Gov. Greg Abbott recently appointed Sally Bakko, Michel Bechel, Roger Guenther, Robert D. (Bob) Mitchell, Lori J. Traweek and Michael VanDerSnick to the Gulf Coast Protection District (GCPD) board of directors for terms set to expire on June 16, 2025. Additionally, the governor named Nicole Sunstrum as the temporary executive director.

GCPD was created by the legislature to operate and leverage funding to build the flood control and surge protection needs for coastal communities. Like the seawall before it, this system will protect the state, national economy and millions of Texans for generations to come.

Texas ports handle 65 percent of all U.S. cargo and produce the largest volume of military jet and diesel fuel. The creation of this District provides opportunities to leverage almost $30 billion federal dollars to protect the ports of Beaumont, Harris County and Galveston from storm surges.

GCPD meets the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers requirements for funding, leveraging almost $30 billion in federal dollars, and will operate and maintain these projects. The GCPD region also produces 60 percent of the nation’s aviation fuel, 42 percent of the nation’s specialty chemical feedstock and 80 percent of the nation’s military grade fuel.

“Strengthening our coastal regions and ports is vital not only to Texas, but to the entire nation,” said Abbott. “This project will go down in history as one of the most significant measures to protect Coastal Texas, its citizens and the economic activities this region provides.”