HOUSTON – The $1 billion expansion project will be the 11th major improvement project the Houston Ship Channel has undergone in its more than 150-year history as a commercial waterway, Congressman Al Green’s Office said in a news release Wednesday.
The project aims to widen and deepen the Houston Ship Channel to allow for safer and more efficient vessel navigation by allowing two-way traffic to flow.
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“This improved navigability for ships will also result in reduced emissions, leading to better air quality for the Greater Houston area,” Green’s office said. “Additionally, Project 11 will use dredged materials to create 20 acres of new bird islands, build three marshes totaling 800 acres, and create over 300 acres of new oyster reefs supported by reef pads to aid in their survival of natural disasters.”
“I am proud to help advance Project 11 for the host of environmental benefits it offers and because of the critical role it will play in fostering commerce. Together with the Biden administration, the U.S. Department of Transportation, and my colleagues in Congress on both sides of the aisle, I supported the acquisition of over $140 million in federal funds for Project 11 to help ensure its completion by 2025,” Green is quoted as saying in the news release. “According to the Port of Houston, the Port annually sustains over 3 million U.S. jobs, supports over 200 industrial facilities along the Houston Ship Channel, and generates over $800 billion in economic value. I look forward to advocating for the Port of Houston’s future activities keeping Texas and the City of Houston as a top exporter across our nation and leading competitor around the world.”
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