Thursday, August 25, 2022– The Gulf Coast Protection District and Its Work to Protect Communities, Environment, and Economic Activities from Storm Surge

Nicole Sunstrum, Executive Director of the Gulf Coast Protection District (GCPD), provided an overview of the district and its work.   GCPD was formed in 2021 by the Texas Legislature to be the non-federal sponsor for the portions of the Coastal Texas and the Sabine Pass to Galveston Bay (S2G) programs within Chambers, Galveston, Harris, Jefferson, and Orange Counties.  The non-federal sponsor of a federally funded project has responsibilities for providing a percentage of the funding. Additionally, the GCPD will operate and maintain the portions of the Coastal Texas and S2G projects, once created, within the five counties, in conjunction with local jurisdictions.  Sunstrum also shared information relating to the legislation that formed GCPD, the timeline for funding of projects, and possible sources of funding for these projects. 

The governor appoints 6 of the members of the GCPD board, representing different interest groups. Each of the 5 counties in the district also appoints a board member.  The district works with a variety of partners.