Cornyn Requests Coastal Texas Study Approval in Upcoming Water Bill

I requested the Coastal Texas Protection and Restoration Feasibility Study (Coastal Texas Study) be authorized in the Water Resources Development Act (WRDA), which Congress will consider next year.

“Authorizing the Coastal Texas Study is the next step to ensure our coastal infrastructure can become more resilient and that our Gulf communities are prepared to weather future storms,” I said. “Given Texas’ critical role in powering our country and facilitating trade, protecting our coast isn’t just a state or local priority – it’s a national imperative – and I will continue fighting for Texas’ coast to have a strong line of defense.”

Background:

In September, I praised the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Chief’s Report signing of the Coastal Texas Study making it eligible to be authorized in next year’s WRDA legislation. In Congress, I secured full funding in the Bipartisan Budget Act of 2018 to ensure the completion of this study. I introduced legislation to accelerate the study and worked to obtain a critical exemption from statutory costs and time limitations. In October, I penned an op-ed discussing current coastal projects and the steps to authorize the study.