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Tuesday, Sep. 29, 1998
Allocation of funds expected for deepening ship channel
Scripps Howard News Service
WASHINGTON - More jobs and money for coastal Texas could result from a study by the Army Corps of Engineers on the advantages of deepening the Corpus Christi Ship Channel.
Federal legislation that allots $280,000 for the one-year study is expected to be approved today by the House. The bill also allocates almost $10 million for maintenance and general operations to South Texas waterways.
Increasing the depth of the channel from 45 to 50 feet could allow ships with heavier loads to use the channel.
``Deeper channels mean more cargo, which means more industry, which means job growth,'' said Ken Bonam, spokesman for the Galveston District Army Corps of Engineers, which oversees federal waterways in coastal Texas.
The work on the channel could take more than 15 years after studies and design are complete.
The Corpus Christi channel ranks sixth in the country for ship traffic, with an average of 80.5 million tons of cargo passing through every year.
``These ventures are vital to South Texas if we are to capitalize on future economic growth in this region and to increase the use of our ports,'' Rep. Solomon Ortiz, D-Corpus Christi, said in a news release. He has pushed for the allocation bill to be passed.
The Port of Corpus Christi also will receive almost $7 million to pay for general maintenance, with the majority of the money being used to dredge the port and ship channels to remove accumulated silt and sand from the Gulf, under the bill. The port receives federal money for dredging every year.Post your comments about local news eventsFront Page || Main Index || News || Business || Texas || South Texas Outdoors || Birdwatching || Sports || Entertainment || Selena || Education || South Texas Attractions || World Wide Web