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Aransas County to apply for NOAA living-shoreline grant to study Egery Island
Summary
The commissioners voted to apply for a NOAA grant to fund a feasibility and design study for living-shoreline alternatives at Egery Island; county staff said NOAA will fund feasibility work and could position the county for future structural grants if needed.
Aransas County moved to apply for a National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) grant to fund a living-shoreline feasibility study, alternative analysis, engineering and design for Egery Island on April 13.
Gerald, speaking for Community Development and the county engineer's office, explained the NOAA grant specifically funds living-shoreline projects; if a feasibility study later recommends hard structures such as breakwaters or bulkheads, NOAA would not fund the construction but the study would provide cost estimates that could support subsequent grant applications for structural approaches.
Gerald said county road-and-bridge staff have previously placed riprap in the area and that erosion threatens a nearby county road. The county plans to prepare the application quickly: staff said the June 3 grant deadline is tight but manageable, and that county staff will coordinate with coastal management contacts and outside grant-writing resources to complete the submission.
Why it matters: Egery Island shoreline stabilization addresses coastal erosion that managers said threatens county infrastructure. The feasibility study would provide options and estimated construction costs to inform future funding efforts.
Next steps: Staff (Gerald and community development) will prepare and submit the NOAA grant application ahead of the June 3 deadline and will coordinate with the county judge's office on any required leases or permissions because the shoreline area is state-owned.
