Texas congressional leaders call for additional flood mitigation funding: 'The human cost of incomplete projects is incalculable'

A cadre of Texas congressional members, including U.S. Rep. Lizzie Fletcher (D-Houston), have written House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure Chairman Peter DeFazio (D-Ore.) in an effort to secure additional funding for the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers' flood mitigation efforts.

The correspondence was composed at the same time the Texas Gulf Coast was bracing for the arrival of Hurricane Nicholas.

“I led a group of my Texas colleagues in urging the T&I Committee to prioritize funding for USACE flood mitigation projects in the Build Back Better Act,” Fletcher tweeted on Sept. 14. "Consideration of this bill coincides with a tropical storm bearing down on Texas and this effort is vital for people in #TX07."

A press release issued by Fletcher’s office said the Lone Star State lawmakers – Fletcher, Al Green (D-Houston), Henry Cuellar (D-Laredo), Sylvia Garcia (D-Houston), Colin Allred (D-Dallas), Marc Veasey (D-Fort Worth), Vicente Gonzalez (D-McAllen) and Filemon Vela (D-Brownsville) – hope that the requested funding covers a nearly $100 billion backlog of authorized projects.

“According to the Congressional Research Service in January 2021, USACE faces a backlog of almost $100 billion in projects, more than 10 times its appropriation for the most recent fiscal year,” the coastal Texas legislators wrote to DeFazio. “While the total in outstanding projects can be quantified, the human cost of incomplete projects is incalculable.”

Nicholas came ashore as a Category One hurricane, bringing with it heavy rain and wind throughout the Greater Houston area.

After pummeling the Texas coast, Nicholas has downgraded to a tropical storm and proceeded to head toward Louisiana.

Any flooding fears triggered by the storm's approach were unfounded as Nicholas lashed the region with its winds.

Damage was limited to widespread power outages, street flooding and uprooted trees, The Daily News reported.

The Houston Daily reported that earlier this year, the Texas General Land Office angered Houston-area leaders on both sides of the aisle when it denied Hurricane Harvey flood mitigation money for Houston and Harris County.