State officials remove sunken damage along Texas coast

Nov. 22--Officials yanked the equivalent of an armada from the Texas coast after Hurricane Harvey.

Of the 676 boats that sank in state waters in late August, 77 sank in local ports from Seadrift to Palacios, said Robb Muil, the area manager for oil prevention and response for the Texas General Land Office.

Muil told the Port Commission of Port Lavaca on Tuesday that the GLO yanked the final boat from its watery grave Nov. 11. He said in the process, the GLO, the U.S. Coast Guard and the Environmental Protection Agency prevented almost 60,000 gallons of hazardous material from spilling.

In the Crossroads, the GLO was responsible for 26 surrendered boats.

Most of the boats that sank were used for pleasure, but some belonged to shrimp and oyster fishers, said Rhonda Cummins, the Texas Sea Grant agent for Calhoun County.

Cummins asked the Formosa Plastics Corporation and Bishop Brendan Cahill of the Diocese of Victoria for $10,000 to rent an 80-ton crane to pick up four sunken boats from the Harbor of Refuge and one boat that was grounded.

Both came through with the money, but Cummins returned Cahill's check.

"To me, Bishop Cahill gave from his heart, and I knew Formosa gave out of their excess," Cummins said. "Ten thousand dollars from Formosa is not a lot of money, and I didn't need a lot of money. I just needed enough money. I just needed enough to help those guys who didn't have anybody else."

Cummins also helped untangle the knot that the Category 4 hurricane created at the Nautical Landings Marina, where she was once a tenant.

She helped Muil and Port Lavaca Public Works Director Oscar Pena track down boat owners in person, by phone or by certified mail.

The Federal Emergency Management Agency gave the GLO $40 million for this task.

Muil said that so far, the GLO has spent about $29 million, "so we're well within budget."

The boats the GLO picked up were taken to Cove Harbor Marina in Rockport. Muil, who returned to his hometown of Olivia days after Harvey made landfall, said if they aren't claimed within 21 days, the boats will be destroyed. He stressed the GLO is not making any profit off the recovery project and has gone above and beyond, even retrieving a funeral urn off one boat for a family.

"The people who participated in this vessel removal program are members of the community," GLO press secretary Brittany Eck said, "so this is something that I know that they are very proud to participate in ... This program is also vital to getting the coast back to business by making the waters navigable again."

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Day 2: Brace yourself

Day 3: 'Prayers protect us'

Day 4: 'We thought we were going to die'

Day 5: 'At least God let us live'

Day 6: 'It's the luck of the draw'

Day 7: 'Everybody will pull together'

Day 8: Guadalupe floods parts of Victoria

Day 9: Texas Zoo evacuates animals (w/video)

Day 10: The Long Road Ahead (w/video)

Day 11: Residents rely on families to rebuild

Day 12: For some, normal still far away

Day 13: Church offers refuge for devastated town

Day 14: Victims find hardship, opportunity (w/video)

Day 15: FEMA frustrates Harvey victims

Day 16: Displaced and in disarray

Day 17: Disaster for humans means catastrophe for pets

Day 18: Nature interrupted (w/video)

Day 19: 'It was like we had been bombed'

Day 20: Students returning to school feel weight of Harvey

Day 21: International Crane Foundation loses office after hurricane

Day 22: Ranching structures, cotton mostly damaged by Harvey

Day 23: Port Lavaca struggles back after Harvey

Day 24: Refugio: 'We're trying to get back to normal'

Day 25: Nonprofit leaves people lost after Harvey

Day 26: 'We are human beings like everyone else'

Day 27: Refugio schools find way to reopen

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Day 29: Methodist church serves those in need after hurricane

Day 30: Scientists measure damage to endangered species' habitat (w/video)

Day 31: Medical community feels impact of Harvey

Day 32: Harvey's speed leaves many in harm's way

Day 33: After Harvey, Seadrift couple forced out of home

Day 34: Bloomington Elementary School educates students in FEMA dome

Day 35: School districts share issues with state, US senator

Day 36: VISD students observe See You at the Pole

Day 37: Expectant family struggles after Harvey (w/video)

Day 38: Woodsboro pulls together after Harvey

Day 39: Housing options slim for displaced families

Day 40: SBA approves more than $500M in disaster loans

Day 41: Hunger greater in Crossroads post-Harvey

Day 42: 'Harvey broke me'

Day 44: Goliad baby born as hurricane swirled toward Crossroads

Day 45: Mother recalls 'scary' birth during Harvey

Day 46: Harvey devastates homeowners without insurance

Day 47: Officials have no details on housing relief

Day 48: Harvey impacts couple's 2 Victoria businesses, Rockport home

Day 49: Crews begin repair work on historic McFaddin church

Day 50: Hurricane, flood force Jaguars to make adjustments

Day 51: Texas Zoo thanks Vickers students for donation

Day 52: Seadrift women helping people affected by hurricane

Day 53: Mold creates big problem for homeowners

Day 54: Crossroads public agencies deal with FEMA challenges

Day 55: Special delivery

Day 56: Texas Gulf Coast mayors discuss Harvey aftermath

Day 57: Tenants sue after Harvey eviction

Day 58: Nonprofit directors face difficult fundraising decision after Harvey

Day 59: VISD applies for waivers to reduce Harvey burden

Day 60: Victoria's relief efforts lacked coordination, leadership

Day 61: Popular restaurant battles back from Harvey

Day 62: City looks to buy sprinkler controls for $160K

Day 63: Housing after Harvey (w/video)

Day 64: City looks to help with hefty water bills

Day 65: Men's shelter, soup kitchen closed because of Harvey

Day 66: Watt routes almost $1M to Crossroads' hungry

Day 67: Recovery group seeks members, community leaders

Day 68: Habitat volunteers help Harvey victims rebuild

Day 69: Lawmakers, counties to discuss Harvey response

Day 70: Oyster season opens after Harvey; new rules adopted

Day 71: Crossroads leaders talk storm damage to lawmakers

Day 72: Symphony to open concert season after Harvey delay

Day 73: Harvey recovery group works to measure unmet needs

Day 74: City considers ways to shore up water system

Day 75: County officials: Mobile homes need more oversight

Day 76: Recipient of state honor persists despite Harvey setbacks

Day 77: Heroes, lessons emerge in Harvey's wake

Day 78: Harvey, budget shortfalls challenge local leaders

Day 79: Salvation Army traditional holiday meal to continue

Day 80: City water had no bacteria despite Harvey outage

Day 81: Leaders still don't have Harvey recovery details

Day 82: Devereux officials remain hopeful despite hurricane damage

Day 83: Bloomington students, district still feel impact of Harvey

Day 84: Officials consider waiving school accountability ratings

Day 85: FEMA center in Cuero to close Nov. 22

Day 86: Zoo to spread its wings again

Day 87: Recovery group urges residents to apply for FEMA

Day 88: Rural Victoria County fights for help after Harvey

Day 89: Council to revisit rules on temporary housing

Day 90: Customers, employees respond to Lacks, Harbor Freight reopenings

Helpful information

Where to get water, gas and other supplies

Helpful information after the storm

Updates on city services

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