1PointFive funds Corpus Christi living shoreline project

The Gulf of America Alliance and 1PointFive are partnering to build an 800-foot living shoreline at Hans & Pat Suter Wildlife Refuge in Corpus Christi, Texas. The project aims to slow erosion, protect a popular public park and boost habitat for fish, birds and other wildlife.

Why it matters: - The project is meant to protect a well-used coastal park while reducing erosion that is threatening a walking trail. - The living shoreline is designed to blunt wave energy, helping the refuge stay open for public access and birding. - The restoration is also expected to add habitat for fish, birds and wildlife.

What happened: - The Gulf of America Alliance announced a new Gulf Star Program project funded by 1PointFive, a subsidiary of Occidental. - Over the next two years, the funding will support construction at Hans & Pat Suter Wildlife Refuge in Corpus Christi, Texas. - The project includes an 800-foot living shoreline with a breakwater and marsh planting. - Coastal Bend Bays & Estuaries Program will lead the work. - Volunteers will help place oyster shell and plant native marsh grass along the shoreline.

The details: - 1PointFive is developing the South Texas Direct Air Capture Hub in Kleberg County. - Recent storms have caused shoreline erosion at the refuge. - The erosion is affecting the park’s walking trail in several places. - The living shoreline is intended to reduce wave energy and support marsh and oyster growth in the area. - The refuge is a popular birding hotspot and an important outdoor access point for residents and visitors. - The Gulf Star Program is a public-private partnership that pools agency and business contributions for region-specific priorities. - The Alliance says the program helps small communities and organizations by reducing administrative burden and match requirements. - Gulf Star projects are co-developed by the five Gulf states to support healthy beaches, clean waters, productive ecosystems and thriving coastal communities. - Current 2026 Gulf Star partners include 1PointFive, the National Academies’ Gulf Research Program, Shell, Motiva Enterprises, Valero, Genesis Energy, L.P., Freeport McMoRan, Sempra Infrastructure, Chevron, Williams, Clean Gulf Associates, Alabama Power, ArcelorMittal Calvert, NOAA and the five Gulf states. - More information on the program is available here.

Between the lines: - The project blends coastal protection with habitat restoration, which can make shoreline fixes more politically and financially durable than hard infrastructure alone. - The partnership also ties a carbon capture company’s Gulf Coast investments to local resilience work, broadening the public case for the company’s regional footprint. - Public-private funding appears to be doing the heavy lifting for a project that could be difficult for a local organization to fund alone.

What's next: - The shoreline work will unfold over the next two years. - Coastal Bend Bays & Estuaries Program and volunteers will continue installation of oyster shell and marsh grass as the project moves forward. - The Alliance and its partners are likely to point to the refuge as a model for future resilience projects in the Gulf region.

The bottom line: - Corpus Christi is getting a nature-based shoreline fix that aims to protect a popular park, strengthen habitat and show how Gulf Coast resilience projects can be built through partnership.