According to the Associated Press, President Bush wants the federal government to stop paying most of the cost of beach restoration projects.

http://www.newsday.com/ap/topnews/ap429.htm

It has been my experience that the links on this site frequently become outdated.

The article titled Beach Restoration Program in Doubt by Laurence Arnold, AP writer states:

"Some lawmakers say Bush wants local and state governments and organizations to pay 65 percent of beach-building costs. Currently the federal gov. picks up 65 percent of the cost."

Note that the justification of the Packery Channel project to the federal government is as a beach restoration project.

In fact the title of the project is "North Padre Island Storm Damage Reduction and Environmental Restoration Project" and the main justification is building a beach in front of the seawall.

Does this mean that by the time that the project is authorized that the local share of the project will be 65 percent ($19.5 million) and the federal share will be only $10.5 million? This is the reverse of the present situation. This will make Packery Channel a very expensive project indeed.

Does this also apply to the maintenance of the channel and continuing beach nourishment?

The bottom line is that we don't know, BUT this is certainly a possibility.

Richard L. Watson