Public Citizen Comments to the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Regarding Proposed Changes to Public Notification Requirements
Dear U.S. Army Corps of Engineers,
My name is Sarah Cinco. I am a resident of Channelview, Texas, and the Healthy Port Communities Coalition Organizer for Public Citizen. Public Citizen is a national nonprofit consumer advocacy organization that champions the public interest in the halls of power. I am writing to you today to express my concerns regarding the proposal to establish and utilize a new, expedited permitting process known as Letters of Permission (LOPs). I urge you to reject this proposal, as notification to nearby or affected people or communities in the Galveston District’s Area of Operations is not required.
It is important that the surrounding community is aware of the actions the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) intends to undertake in matters involving maintenance dredging, utilizing dredged materials for alternative projects, beach nourishment, and the Harris County Flood Control Disaster Recovery Program and Sediment Removal Program. Although these activities may be deemed as essential for the maintenance and continued development of projects in the region, the community has a right to know when these activities will take place.
This lack of notice is a clear abridgment of public rights and could set a dangerous precedent for limiting public knowledge and awareness in our region. While bypassing community notification might facilitate the timing of the permit process, I believe that efficiency should not come at the expense of community awareness. This action will subsequently create barriers for communities and residents affected by the LOP projects to comment on and engage with the USACE on issues that directly impact them and their families.
I would like my community to be informed when discharges of dredged or fill material are placed into waters of the United States. Beyond that, as a resident whose family lives right along the ship channel, I would like to see USACE have a relationship with Houston Ship Channel Communities in a meaningful way. I hope the USACE considers my comments in their decision on whether they will move this proposal forward and commit to working alongside the surrounding community in future matters.
Thank you,
Sarah Cinco