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Capitol Comment
by Senator Kay Bailey Hutchison
Texas’ Gulf Coast Treasures
August 22, 2008
I recently embarked on a 600 mile bus tour along the magnificent Gulf Coast of Texas, stopping to meet with many hundreds of constituents, over 75 elected officials – both Republican and Democratic – and scores of local leaders in 16 communities. This region is blessed with great treasures, including abundant energy sources, a pristine environment, and sites commemorating our state’s rich heritage. Over the course of my journey, I was privileged to see many of these places and meet the Texans who help make this part of our state so unique and prosperous.
In Wadsworth, I witnessed firsthand how South Texas is confronting the energy crisis by leading the American nuclear renaissance. At the South Texas Project (STP) Electric Generating Station, I met with plant executives and local officials and toured the facility, which is an industry leader in safety, reliability, and efficiency. The plant’s two reactors produce 2,700 megawatts of electricity annually, which can power more than one million homes and businesses in South Central Texas. STP has been awarded the nuclear industry’s highest honor, the “Best of the Best” trophy. This facility is in the process of doubling its capacity with two new reactors, which will be the first built in the U.S. in three decades.
Another clean, renewable fuel source that can be harnessed is wind energy. I support the Lone Star Wind Alliance – a consortium of state agencies, universities, and energy companies – and its plans to build a wind turbine testing lab in the coastal city of Ingleside. Additionally, the port of Corpus Christi is in negotiations with private industry for the construction of 20 wind turbines to be operational by early 2009. Producers are looking to the winds generated in the Gulf of Mexico, as well. Texas has leased 11,355 acres off the coast of Galveston for a 50-turbine offshore wind farm that could be operating within the next few years. Together, the projects will bring new jobs to the region, boost our economy, and advance Texas’ leadership in pursuing a total energy solution.
As renewable forms of energy, such as nuclear and wind power, are increasingly folded into our energy portfolio, domestic oil production must, and will, remain a critical component in the short term. Texas leads the nation in oil refineries – 16 of the 26 refineries in our state are situated on or near the Gulf Coast. On the bus tour, I was privileged to help break ground at Valero’s $2.4 billion refinery expansion at Port Arthur. This project is expected to boost the facility’s overall capacity to 415,000 barrels per day and will make it one of the nation’s largest refineries. I was proud to champion tax benefits in Congress to help spur this new growth in refining capacity and ease prices at the pump.
Simultaneously, the Gulf Coast is an energy powerhouse and a tourism hotspot. This region provides indisputable evidence that these industries can coexist – and flourish.
In 2006, Gulf Coast tourism yielded more than $15 billion in spending and generated over $1 billion in state and local tax receipts. Almost 50 million Americans annually flock to the region to see some of the cleanest and most scenic beaches in the nation and other regional highlights. On my visit, I had the pleasure of visiting the pristine beaches of Rockport, Corpus Christi, Galveston, and Port Lavaca. Tourists are also drawn to Texas’ rich natural resources and unique heritage which are preserved in an array of historical sites, nature preserves, and museums. I was privileged to visit with citizens and local officials at several of these special places.
At the San Jacinto Battleground and monument, I was honored to stand on the very ground where Texans fought and won our state’s freedom. In Rockport, I helped celebrate the 20th anniversary of the Texas Maritime Museum, which preserves and exhibits Texas’ rich marine history dating back to the Karankawa Indians. At the Texas State Aquarium in Corpus Christi, I saw the important work being done to share the wonders of Gulf aquatic life with visitors and to promote ecological education in Texas. Finally, on High Island, I toured the Houston Audubon Society Birding site, which is part of an internationally known system of natural sanctuaries.
As I made my way through these 16 unique Texas communities, I was reminded how blessed we are as Texans to live in this wonderful state that provides so much economic opportunity and natural beauty. I will continue to work in the U.S. Senate for these 16, and the other 238 counties of Texas, to ensure they have the opportunity to grow and prosper.
Kay Bailey Hutchison is the senior U.S. Senator from Texas and is the Chairman of the Senate Republican Policy Committee.
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