’s office - Jesse Hereford (San Antonio).
Save Cedar Bayou Inc. (SCBI) - Lynn and Bobby Edwards.
TPWD - Leslie Williams, Paul Silva, Rebecca Hensley and Mike Ray (Austin).
Coast and Harbor Engineering Inc. - Josh Carter.
State Rep. Todd Hunter.
Office of Gov. Rick Perry - Tobey Baker.
U.S. Sen. John Cornyn’s office - J. Hugh (San Antonio).
Blanton & Associates - Carlos Swanke.
Mills said he opened the meeting by stating he is behind this project, and asking, “Where are we in the permit process, where is the hold up, and how can we speed it up.”
A few of the agencies present, including the TPWD and USFWS, are responsible for providing input to the COE to determine if the permit for dredging should be approved.
Hunter began by asking, “Why is Cedar Bayou not open today?” When no response was given, he said it appears then, everyone agrees it should be open.
Mills said they addressed GLO representatives noting Commissioner Jerry Patterson has already stated he is ready to sign off on the permit. Representatives present reaffirmed that comment.
TCEQ representatives said that agency is on board.
USFWS representatives said they do have concerns about environmental issues, but said those issues may be addressed in the latest file.
TPWD officials expressed concern for seagrass.
Representatives from Paul’s, Hutchison’s, and Cornyn’s offices all expressed support for the project. Cornyn’s representative said he and Hutchison’s representatives will be looking into the matter further, and could seek federal funds.
Cutler, the only COE representative present, stated the applicant has “thrown down the hammer,” and demanded an answer.
The applicant, SCBI, is headed by the Edwardses who have been working on the permit for about seven years.
Cutler said the file is extensive, possibly the largest in COE history, and is now being reviewed.
He also stated a decision will be known in the next four to six weeks. Cutler’s statement regarding when a decision will be reached is the the first time such a comment has been made from anyone at the COE.
Mills said when the meeting began, it was somber as local officials made it clear they wanted answers.
By the end of the meeting, officials from different agencies were speaking to each other. B. Edwards said, “The light got brighter at the end of the tunnel.”
Mills and the Edwardses agreed it was an unprecedented meeting, noting the COE never attends such meetings.
Mills said his hat is off to Hunter and Bruun for getting all those officials from all the agencies in the same room.
The representative from Cornyn’s office told Mills they were unaware Aransas County was having these problems with the COE.
State and federal officials are now going to be watching the COE and waiting for an answer.
They won’t be waiting quietly, however, as Hunter told those present he is going to stay involved with the permit application and will keep Mills up to date on its progress.
Aransas County officials, as well as SCBI representatives (the Edwardses) have been watching the COE over the last seven years waiting for an answer. B. Edwards said with state officials now involved in the process, “the eyes of Texas are upon” both the COE and TPWD, and an answer is expected.
posted by Kontiki at 9:46 AM
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