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GLO to explain coastal
grants
Published April 23,
2007
The ravages of erosion
are well known along the Texas coast, but
getting the money local officials need to
protect their stretch of beach is sometimes
more of a mystery.
To help ease the way, Land Commissioner
Jerry Patterson has called for a series of
local meetings along the coast to help guide
coastal planners through the process of
applying for grants.
My goal is to simplify and streamline this
process as much as possible, Patterson
said. Protecting our coast is too important
of a job to get lost in bureaucracy.
Land office staff will be going to Beaumont,
La Marque, Bay City, Corpus Christi and
South Padre Island to help explain the
application process for the Coastal Erosion
Planning and Response Act (CEPRA) Program.
If the 80th Legislature provides funding for
the program, the deadline for project
applications will be July 1.
Each meeting will consist of an overview of
the CEPRA Program, guidance on submitting a
complete project goals summary form and
funding application, and a
question-and-answer period.
The goal of the CEPRA Program is to fund
projects to reduce the effects of erosion on
the Texas coast, as well as to fund studies
to better understand the process of coastal
erosion as it continues to threaten public
beaches, natural resources, coastal
development and public infrastructure.
The following types of projects will be
considered for funding, with priority given
to projects that include construction of an
erosion response solution:
Beach nourishment on both Gulf of Mexico
and bay beaches
Shoreline stabilization
Habitat restoration and protection
Dune restoration
Beneficial uses of dredged material, for
example, beach nourishment and habitat
restoration
Coastal erosion related studies and
investigations
Structure relocation and debris removal
Meetings will take place at:
1:30 p.m. Thursday at Texas A&M
University, Corpus Christi, 6300 Ocean
Drive, NRC Building, Price Memorial
Conference Room
10 a.m. Friday in the conference room at
the South Padre Island Visitors Center, 600
Padre Blvd., South Padre Island
2 p.m. May 2 on the fourth floor of
Jefferson County Commissioners Court, 1149
Pearl St., Beaumont
10 a.m. May 3 at the Wayne Johnson
Community Center, 4102 Main St., La Marque
3 p.m. May 3 at Matagorda County
Commissioners Court, 1901 5th St., Bay City
For information regarding the CEPRA Cycle 5
outreach meetings, contact Dennis Rocha at
(512) 475-1412 or
dennis.rocha(at)glo.state.tx.us or Roberta
Bilsky at (512) 463-9310 or
roberta.bilsky(at)glo.state.tx.us.
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