Dan Parker
Editor and co-publisher
In a major victory for local environmental interests, the Port of Corpus Christi has decided to conditionally abandon the permit that would allow it to discharge wastewater from a planned desalination plant into nearshore waters in Port Aransas.
Port commissioners voted to approve a resolution to that effect today – Tuesday, May 20.
The Port Aransas Conservancy (PAC) citizens’ group fought a long battle to keep the discharge from taking place here. “Take it offshore” became a rallying cry for many in the community.
PAC President James King was overjoyed after the vote.
“Tammy and I and PAC and everyone we worked with for (seven) years are elated at the decision and direction the port is going,” King said, referring to his wife, Tammy King. “… This is a big deal for the people of the Coastal Bend, a huge deal.”
PAC will support the port in its efforts to obtain an offshore discharge permit from the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ), King said.
“Here we go, from butting heads for half a decade to collaborating with the port,” King said. “It’s uncharted waters. It’s just a new beginning of a relationship with the port.”
In part, the port resolution stated:
“The Port Commission seeks to uphold the utmost precaution and rigor with regard to potential ecological impacts and is of the opinion that discharging effluent from a Harbor Island seawater desalination facility offshore is the most environmentally conservative approach.
“The Port Commission hereby finds and determines that it is not necessary for PCCA (Port of Corpus Christi Authority) to have both the Nearshore Discharge Permit and the Offshore Discharge Permit.
“Furthermore, the Port Commission hereby finds and determines that the Offshore Discharge Permit is preferable to the Nearshore Discharge Permit.
“Therefore, the Port Commission hereby revokes and abandons the Nearshore Discharge Permit subject to and conditioned on PCCA’s receipt of the Offshore Discharge Permit.
“The Chief Executive Officer is hereby authorized and directed to submit a request to the TCEQ for approval of this conditional revocation of the Nearshore Discharge Permit as soon as practicable following adoption of this Resolution.”
TCEQ commissioners voted unanimously in September 2022 to grant a permit to the port for desalination plant wastewater to be discharged in the Corpus Christi Ship Channel. Port plans were to discharge at a channel location that’s just off Harbor Island, across from Roberts Point Park.
King said that port commissioners Mike Pedrotti and Diane Gonalez led the charge to abandon the idea of discharging nearshore in Port Aransas.
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