TTC environmental study focus of meeting
Public hearing begins at 5 p.m. Monday at WHS
By BARRY HALVORSON bhalvorson@journal-spectator.com

Those attending the open house portion of the upcoming public hearings on the I-69/Trans-Texas Corridor draft environmental impact statement can expect to get answers to their questions and comments.

Those waiting to comment until after the hearing starts shouldn't.

TxDOT has scheduled an I-69/TTC public hearing in Wharton on Monday, Feb. 11 at Wharton High School to provide citizens an opportunity to comment on the project's draft environmental study. Additional meetings in the local area include El Campo at the El Campo Civic Center on Feb. 21, East Bernard at Riverside Hall on Feb. 25 and Sealy at Sealy High School on Feb. 26. Each meeting will have an open house starting at 5 p.m. with the public hearing starting at 6:30 p.m.

"People attending can ask anything they want about this specific project or anything else they have a concern about during the open house," TxDOT public information spokesman Bryan Ellis of the Yoakum District Office said.

"Once the actual hearing starts at 6:30 p.m., we can't answer any questions.

"As part of the federal guidelines, we are prohibited from answering questions during the public hearing. That's just the way it works. The federal process calls for us to make a presentation that will last about 30 minutes and then open it up to questions. But we can't answer."

While those commenting during the public hearing will not receive an immediate answer, Ellis said they can expect to eventually hear something from the state agency.

"For those that don't want to speak publicly, there will be a forms available they can fill out and either turn in at the meeting or mail in later and get an official response," he said.

"And we will have a court reporter there taking down all the comments for the official record.

"We'll take those comments from the record and provide those individuals with a response if they provide us with the necessary information. Those asking questions during the open house will be able to talk with a TxDOT representative or one of our consultants but they won't get a written response because those comments will not be part of the public record."

In addition to making comments at the meeting or mailing in a form, a TxDOT press release states comments can also be submitted online at www.keeptexasmoving.com or mailed to I-69/TTC at P.O. Box 14428, Austin, Texas, 78761. All comments must be received by March 19.

"The purpose of the public hearings is to hear from Texans on the recently narrowed study area for I-69/TTC," the release states. "This is an opportunity for the public to participate in the decision making process."

In discussing the draft environmental impact statement preferred route, Ellis said said the information is still very preliminary.

"It isn't the final route of the project, if it ever is built," he said. "It is the preferred route just from an environmental standpoint in that it is the route that will have the least impact."

He added more than just nature goes into the environmental study.

"Other factors such as cemeteries, historic buildings and archeological sites are also considered," he said. "In particular, there are federal and state laws protecting cemeteries. And while we can get state and federal clearance if necessary, we'd rather not deal with them. So any information that can be provided locally will be included as part of the study."

He also added that after this round of public hearings, more study will be done.

"Right now we're working with a bird's eye view of the situation. We're looking at maps, researching the Internet and collecting any other information that is available. If and when we move on to Tier II planning, we'll get people physically on the ground to check things out. It will be kind of like flip over this rock and see what we find and then flip over the next route to see what is there."

Information provided by the Houston-Galveston Area Council outlined the preferred reasonable corridors and connector corridors.

As currently defined, the preferred corridor begins north of Lake Texana and extends northeast, parallel to U.S. 59 and passes west of El Campo and Wharton, then turns north towards I-10 passing west of Wallis then east of Sealy and San Felipe. Once north of I-20, the corridor turns to pass east of Pine Island and Prairie View and west of Wallis, crossing U.S. 290, and ending near the Waller Grimes County Line.

More information on the meetings or meeting locations can be found on the Internet at www.keeptexasmoving.com.