Latest news with #TexasGeneralLandOffice
Yahoo
13 hours ago
- Climate
- Yahoo
Galveston's Jamaica Beach Gets $5.1M Boost for Hurricane Protection
Texas Land Commissioner Dawn Buckingham has announced a $5.1 million beach restoration project for Jamaica Beach on Galveston Island. The Texas General Land Office will add 61,000 cubic yards of sand across 3,300 feet of shoreline. The project aims to protect coastal communities and wildlife habitats from future hurricane damage. Federal emergency funds are expected to cover 90% of costs. 'As a proud Texan who called Galveston Island home for more than a decade, ensuring these beautiful beaches are strong and resilient is one of my top priorities,' said Buckingham. She emphasized the project would 'fortify this essential stretch of the Texas coast against damage from future hurricanes, making communities safer and wildlife habitats more secure.' Construction crews will build the beach to 5 feet elevation with an average 150-foot width. These specifications should help withstand severe storms. The work originated as a repair response to Hurricane Ike damage. Still, it's evolved into a forward-looking resilience effort. Construction began on the beach's west end and moves eastward. Crews avoid nights, weekends, and holidays to minimize disruption. Beach sections reopen as work completes in each area. The entire project should wrap up by late August 2025. Jamaica Beach sits adjacent to Galveston Island State Park. The area serves both tight-knit residential communities and recreational visitors. Buckingham made history in 2022 as Texas' first female Land Commissioner. Her priorities include disaster recovery, energy support, and border security.
Yahoo
5 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Texas Approves $12 Million For Urgent Disaster Recovery Projects
Texas Land Commissioner Dawn Buckingham announced that $12 million in disaster recovery funds will be approved for infrastructure and housing projects across four Texas communities. The money comes from reallocated federal grants originally designated for previous disasters. The funding represents a last chance for cities still rebuilding from the 2015 floods. Federal deadlines loom for spending these disaster recovery dollars, creating urgency for communities with unfinished projects. 'Texans impacted by disasters deserve real solutions,' said Commissioner Buckingham. 'The GLO is making sure every dollar is put to work for the people who need it most.' Harris County will receive the largest share, with a $7.35 million split between Jacinto City and Tomball. Newton County secured $3.95 million for street and sewer improvements, while Brazoria was awarded $700,000 for sewer line replacement. The money comes through the Disaster Recovery Reallocation Program, which repurposes unused federal disaster funds. The Texas General Land Office received $1.4 billion in project requests but had only $140 million available across six disaster programs. Jacinto City's $6 million allocation addresses critical infrastructure needs from the 2015 flooding. The city will upgrade sewer lines, improve emergency communications systems, and enhance its wastewater treatment plant. Newton's projects focus on street repairs and sewer improvements in flood-damaged areas. Tomball will use its $1.35 million for channel improvements to reduce future flood risks. Federal regulations impose strict completion deadlines on these projects. Communities that fail to finish work on time must repay the funds to Washington. Still, the program offers vital support for Texas cities struggling with disaster recovery costs. The selected projects underwent rigorous eligibility reviews based on federal grant requirements and completion feasibility. That said, the funding falls far short of the requested needs. The $1.4 billion in submissions highlights the extensive damage Texas communities still face from multiple disasters spanning more than a decade.
Yahoo
29-05-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Texas General Land Office Digitizes 8,000 Historical Maps
The Texas General Land Office (GLO) has completed a three-year digital overhaul of its most extensive historical map collection, making more than 8,000 surveying documents accessible online for the first time. Texas Land Commissioner Dawn Buckingham announced Thursday that the GLO Sketch Files collection now features a comprehensive digital index covering records from the 1830s to the present. The digitization effort transforms how surveyors, researchers, and history enthusiasts can access crucial Texas boundary and surveying records that have shaped the state's development for nearly two centuries. 'As a proud ninth generation Texan, I am honored to be a steward of our state's rich history which has been preserved by the GLO since its founding in 1836 through the preservation of thousands of precious records, maps and documents,' Buckingham said. The collection contains 8,122 unique documents, including surveyor sketches, field notes, correspondence, and court judgments related to original land surveys. Archives staff spent nearly three years modernizing the massive collection while adding crucial metadata such as alternate titles, contributors, and dates to aid in locating specific documents. The collection remains active, with surveyors continuously submitting new materials to the GLO's Surveying Services Division. Buckingham praised the Archives and Records Division for 'bringing this vital collection into the 21st century, making it easily searchable for surveyors, researchers, and Texas history enthusiasts.' The digital index represents the GLO's latest effort to modernize historical preservation. Buckingham, who became Texas' first female Land Commissioner in 2022, has previously announced pre-sales for historical map books, including 'Texas Takes Shape' and the 'Alamo Defenders Heritage Map of Texas.' The digitized Sketch Files Collection Index is now available as a free PDF download through the GLO's historic Texas maps website.
Yahoo
06-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Bryan among cities receiving mitigation funds from Texas General Land Office
AUSTIN / BRYAN, Texas (FOX 44) – Bryan is one of a handful of Texas cities receiving mitigation funds from the Texas General Land Office (GLO). Land Commissioner Dawn Buckingham, M.D. announced Tuesday that the GLO approved $45,027,000 in regional funds to improve critical infrastructure – including roads, drainage, water detention, and sewer systems in Fayette and Nueces counties. The funds will also support projects in Bryan, Missouri City, Patton Village, and Seguin. The GLO prioritized local input through the Regional Mitigation Program in order to ensure funding addresses the unique needs of each community and region. Below is a breakdown of how the funds will be distributed: Table For Regional MIT $45 Mil For more detailed project descriptions, you can visit the Regional Mitigation Program webpage and click on 'Approved Regional Mitigation Program Project Descriptions' under Regional Mitigation Program Approved Projects in the drop down menu. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KWKT - FOX 44.
Yahoo
08-04-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Texas Land Commissioner executes agreement to explore benefits of produced water treatment in West Texas
Apr. 8—AUSTIN — Texas Land Commissioner Dr. Dawn Buckingham announced April 8 that the Texas General Land Office (GLO) has signed an agreement with EOG Resources Inc. that provides access to one acre of state-owned land in Reeves County for potential future testing involving irrigation of planted crops with treated produced water in a controlled environment to study the effects on soil quality, vegetative health, soil biology, physiology, and nutrient allocation. Produced water treatment projects focus on providing safe reuse for various purposes such as irrigation and power generation. "As the steward of 13 million acres of energy-rich state land and the largest land and mineral owner in Texas, the GLO is proud to utilize our state land for innovative solutions that encourage Texas' energy independence and benefit the school children of Texas," Buckingham said in a news release. "Produced water treatment projects will hopefully lead to additional water reuse opportunities and help foster a new water supply source for many Texas industries. I look forward to working with others in the year ahead to further advance reuse of produced water." Under the terms of the agreement, a benchmark study will be established for the current soil and biological content and conditions in Reeves County. Additionally, quarterly, measurable studies would be conducted during the project to demonstrate any changes to soil and plant characteristics resulting from the application of treated produced water. This land agreement comes several months after Buckingham secured the most extensive Carbon Capture and Sequestration (CCS) transportation and storage lease in state history.
