Posted on March 20, 2018
Texas Gov. Greg Abbott has pledged millions of dollars for widespread property buyouts and preparations for dredging the San Jacinto River to help communities prevent future catastrophic flooding that occurred during Hurricane Harvey.
Gov. Greg Abbott met with area leaders Thursday in Kingwood to announce plans for voluntary buyouts of about 900 flood-prone homes in Harris County. The county flood control district says the buyouts would cost about $180 million, the Houston Chronicle reported .
The governor also pledged $3 million to “jump start” engineering and permitting required to dredge the river, which has reduced capacity to hold floodwaters due to increased sediment.
The money will come from the state’s hazard mitigation fund, according to the governor’s office.
Abbott said a helicopter trip he took to tour the region with Houston City Councilman Dave Martin provided clear evidence of the flooding problem.
“I was able to see first-hand the silt that has developed as well as the sandbars that have developed in multiple regions across the entire area,” Abbott said. “Very profoundly, Dave and I witnessed a stunning number of sand mining operations all up and down the river, and were able to understand more comprehensively the way in which these sand mining operations contribute sand and silt into the river.”
The governor’s visit came amid growing pressure to ensure northeast Harris County’s needs weren’t overlooked as local, state and federal officials plan costly initiatives to respond to Harvey’s lessons.
“I’d just like to be able to tell our story, and have someone come out and take a look,” said James Revel, a resident leader at a Kingwood housing development that flooded during Harvey. “A lot of people in Kingwood feel like they’ve been forgotten.”
Source: US News
