As design work on two important features of the Coastal Texas Project moves forward, the Gulf Coast Protection District (GCPD) is expanding its commitment to a core priority: meaningful community engagement. Protecting our region requires more than engineering—it requires trust, collaboration, and open dialogue with the people who call the Gulf Coast home.
At the request of Gulf Coast Protection District (GCPD), the Institute for a Disaster Resilient Texas (IDRT) at Texas A&M University established the Coastal Texas Research Council to serve as a scientific and technical hub for the Coastal Texas Project.
The Council will evaluate proposed research investments, conduct independent studies on pivotal engineering, environmental and societal challenges, and deliver expert input to inform critical project decisions for two elements of the Coastal Texas Project.
Stakeholder Advisory Committees provide a structured format for local stakeholder input, separate and apart from required government processes.
GCPD created these committees to provide (1) ample notice to specific stakeholder groups of project progress throughout design activities and (2) opportunities for stakeholder input congruent with the decision-making process within the design activities.
As of 2026, there are two Stakeholder Advisory Committees—one that focuses on environmental impacts and mitigation and one that focuses on industry needs in maritime and logistics.
