Halls Bayou - Harris County Flood Control District: HCFCD is conducting the General Reevaluation Study under WRDA 1996, Section 211, following Corps guidelines to obtain Corps endorsement of recommended project and ASA(CW) approval.. The plan development will include substantial public involvement and consider aesthetic and environmental quality features.  

The COE and Harris County Flood Control District executed a Memorandum of Agreement for the HCFCD to fund COE involvement until the Corps receives appropriations. The project was authorized as a Section 211(f) project in WRDA 2007.  HCFCD completed the “without project” condition phase in 2008. Public involvement and component identification and evaluation are underway.  The goal is to complete the GRR in 2011.  I am requesting $100,000 for this project.

Houston-Galveston Navigation Channels Project, Texas Construction: The Port of Houston Authority is supporting the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers-Galveston District Construction - General Request: I am requesting $58,350,000 the Port of Houston Authority needs for Construction General projects in the Houston Ship Channel; For FY 2010 General Construction I am requesting $58,350,000; I am requesting $26,550,000 the Houston Ship Channel needs to connect Placement Areas 14 and 15 adding capacity for dredged material;  I am requesting $31,800,000 the Houston Ship Channel needs to construct marsh cells M7/8/9 adding capacity for dredged material and providing environmental restoration.

Houston-Galveston Navigation Channels Project, Texas Operations and Maintenance request:  The Port of Houston Authority is supporting the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers-Galveston District Operations and Maintenance request

I am requesting a total of $30,905,000 million for operations and maintenance of the Houston Ship Channel projects for the Port of Houston Authority.  For Operations and Maintenance (O&M) for the 2010 FY, I am requesting $30,905,000; I am requesting $5,685,000 the Bayport Flare needs for maintenance dredging; I am requesting  $8,360,000 the Houston Ship Channel needsto dredge the channel from Redfish Island to Bayport; I am requesting $8,860,000 the Houston Ship Channel needs to dredge the channel from Bayport to Morgans Point; I am requesting $6,235,000 the Houston Ship Channel needs to dredge the channel from Greens Bayou to Sims Bayou; I am requesting $370,000 the Placement Area 14 needs to ditch and drain the site restoring capacity for dredged material; I am requesting $370,000 Placement Area 15 needs to ditch and drain the site restoring capacity for dredged material; I am requesting $1,026,000 The Lost Lake placement area needs to ditch and drain the site restoring capacity for dredged material.

Hunting Bayou - Harris County Flood Control District: HCFCD is conducting the General Reevaluation Study under WRDA, Section 211(f), following Corps guidelines to obtain Corps endorsement of recommended project by justifying and documenting a channelization, detention storage, and environmental enhancements project. The preliminary recommended plan calls for 3.2 miles of grass lined channel conveyance improvements, a 30 acre in-line detention basin, and a 75 surface acre detention basin.  There will be 22 bridge replacements/modifications and the recommended plan includes aesthetic features, and environmental quality features.  This project reduces the number of structures subject to flooding from the 1% flood from 7,000 to 1,400.  The Benefit-to-Cost Ratio is 2.9 to 1.  I am requesting $100,000 for this project.

National Off-Shore Wind Energy Center - The University of Houston System: The University of Houston and its government and industry partners are creating the National Offshore Wind Energy Center (NOWEC), which will develop a national large wind turbine test facility in Texas and advance offshore wind energy technology for cost-effective energy production through collaborative R&D with state and federal agencies and industry.  I am requesting $15 million for this project.

Sustainable Building and Energy Practices – Houston Zoo Giraffe Barn - Houston Zoo, Inc.:  A key component of the Houston Zoo’s mission is to foster appreciation, knowledge and care for the natural world.  The Houston Zoo would like to capitalize on the development of the new African Forest as an opportunity to model good energy and environmental stewardship practices as measured by achievement of LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental  Design) certification.  The project entails enhancing the new Giraffe Barn and viewing area being built over the next 18 months with energy efficiencies and environmentally friendly elements so that it meets the national LEED certification as a more environmentally sustainable project and also heightens public awareness.  I am requesting $425,000 for this project.