This is a bit off topic, but it affects tens of thousands of readers. City of Houston Mayor Pro Tem Dave Martin has announced street repairs in Kingwood and Huffman beginning on March 20.
Kingwood Repairs
In Kingwood, the Public Works Department will replace concrete panels in the westbound lanes of Kingwood Drive between Green Oak and Chestnut Ridge. Repairs should last, weather permitting through May 8 and cost $175,000 from Martin’s District Service Funds. Crews will work Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Saturday from 7 a.m. to 12 p.m.
Kingwood Drive repairs will extend from Green Oak to Chestnut Ridge Drives.
Huffman Repairs
In Huffman, Public Works will rehab the asphalt streets in Lakewood Heights as part of Mayor Turner’s Street Rehab Initiative. Crews will work from Monday through Saturday from 7 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
Lakewood Heights in Huffman
More About the Work
Kingwood repairs should take through May 8. Huffman repairs should take through May 22, weather permitting.
Flagmen and orange traffic cones will help with traffic flow through both construction zones as the projects will require a one-lane closure. Two-way traffic will be maintained at all times. Businesses and residents will have access to driveways and sidewalks at all times and may experience an increase in noise levels due to trucks and equipment in the area.
For more information, please contact Mayor Pro Tem Dave Martin’s office at (832) 393-3008 or districte@houstontx.gov.
Posted by Bob Rehak on 3/19/22 based on notices from CoH District E
2028 Days since Hurricane Harvey
https://i0.wp.com/reduceflooding.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/Kingwood-Drive-Repairs.jpg?fit=1796%2C994&ssl=19941796adminadmin2023-03-19 13:22:152023-03-19 13:22:17Street Repairs in Kingwood, Huffman Begin March 20
State Representative Charles Cunningham has introduced HB1093. The bill would ensure cleanup of abandoned sand mines in the San Jacinto watershed. It requires miners to post a bond that covers cleanup costs. So, if an irresponsible miner walks away from a mine before reclamation, the public doesn’t have to pay the deadbeat’s costs.
A bond is like an insurance policy that guarantees the performance of obligations.
Without a bond, miners who profited for years from a mine can simply walk away when they are done mining, foisting cleanup costs onto the public or leaving blight behind.
How Bad Is the Problem?
Right now, there are at least six mines on the East and West Forks of the San Jacinto that were left a mess. Such abandoned sand mines are increasingly becoming a blight that imperils water quality in Lake Houston, the source of drinking water for 2 million people.
Rusting equipment leaks poisons and poses safety problems.
Un-stabilized soil increases rates of erosion and contributes to flooding.
Steep banks in pits slump away in slabs threatening neighboring properties and businesses.
Blight reduces surrounding property values and business activity
Miners are supposed to remove equipment and structures before they abandon a mine. But not all do. See the pictures below.
Leaking equipment near Riverview Drive in Porter on West Fork. Google Earth images show thisin same location since 2008.Dredge abandoned in Humble mine in 2017.Abandoned excavator in Porter mine on West ForkAbandoned dredge in Plum Grove mine.Abandoned processing equipment in Humble mine.Abandoned processing equipment and vehicle in Humble mine since 2017.
Miners are also obligated to grade and stabilize soil before they leave a mine, then replant vegetation similar to the surrounding area to reduce sediment pollution. But not all do.
Ungraded, un-stabilized soil in East Fork Plum Grove Mine.Ungraded soil and abandoned equipment in East Fork MineA flood later swept through the mine above, sending sediment down the East Fork.Defunct sand pit in Humble. Steep slopes – ungraded and unvegetated – erode and threaten neighboring business.
Community Consequences
Most sand moves during storms. This island appeared after Hurricane Harvey between Humble and Kingwood. It blocked the West Fork by 90%, according to the Army Corps and contributed to the flooding of thousands of homes and businesses.Confluence of the San Jacinto West Fork with Spring Creek. Images taken on different days from different angles, but in each case the dirty water comes from the West Fork, where we have 20 square miles of mines on a 20 mile stretch of the river between I-45 and I-69.
Most responsible miners will clean up on their own. But experience shows, a few bad apples will not. And when they walk away, the cost to the public can be enormous. Dredging costs alone have exceeded $226 million in the Lake Houston area since Harvey.
How You Can Help
Please help reduce this and related cleanup costs in the future. Ensure that sand miners don’t pass their remediation costs on to taxpayers.
Make sure HB1093 at least gets to the House floor for a vote this year.
The committee will likely recommend King’s HB10. It will fund the creation of 7-million acre-feet of new water supplies for rural areas.
Let’s do something that won’t cost taxpayers a penny to protect a water supply we already have. Support HB1093. And please forward this link to all your friends, family and neighbors.
Posted by Bob Rehak on 3/18/23
2027 Days after Hurricane Harvey
The thoughts expressed in this post represent opinions on matters of public concern and safety. They are protected by the First Amendment of the US Constitution and the Anti-SLAPP Statute of the Great State of Texas.
https://i0.wp.com/reduceflooding.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/20200306-RJR_9442.jpg?fit=1200%2C800&ssl=18001200adminadmin2023-03-18 09:23:232023-03-18 09:53:52Urgent Request: Support HB1093 to Improve Water Quality, Reduce Flooding, Save Tax Dollars
Today, it wasn’t Republicans vs. Democrats. It was humans helping humans. And how refreshing it was!
86-Year Old, Mobility-Challenged Woman Gets New Home, New Life
Texas General Land Office (GLO) Commissioner Dawn Buckingham and her staff gathered to turn over the keys to the newly rebuilt home of Earnestine Henry. Ms. Henry is an 86-year old African-American great grandmother who relies on a wheelchair and walker to get around. Hurricane Harvey displaced her from the 79-year old home she owned for 50 years.
Neighbors, friends and family – the entire street – all joined in the festivities. It was the 1000th such home that the GLO built in Houston and Harris County in the last two years.
When Commissioner Buckingham gave Ms. Henry a bouquet of flowers as a housewarming gift, Ms. Henry began to cry tears of joy.
Henry left, Buckingham right.
Then, the deeply religious Henry threw up her arm and went silent for a second.
Finally, she shouted “Thank you, Lord.”
She was so overcome with emotion that Commissioner Buckingham reached out to steady her in case she started to fall.
The room went silent as she sobbed and dried her tears. Everyone else dried theirs, too, including seasoned journalists. Yes, even I sniffled.
Then Ms. Henry flashed a beatific smile. The gracious and grateful octogenarian then took her guests on a tour of her new home as she thanked all the GLO staff in attendance.
She never thought she would recover from Harveyand couldn’t believe her beautiful new surroundings.
Before/After Photos
Here’s what the home looked like before the rebuild.
And here’s what it looked like today, including the handicapped ramp. All homes built through the GLO’s Homeowner Assistance plan meet the needs of the residents with mobility challenges. Not only is the homeowner’s investment protected, their safety is as well.
Ms. Henry had originally applied to the City of Houston for help after Harvey, but reportedly never heard back. Her daughter and granddaughter helped her reapply to the GLO when the GLO took over the program in 2021.
Better, Safer
JW Turner Construction built the new home, which is fully code compliant and energy efficient. The rebuild happened as part of the GLO’s Homeowner Assistance Program (HAP).
In accordance with federal law and City of Houston codes, new homes located in a flood plain are elevated to 2 feet above base flood elevation.
Property Values Increase, but Not Taxes
On average, homes rebuilt through the Homeowner Assistance Program increase the value of the property by more than $85,765. To address concerns about increased property taxes, in 2019 the Texas Legislature passed Senate Bill 812 to protect homeowners from drastic increases after the GLO reconstructs homes.
The GLO’s Homeowner Assistance Program reaches the hardest hit, low- and moderate-income, vulnerable families and individuals.
1000th Rebuild Part of a Continuing Effort
Of all approved applicants, nearly 90 percent identify as Black or Hispanic. 89 percent are considered low-to-moderate income. And 63 percent make less than 30 percent of the area median income.
The GLO currently has another 1000 homes under construction in the Houston area.
“No other state or territory has performed like Texas in the recovery from Harvey,” said Buckingham. “A large part of that credit goes to the GLO. In two years, GLO has rebuilt 18 times as many homes as Houston and Harris County combined.”
“Texas stands to lose billions of available federal disaster recovery dollars if we do not use them before they expire in August 2026,” she added.
“Programs administered by the GLO in assisting the poorest Texans have significantly outperformed the federal requirement,” said Buckingham. 80% of GLO disaster recovery funds help those most in need, even though the US Department of Housing and Urban Development only requires 70%.
Buckingham, upper right, applauds her team and contractors who commemorated the occasionwith Ms. Henry.
Thank you, Lord, for people like Ms. Henry and all the others above. They remind us that we’re all in this together.
Posted by Bob Rehak on 3/16/2023
2025 Days since Hurricane Harvey
https://i0.wp.com/reduceflooding.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/20230316-RJR_1258.jpg?fit=1200%2C800&ssl=18001200adminadmin2023-03-16 20:45:152023-03-17 08:48:58“Thank You, Lord!” and “Thank You, GLO!”
Street Repairs in Kingwood, Huffman Begin March 20
This is a bit off topic, but it affects tens of thousands of readers. City of Houston Mayor Pro Tem Dave Martin has announced street repairs in Kingwood and Huffman beginning on March 20.
Kingwood Repairs
In Kingwood, the Public Works Department will replace concrete panels in the westbound lanes of Kingwood Drive between Green Oak and Chestnut Ridge. Repairs should last, weather permitting through May 8 and cost $175,000 from Martin’s District Service Funds. Crews will work Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Saturday from 7 a.m. to 12 p.m.
Huffman Repairs
In Huffman, Public Works will rehab the asphalt streets in Lakewood Heights as part of Mayor Turner’s Street Rehab Initiative. Crews will work from Monday through Saturday from 7 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
More About the Work
Kingwood repairs should take through May 8. Huffman repairs should take through May 22, weather permitting.
Flagmen and orange traffic cones will help with traffic flow through both construction zones as the projects will require a one-lane closure. Two-way traffic will be maintained at all times. Businesses and residents will have access to driveways and sidewalks at all times and may experience an increase in noise levels due to trucks and equipment in the area.
For more information, please contact Mayor Pro Tem Dave Martin’s office at (832) 393-3008 or districte@houstontx.gov.
Posted by Bob Rehak on 3/19/22 based on notices from CoH District E
2028 Days since Hurricane Harvey
Urgent Request: Support HB1093 to Improve Water Quality, Reduce Flooding, Save Tax Dollars
State Representative Charles Cunningham has introduced HB1093. The bill would ensure cleanup of abandoned sand mines in the San Jacinto watershed. It requires miners to post a bond that covers cleanup costs. So, if an irresponsible miner walks away from a mine before reclamation, the public doesn’t have to pay the deadbeat’s costs.
A bond is like an insurance policy that guarantees the performance of obligations.
Without a bond, miners who profited for years from a mine can simply walk away when they are done mining, foisting cleanup costs onto the public or leaving blight behind.
How Bad Is the Problem?
Right now, there are at least six mines on the East and West Forks of the San Jacinto that were left a mess. Such abandoned sand mines are increasingly becoming a blight that imperils water quality in Lake Houston, the source of drinking water for 2 million people.
Miners are supposed to remove equipment and structures before they abandon a mine. But not all do. See the pictures below.
Miners are also obligated to grade and stabilize soil before they leave a mine, then replant vegetation similar to the surrounding area to reduce sediment pollution. But not all do.
Community Consequences
Most responsible miners will clean up on their own. But experience shows, a few bad apples will not. And when they walk away, the cost to the public can be enormous. Dredging costs alone have exceeded $226 million in the Lake Houston area since Harvey.
How You Can Help
Please help reduce this and related cleanup costs in the future. Ensure that sand miners don’t pass their remediation costs on to taxpayers.
Make sure HB1093 at least gets to the House floor for a vote this year.
In the last session, a similar bill by former Representative Dan Huberty, HB4478, never made it out of the Natural Resources committee.
HB1093 deserves a hearing. Please write the chair and vice chair of Natural Resources asking them to consider it.
The committee will likely recommend King’s HB10. It will fund the creation of 7-million acre-feet of new water supplies for rural areas.
Let’s do something that won’t cost taxpayers a penny to protect a water supply we already have. Support HB1093. And please forward this link to all your friends, family and neighbors.
Posted by Bob Rehak on 3/18/23
2027 Days after Hurricane Harvey
The thoughts expressed in this post represent opinions on matters of public concern and safety. They are protected by the First Amendment of the US Constitution and the Anti-SLAPP Statute of the Great State of Texas.
“Thank You, Lord!” and “Thank You, GLO!”
Today, it wasn’t Republicans vs. Democrats. It was humans helping humans. And how refreshing it was!
86-Year Old, Mobility-Challenged Woman Gets New Home, New Life
Texas General Land Office (GLO) Commissioner Dawn Buckingham and her staff gathered to turn over the keys to the newly rebuilt home of Earnestine Henry. Ms. Henry is an 86-year old African-American great grandmother who relies on a wheelchair and walker to get around. Hurricane Harvey displaced her from the 79-year old home she owned for 50 years.
Neighbors, friends and family – the entire street – all joined in the festivities. It was the 1000th such home that the GLO built in Houston and Harris County in the last two years.
When Commissioner Buckingham gave Ms. Henry a bouquet of flowers as a housewarming gift, Ms. Henry began to cry tears of joy.
Then, the deeply religious Henry threw up her arm and went silent for a second.
Finally, she shouted “Thank you, Lord.”
She was so overcome with emotion that Commissioner Buckingham reached out to steady her in case she started to fall.
The room went silent as she sobbed and dried her tears. Everyone else dried theirs, too, including seasoned journalists. Yes, even I sniffled.
Then Ms. Henry flashed a beatific smile. The gracious and grateful octogenarian then took her guests on a tour of her new home as she thanked all the GLO staff in attendance.
Before/After Photos
Here’s what the home looked like before the rebuild.
And here’s what it looked like today, including the handicapped ramp. All homes built through the GLO’s Homeowner Assistance plan meet the needs of the residents with mobility challenges. Not only is the homeowner’s investment protected, their safety is as well.
Ms. Henry had originally applied to the City of Houston for help after Harvey, but reportedly never heard back. Her daughter and granddaughter helped her reapply to the GLO when the GLO took over the program in 2021.
Better, Safer
JW Turner Construction built the new home, which is fully code compliant and energy efficient. The rebuild happened as part of the GLO’s Homeowner Assistance Program (HAP).
Property Values Increase, but Not Taxes
On average, homes rebuilt through the Homeowner Assistance Program increase the value of the property by more than $85,765. To address concerns about increased property taxes, in 2019 the Texas Legislature passed Senate Bill 812 to protect homeowners from drastic increases after the GLO reconstructs homes.
The GLO’s Homeowner Assistance Program reaches the hardest hit, low- and moderate-income, vulnerable families and individuals.
1000th Rebuild Part of a Continuing Effort
Of all approved applicants, nearly 90 percent identify as Black or Hispanic. 89 percent are considered low-to-moderate income. And 63 percent make less than 30 percent of the area median income.
The GLO currently has another 1000 homes under construction in the Houston area.
“No other state or territory has performed like Texas in the recovery from Harvey,” said Buckingham. “A large part of that credit goes to the GLO. In two years, GLO has rebuilt 18 times as many homes as Houston and Harris County combined.”
“Texas stands to lose billions of available federal disaster recovery dollars if we do not use them before they expire in August 2026,” she added.
“Programs administered by the GLO in assisting the poorest Texans have significantly outperformed the federal requirement,” said Buckingham. 80% of GLO disaster recovery funds help those most in need, even though the US Department of Housing and Urban Development only requires 70%.
Thank you, Lord, for people like Ms. Henry and all the others above. They remind us that we’re all in this together.
Posted by Bob Rehak on 3/16/2023
2025 Days since Hurricane Harvey