HPCC Statement on City Council Appointment of New Port Commissioner
HOUSTON – The Houston City Council today voted to appoint Thomas Jones as its newest representative on the Port of Houston Commission.
Jones replaces Cheryl Creuzot, who opted not to seek reappointment. Under state law, the City of Houston appoints two members to the seven-member commission that oversees one of the largest ports in the country.
Erandi Treviño, an organizer with Public Citizen, issued the following statement on behalf of the Healthy Port Communities Coalition (HPCC):
“HPCC is disappointed that the mayor and city council would not give the community more time to participate in selecting a new commissioner. However, HPCC would like to congratulate Mr. Jones and offer some perspective on the challenges ahead.
“First, the Houston Ship Channel widening and deepening project, Project 11, could become a huge liability for the City of Houston. Toxic dredge materials will be dumped in Houston communities, and the city will be liable for future spills or releases. The council and the impacted communities must be involved to minimize this risk.
“Second, the Port Houston Authority has not received a dollar of funding from the billions in new federal grant opportunities from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law and the Inflation Reduction Act. We know this is in part because of a lack of authentic community collaboration. This problem must be fixed while these opportunities still exist.
“Commissioner Jones, like his colleagues on the commission, is now in a position to help port communities thrive. The advocates in HPCC look forward to collaborating with the commission to finally bring the community’s voice into the decision-making at Port Houston.”
###
The Healthy Port Communities Coalition (HPCC) is a coalition of nonprofit, community-driven organizations that work to create a healthier Houston by empowering residents to recognize local issues and advocate for their communities. More at healthyportcommunities.org.