Posted on June 14, 2023
The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers have outlined a path forward for plans to dredge a canal for oil tankers near Calhoun County. Plans to dredge that canal near Port Lavaca off their coast are moving forward.
The Texas Tribune reported that officials from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers outlined a $2.8 million effort to test the bay floor at the site and order the removal of any contaminants before the Matagorda Bay Ship Channel project can move forward.
The project calls for dredging and expanding a 27-mile stretch of the canal to make way for larger tankers carrying oil from Texas for export. The $218 million canal expansion will allow the world’s largest class of ships to dock at the Seahawk Oil Terminal, owned by Max Midstream, which is partially financing the project. Some community members like local fishermen are upset to see the project move forward because they fear it could damage the environment and their businesses.
