Orange County Judge John Gothia watched reports in the Emergency Operations Center that Hurricane Laura was expected to send a 15-foot storm surge into the county. There was nothing he could do.
A slight wobble of the storm sent the surge into Louisiana instead.
In the future, an Orange County judge facing the same nightmare will be able to say three words. “Close the gates.” Flood gates on a 26-mile levee and seawall system will then protect the county from a storm surge.
The system with numerous pumps will also help prevent interior flooding in the county during heavy rains.
Wednesday, Gothia and Don Corona, director of the Orange County Drainage District, talked with KOGT’s Gary Stelly on The Morning Show for an hour about the Orange County portion of the “coastal spine” protection system.
They called the recent agreement signing with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and the Texas General Land Office as a “huge moment in local history.”
The project will bring construction jobs. Gothia said it should also bring work for local engineers, suppliers, and other businesses. “We push the local aspect as much as we can,” he said.
Gothia said public meetings will be held with the Corps of Engineers to keep people informed of where the levees, pumps, and walls will be built. At this time, it looks like no houses will be lost.
Congress has approved $1.9 billion for the Orange County project. Corona said the federal government wants 35 percent of the costs to come from non-federal sources. Orange County would need $800 million as its share, he said.
Gothia said the county does not have money for the project. During numerous meetings during the past two years, the judge has argued that local residents pay state and national taxes, so are paying a share.
Corona said the Texas Legislature last session approved $200 million for the Orange County, Port Arthur, and Freeport parts of the coastal spine system. The Texas General Land Office is distributing the money.
The design of the Orange County section alone is estimated to cost $160 million with non-federal contributions of about $56 million needed, Corona said. The GLO has pledge up to $74 million for the phase.
He said the county will need to work with the legislature during the 2021 session to get more for construction.
Orange was chosen as one of the first areas to protect because of its large concentration of petrochemical plants on the southern part of the county. Corona said the local levee-seawall system will run along the Sabine River in Orange from Interstate 10, then along West Orange, Chemical Row where the plants are, and Bridge City.
Stelly asked if the petrochemical companies are going to help pay for the protection.
“Not yet, but that is very much under discussion because of the tremendous cost,” Corona said.
-Margaret Toal, KOGT-
Levee Interview part 1
Levee Interview part 2
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