Media Contact:
Nicole Sunstrum
info@gcpdtexas.com
PORT ARTHUR, TX – On Sept. 9, 2023, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) awarded a $102.5M contract to Flatiron Constructors, Inc., to construct additional portions of the Port Arthur Project, a component of the Sabine Pass to Galveston Bay (S2G) Coastal Storm Risk Management Project. The award of this contract follows construction of the first Port Arthur levee improvements completed in 2022.
The Port Arthur Project provides critical improvements to increase the level of flood protection, or risk reduction, provided by the existing hurricane protection system in Port Arthur. The main features of Contract PAV03A include construction of fronting protection to the existing Lakeside, Alligator Bayou, and Port Acres pumping stations, as well as other levee improvements. Construction of this work is expected to begin toward the end of 2023 and take approximately 4 years to complete.
The Port Arthur Project is a partnership between USACE and Jefferson County Drainage District No. 7 (DD7), with funding support from the State of Texas via the Texas General Land Office and the Gulf Coast Protection District (GCPD). Design and construction costs for the project are shared between these entities (65% federal / 35% non-federal). USACE is responsible for managing design and construction, while DD7 will continue to operate and maintain the system moving forward.
"The completion of the first construction contract and the awarding of this second construction contract is a testament to the commitment of DD7, USACE, and the other partners to the safety and well-being of the greater Port Arthur community," said GCPD Executive Director Nicole Sunstrum. "We are proud to assist DD7 and USACE in executing this project."
The project partners are working to complete designs and award additional construction contracts for the project's remaining portions over the coming years. The expected completion date for the entire Port Arthur Project is 2031.
For more information about the S2G Program and the Port Arthur Project, visit https://www.swg.usace.army.mil/S2G/.
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The Gulf Coast Protection District (GCPD) was created in 2021 by the 87th Texas Legislature to oversee the implementation of an integrated and comprehensive coastal resilience strategy for the upper Texas coast. Specifically, this includes assuming the role of non-federal sponsor for major portions of the federally funded and U.S. Army Corps of Engineers led Coastal Texas Project and Sabine Pass to Galveston Bay Program. The GCPD contains approximately 5,220 square miles of land covering Chambers, Galveston, Harris, Jefferson, and Orange counties. The GCPD’s mission is to protect Gulf Coast communities, the environment, and economic activity from storm surge. For more information about the GCPD, visit https://www.gcpdtexas.com/.
Jefferson County Drainage District No. 7 was established in 1946 and serves the drainage needs of South Jefferson County. DD7 covers an area of 107.42 square miles and encompasses the cities of Port Arthur, Groves, Nederland, Port Neches, and unincorporated areas of Jefferson County. For more information about DD7, visit http://dd7.org/.
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