PORT NECHES — Port Neches residents recently got some good news when they learned that a costly project to help with erosion problems is eligible for grant funding.

The city had already received the final permit from the Army Corps of Engineers for the erosion control project, or breakwater, with the next step to have a lease in place with the Texas General Land Office. The lease is necessary since the area is in Texas waters, about 30-feet from the shoreline near The Neches River Wheelhouse restaurant.

The estimated cost of the breakwater is between $725,000 and $850,000 and includes an area about 700 feet long running from Port Neches Riverfront Park to a canal/cut-in just before the Oak Bluff Cemetery property.

The city had already submitted a number of projects to the Texas Department of Emergency Management Recovery, Mitigation and Standards Hazard Mitigation Grant program when they learned the erosion control project meets the criteria for the grant, Taylor Shelton, director of public works, said.

So the original grant was taken back, so to speak, and a new grant application filed that includes the breakwater project.

The original projects include increasing the strength of the armory roof to withstand 150 mph along with storm shutters and windows, a 150 mph metal pitch roof at the library, installation of generators (upgrades and replacements) for the armory police department, water plant, fresh water lift station and the Saba Lane lift station.
Shelton said some of the generators are more than 20 years old.

Another riverfront project that was resubmitted includes adding a bulkhead on a portion of land and raise the natural ground elevation to 10 foot.

Now the city is waiting to hear word on whether the grant projects get the green light.