ANNOUNCEMENT: PUBLIC COMMENT and MEETING BKT 2/FUNDED PRIORITIES LIST (FPL) 4 PROPOSALS

Toby Baker, the Deputy Chief of Staff for Governor Abbott and the Texas RESTORE appointee, is requesting comments on proposed Texas program areas for submission to the RESTORE Council for consideration for grant funding through the Bucket 2 Council-Selected Restoration Component of the RESTORE Act.

The 45-day public comment period ends Friday, March 22, 2024 and comments should be emailed to RComments@tceq.texas.gov by 5:00pm (central) on the 22nd.

As part of the comment period, a public meeting will be held to receive comments on the proposed Texas program areas. The meeting will be held on Tuesday, March 5th, from 5:30 to 7:00 pm at Harte Research Institute, located on the Texas A&M Corpus Christi campus (6300 Ocean Drive).

The five Texas proposed program areas were developed in consultation with the Bucket 2 planning workgroups. Baker, along with the TCEQ RESTORE program staff, will review comments received on the posted proposed program areas and determine which to submit to the RESTORE Council for consideration for the next Bucket 2 funding cycle, referred to the FPL 4. The five Gulf states included in the RESTORE Act, as well as the six federal agencies, will determine which proposals to include in the FPL 4 document. At this time approximately $390 million is expected to be available for FPL 4 in the five Gulf state area.

In providing comments on the program areas it is important to include specific reasons to support a program for inclusion in the FPL 4. Texas’ submissions to the Council will be at the programmatic level and will not reference specific projects. However, your comments could provide information and language for the Texas program proposal narratives that captures the types of projects you think should be considered for funding. Though there is not a program area that specifically addresses land acquisitions, if this is an important activity to you, your comments could include whether it should be a stand along program area or which of the posted proposed program areas could employ land acquisitions. Since not all five program areas will likely be submitted to the Council, comments on priorities within the five programs would also be appreciated.

Following submission of the Texas program proposals to the Council and the FPL 4 is posted for comment and final approval, TCEQ will work with Baker to conduct a process to request and identify potential projects that could be funded within the Texas program proposals that are in the final approved FPL 4. That process will include public involvement. Information on that process will be posted on this website.

Please email any questions to restoretexas@tceq.texas.gov.