Major Issues Confronting Texas Ports
Dredging and dredged material management
- Building and maintaining cost-effective and environmentally friendly navigation channels and material placement areas for the millions of cubic yards of sediment dredged annually
- Ports act as sponsors of federal projects and take the lead in developing beneficial uses for the dredge material
- Reduced funding for the Army Corps of Engineers’ budgets for federal channel maintenance and new projects
Environmental regulations
- Compliance with regulations on air quality, water quality and sustainable practices in ways that keep Texas ports competitive in the global market
Modern cargo-handling facilities needed to enhance trade
- Funding to maintain and enhance port infrastructure from federal sources or public private partnership
More funding for port security
- Continued funding of the port security grant program is needed from the federal level
Freight mobility—to improve transportation connections to ports
- State and federal funding that includes ports as part of the overall transportation system to improve linkage with highways, rail and the GIWW.
