Jerry Mohn, the president of the newly created Texas Chapter of the American Shore and Beach Preservation Association, presided over a meeting of delegates to the ASBPA with legislative aides in the United States Capitol.  Listen  Download

Mohn said the new chapter is organizing a meeting of the Brazoria County Beach Erosion Task Force, the Galveston County Beach Erosion Task Force, and a recently formed Louisiana group called PACE, Parishes Against Coastal Erosion.

"It's a group that is organized out of Louisiana, the various coastal parishes," Mohn said.  "It's a very powerful group."

The meeting will be held in Galveston in June.  Louisiana Senator Mary Landrieu told Mohn that she and the governor of Louisiana hope to attend the meeting.

Texas Chapter Vice President John Lee, who is on the staff of the Galveston County Office of Emergency Management, reported on an initiative by Galveston County Judge Jim Yarbrough.

"Judge Yarbrough knows the value, and has taken a pretty strong position on coastal issues and the protection of the coast for Galveston County," Lee said.  "He has sent a letter to all the county judges up and down the coast, asking them to consider signing off and ratifying a resolution that would support a federal legislative agenda."

Lee said he has been presenting the resolutions to Members of Congress during the past few days.

Mohn cited the support of Texas Land Commissioner Jerry Patterson and the Texas General Land Office's Coastal Texas 2020 program.

"He has  been a big proponent of the problems that we have along the coast and the types of economic benefits that we receive out of the coast," Mohn said.  "We need to help support his efforts and what he is trying to do with the legislative agenda.

Sam Webb of the GLO reported that new state legislation for additional funding for the Coastal Erosion Planning & Response Act has been introduced in Austin.

"We do have a lot going on as far as the grants are concerned," added Debbie Danford of the GLO.  "I have been talking with NOAA since last week about keeping the funding and keeping our program going."

Paul Ordal of Marlowe & Associates reported that it is unlikely that the Water Resources Development Act will be approved this year, but that legislative sources tell him that some projects in the bill may be funded elsewhere.

"There are projects in Texas, New Jersey and California that are being held up," Ordal said.

Ordal said that the Office of Management and Budget, which is a part of the Bush Administration, has opposed coastal projects during the past two administrations. 

"In Texas, we have the largest coastline and we get nothing," said Lois Decker, a property owner on the Bolivar Peninsula.  "We absolutely get nothing, which is why I came." 

“These four projects exemplify the breadth of beach restoration in this country today,” said ASBPA president Harry Simmons. “Ocean City shows us the scope and complexity of the process, while Sunrise Beach reminds us that the battle to save our shorelines must be fought on the lakes and rivers as well as the coastal sandy beaches.  “Beach restoration can become almost routine – as in Long Beach – or precedent-setting – as in Bogue Banks – but both of those projects underscore that each project faces unique challenges that demand an equally unique solution."

Four Members of Congress were recognized as Friends of the ASBPA, including Senators Hillary Rodham Clinton, Bill Nelson and Jon Corzine, and Representative Jack Kingston.

Congressional Staffers Awards were presented to Tammy Cameron and Roger Cockrell, who "were instrumental in rejecting the changes to beach nourishment policy outlined in the president's FY2005 budget."

Corps of Engineers Awards were presented to Charles Chesnutt, who "has been a vital part of the shore protection program for this country," and Richard Bonner, who "played a key role in the federal government’s response to coastal devastation caused by the 2004 hurricane season."

A Lifetime Achievement Award was presented to Thomas F. Caver, Jr., the deputy director of Civil Works for the Corps of Engineers, who "has been a vital person to the shore protection program for this country."

Also at the awards ceremony, the official charter for the new Texas Chapter was presented to Jerry Mohn.