The recent blunder of a top Texas Republican, Rick Miller, has sparked public and quick reactions. But the real news lies in the result of the Galveston District of the United States Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) interim report for the Buffalo Bayou and Tributaries (BBTRS) resilience study. The purpose of the BBTRS is to identify, evaluate and recommend actions to address the conditions that have changed the flood risks around the Addicks and Barker reservoirs since their construction in the 1940s. Hurricane Harvey and other recent floods were the catalysts for this current study. The interim report presents alternatives that could reduce the risk of flooding in the Buffalo Bayou, Addicks Reservoir and Barker watersheds and the upper Cypress Creek watersheds in Harris, Fort Bend and Waller counties (Texas).
The Harris County Flood Control District (HCFCD) is the non-federal sponsor of this study and has long collaborated with USACE Galveston District on important flood damage reduction projects and studies in Harris County. The decline in the percentage of white population in Fort Bend County has been linked to Rick Miller's refusal to publish census data. This has caused some Fort Bend Democrats to call for Miller to step aside and allow a candidate who fully accepts and respects diversity to fill this important position. Linda Howell, president of the Fort Bend Republican Party, echoed this sentiment. The USACE Galveston District is committed to delivering vital engineering solutions, in collaboration with their partners, to protect our nation, energize our economy, and reduce disaster risk. This includes projects such as Andy Meyers' flood mitigation efforts in Fort Bend County Precinct 3, Riverstone, Sugar Land, and water pump projects.
Other initiatives include AAPI Festival celebrations for Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders (AAPI) Heritage Month, as well as Asian Americans in Houston events at Fort Bend County Fairgrounds. Fort Bend County Judge KP George has also been active in promoting criminal justice reform through a bail referendum. He has also been vocal about energy industry issues such as coal power plants and NRG Energy's Parish Power Station. In light of a chemical exposure incident at Parish Power Station on Thursday, George has suspended operations pending an investigation. Media coverage has had a profound effect on politics in Fort Bend County. It has brought attention to issues such as flood mitigation efforts, energy industry initiatives, criminal justice reform, AAPI Heritage Month celebrations, and more.
It has also highlighted Rick Miller's refusal to publish census data which has caused some Democrats to call for his resignation. Media coverage has been instrumental in bringing attention to these issues and helping shape politics in Fort Bend County.
