By Ruth Ann Ruiz
The Post Newspaper Features Editor
It was an encouraging meeting as leaders from local, state, and federal levels gathered to on Wednesday to celebrate and discuss the passage of the Water Resources Development Act, which was a bipartisan bill passed by the US Senate along with a similar bill passed by the US House.
Passage of the bills brings the Gulf Coast of Texas closer to having a storm surge protection system.
“We just spent the last several hours in a very productive meeting with the leadership of the Army Corp of Engineers and with the leadership here along the Gulf Coast and it is very encouraging to see the consistent progress we’re making towards building a coastal spine that will protect Galveston and protect the Gulf Coast from the next hurricane that we know is coming. This has been a long project in the making,” said US Senator Ted Cruz (R).
Galveston City Councilwoman, Marie Robb lost her home in Hurricane Ike and became an early proponent of the initial research into the project which has been called the “Ike Dike.” Through years of research, consulting, and community meetings, the project is moving forward.
It is speculated that the House and Senate will have a reconciled bill on President Joe Biden’s desk for his signature within a couple months.
With the President’s signature on the bill and the funding being appropriated from Congress, Texans can anticipate a future storm surge protection that utilizes a combination of gates, barriers, levees, and sand dunes constructed to protect the Gulf Coast of Texas.
The coastal spine will serve to protect the lives and property of coastal residents and insure protection of the Houston Ship Channel and the and all the industries built along the channel.
