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Court authorizes consultant agreement as county pursues $51 million Corps ecosystem project and other restoration funding
Summary
Jefferson County approved an amended agreement with consultant Tim Richardson related to BP Deepwater Horizon restoration work and discussed pursuing a $51 million U.S. Army Corps of Engineers ecosystem restoration project that would typically require a 25% local match (roughly $15 million), county officials said.
Jefferson County commissioners on Oct. 22 approved an amended professional-services agreement with Tim Richardson to assist the county with BP Deepwater Horizon restoration matters and related funding opportunities.
Unidentified presiding official told the court that the county has “gotten several million more allocated” in the past year and is “currently working on another $22,000,000,” and described an anticipated U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Jefferson County Ecosystem Restoration Project with an estimated authorization of $51 million from Congress. The official said the Corps project will typically require a 25% nonfederal match, which the official described as “about $15,000,000.”
The court discussed pursuing matching funds from partners including Texas Parks and Wildlife and the General Land Office, and referenced projects for flow meters, armoring of the Gulf Intracoastal Waterway, and living shorelines and oyster restoration as part of broader restoration and blue-carbon work.
Commissioners approved the amended agreement and the appointment/motion authorizing the county judge to execute the contract. No vote tally with individual commissioner votes was recorded in the transcript; the court indicated approval by voice vote.
The county did not finalize any specific match funding sources at the meeting; the presiding official said negotiations were ongoing with state agencies and other partners.
