Notice and Opportunity to Comment on Requests for Consistency Agreement/Concurrence Under the Texas Coastal Management Program
On January 10, 1997, the State of Texas received federal approval of the Coastal Management Program (CMP) (62 Federal Register pp. 1439 - 1440). Under federal law, federal agency activities and actions affecting the Texas coastal zone must be consistent with the CMP goals and policies identified in 31 TAC Chapter 26. Requests for federal consistency review were deemed administratively complete for the following project(s) during the period of April 6, 2026 to April 17, 2026. As required by federal law, the public is given an opportunity to comment on the consistency of proposed activities in the coastal zone undertaken or authorized by federal agencies. Pursuant to 31 TAC §§30.20(f), 30.30(h), and 30.40(e), the public comment period extends 30 days from the date published on the Texas General Land Office web site. The notice was published on the web site on Friday, April 24, 2026. The public comment period for this project will close at 5:00 p.m. on Sunday, May 24, 2026.
Federal License and Permit Activities:
Applicant: Texas International Terminals LTD (TXIT)
Location: The project site is located in the Galveston Ship Channel/Galveston Bay at a location just east of the Pelican Island Causeway, at 4800 Port Industrial Road, Galveston, Galveston County, Texas.
Latitude and Longitude: 29.3067388, -94.824028
Project Description: The applicant proposes to modify DA Permit SWG-2012-00602 to mechanically and/or hydraulically dredge an 18-acre siltation basin to a maximum depth of -60 mean lower low water (MLLW) within the 33-acre TXIT berth. Approximately 289,000 cubic yards (CY) of new cut material would be removed and placed in any of the following previously approved sites: Pierce Marsh beneficial use (BU) site (SWG-2015-00313), Snake Island, SPPA, Federal dredge material placement areas (DMPAs) including San Jacinto and Pelican Island; five Port of Galveston (POG) former ship slips (# 12, # 14, #37, #39, and #41), POG placement area (PA), Pelican Island BU Site; and TXIT BU DMPA (SWG-2025-00116). This request also includes an additional 5 years of maintenance dredging of approximately 300,000 CY of material annually, including the maintenance material from the proposed siltation basin within the berth, and disposal of maintenance material all placement areas stated above, as well as federal open water placement areas 50 and 51. The purpose of the project is to allow for safe navigation to the TXIT berth by expanding and deepening the previously authorized siltation basin in order to capture sediment that leads to the excessive accumulation of silt in the berth.
The applicant has stated that they have avoided and minimized the environmental impacts to waters of the United States associated with the proposed activity by designing the proposed dredging to be the minimum necessary to conduct safe navigation and operations. There are also no special aquatic sites identified in the project area. The applicant has not proposed any compensatory mitigation for the proposed activity because there will be no adverse impacts to special aquatic sites. The USACE will determine the type and amount of compensatory mitigation necessary to offset losses of waters of the United States which may result from the proposed activity in accordance with 33 CFR § 332.
Type of Application: U.S. Army Corps of Engineers permit application # SWG-2012-00602. This application will be reviewed pursuant to Section 10 and Section 14 of the Rivers and Harbors Act of 1899, and Section 404 of the Clean Water Act. Note: The consistency review for this project may be conducted by Texas Commission on Environmental Quality as part of its certification under §401 of the Clean Water Act.
CMP Project No: 26-1120-F1
Further information on the applications listed above, including a copy of the consistency certifications or consistency determinations for inspection, may be obtained from the Texas General Land Office Public Information Officer at 1700 N. Congress Avenue, Austin, Texas 78701, or via email at pialegal@glo.texas.gov. Comments should be sent to the Texas General Land Office Coastal Management Program Coordinator at the above address or via email at federal.consistency@glo.texas.gov.