Second Ike Dike bill moves ahead in Congress, bringing project closer to full approval
Swimmers enjoy the waves near the West End Seawall in Galveston on Wednesday, April 13, 2022. The proposed Galveston Ring Barrier System would include extended the dunes for a natural barrier.A House committee on Wednesday approved legislation that gives the go-ahead to the so-called Ike Dike project, a massive $31 billion proposal that includes building giant gates across the mouth of Galveston Bay with the goal of stopping hurricane storm surge.
Getting the sign-off from key committees in both chambers of Congress marks a significant step forward for a plan that has been spiritedly debated since Hurricane Ike hit with devastating force in 2008. Both bills must be approved by their respective bodies, then merged for a final bicameral vote. Her comments prior to the vote addressed the big picture: “Through the biannual enactment of WRDA, this committee has addressed local, regional, national needs through the authorization of the new US Army Corps of Engineers projects, studies and policies that benefit every corner of the nation.”
by a hurricane. Two tall rows of dunes would line Galveston Island and Bolivar Peninsula, buffering the potentialRead the draft bill text here.