Commissioner Buckingham, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Sign Construction Memorandum of Understanding to Advance Coastal Texas Project Efforts
AUSTIN, Texas— Today, Texas Land Commissioner Dawn Buckingham, M.D., announced today that the Texas General Land Office (GLO) and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) have signed a Construction Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) to coordinate activities that support early implementation of the Coastal Texas Project (CTX). This agreement reflects the State of Texas’s ongoing commitment to advancing the nation’s largest coastal storm risk management and ecosystem restoration initiative.
“As someone who spent more than a decade living on the Texas coast, I believe that the Coastal Texas Project is vital to ensuring our communities, wildlife, and habitats remain safe and thriving for generations to come,” said Commissioner Buckingham. “Continuing our partnership with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers is crucial to securing our coast’s resiliency to natural disasters. As Texas Land Commissioner, I am committed to furthering our education and understanding of storms and their impact on our coastal communities.”
The GLO served as the non-federal sponsor for the Coastal Texas Feasibility Study and is the sponsor for components of the authorized project, including the coastwide ecosystem restoration measures and the Coastal Storm Risk Management project at South Padre Island. These efforts are central to protecting communities and ecological resources along the Texas coast.
This photo shows a GLO CEPRA beach nourishment project completed in partnership with the City of South Padre Island that advances the South Padre Island Beach Nourishment Project, a feature of the Coastal Texas Project. Photo courtesy of Kristina Boburka, City of South Padre Island
To date, the State of Texas has obligated approximately $50 million toward projects directly aligned with the GLO’s CTX footprint and restoration objectives. This investment not only demonstrates the State’s readiness to move forward with authorized CTX efforts, but also highlights the GLO’s proven capability to manage, deliver, and oversee complex coastal infrastructure and ecosystem projects.
The newly-signed MOU enables the GLO and USACE to coordinate construction‑related activities prior to the execution of the Project Partnership Agreement (PPA). Importantly, the MOU allows the GLO to continue advancing aligned project efforts with the opportunity for this work to count as in‑kind credit toward its future federal cost‑share once the PPA is finalized. This ensures that State-funded, GLO-led activities can contribute directly to the progress of the federal project while formal partnership documents are completed.
“The Coastal Texas Project demonstrates how building infrastructure for the nation means more than constructing barriers and restoring shorelines – it means strengthening the systems that sustain communities, commerce, energy production, and national security along the Texas coast,” said Col. David W. Dake, Commander of Galveston District, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. “Through this partnership with the State of Texas, we’re advancing resilient infrastructure that will help protect people, safeguard critical navigation and energy corridors, and support the long-term economic vitality of the region and the nation.”
Authorized by the Water Resources Development Act of 2022, the Coastal Texas Project provides a systemwide strategy to reduce storm surge risks while restoring and enhancing critical coastal ecosystems. The project includes a combination of structural features, natural and nature-based solutions, and large-scale restoration measures – such as marsh creation, breakwaters, oyster reef development, bird rookery island construction, and beach and dune nourishment – to improve storm resilience and sustain the natural systems that support coastal communities.
The signing of this MOU reflects continued momentum in delivering the project’s authorized components. A Design Agreement and a Project Partnership Agreement will follow to formally establish the long-term construction partnership between the GLO and USACE. In the meantime, this MOU provides a clear path for coordinated progress and ensures that ongoing State investments can contribute meaningfully to the Coastal Texas Project.
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Dr. Dawn Buckingham made history in 2022, winning a statewide election to become Texas's first female Land Commissioner. As Land Commissioner, Dr. Dawn Buckingham is committed to helping Texans after a disaster, supporting Texas energy, ensuring that every child in Texas receives a high-quality public education, serving Texas Veterans, and securing the border to keep our communities safe.
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