USACE Galveston District to host second Stakeholder Partnering Forum

Published Aug. 24, 2015

GALVESTON, Texas (Aug. 24, 2015) – The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Galveston District will meet with non-federal sponsors, customers and agency partners to collaborate on best practices regarding programs ranging from ecosystem restoration to flood risk management, maintaining and improving Texas coastal navigation systems, and regulatory oversight of U.S. waters during the district’s second Stakeholder Partnering Forum on Aug. 27, 2015, at its headquarters building in Galveston.

“This partnering forum will build on the first meeting we hosted earlier this year and will allow us to continue to hear direct feedback from our sponsors and stakeholders on issues that are critical to the successful execution of projects and to move forward on integrated solutions,” said Col. Richard P. Pannell, USACE Galveston District commander. “The USACE Galveston District is committed to providing vital public engineering services in peace and war to strengthen our nation's security, energize the economy and reduce risks from disasters. This forum affords stakeholders a venue to understand and interact on the latest information about our programs, projects, business processes and capabilities.”

The one-day forum will identify opportunities to better synchronize and integrate the district’s support of stakeholder commitments and emerging interests such as the Coastal Texas Feasibility Study and the Freeport Harbor Preconstruction, Engineering and Design plan. It is a unique opportunity for non-federal sponsors, customers and agency partners from the Sabine to the Rio Grande Rivers along the Texas coast to network and exchange ideas from the whole community perspective on ways the Galveston District is able to improve value delivery to the nation across civil works and regulatory business lines.

“Our Stakeholder Partnering Forum provides an important opportunity for agencies to foster effective working relationships  and better understand the unique processes and capabilities of the USACE Galveston District in order to improve coordination that will facilitate and expedite the navigational safety and efficiency of the Gulf Intracoastal Waterway, an economic engine for the state and nation,” said Dr. Edmond Russo, USACE Galveston District’s deputy district engineer for programs and project management. “The partnering forum will provide an excellent venue to interface with our customers face to face to address their issues and concerns and to provide an explanation on how funding will be used to manage customer priorities in the operations and maintenance program.”

Facilitated stakeholder breakout discussions relating to partnered progress and needs will include partner communications, navigating the new planning process, meeting product delivery commitments, and setting organizational performance objectives. Partnering panel discussions will engage the participant community and culminate in a synthesis of successes, challenges, lessons learned and strategies for working with the district.

If you are a non-federal sponsor or agency representative who would like to attend, please contact Dr. Russo at Edmond.J.Russo@usace.army.mil.

The USACE Galveston District was established in 1880 as the first engineer district in Texas to oversee river and harbor improvements. The district is directly responsible for maintaining more than 1,000 miles of channel, including 250 miles of deep draft and 750 miles of shallow draft as well as the Colorado River Locks and Brazos River Floodgates. Its main missions include navigation, ecosystem restoration, emergency management, flood risk management and regulatory oversight. The Corps also supports a robust Regulatory Program that interacts with the local community through a variety of public outreach opportunities.

For more news and information, visit www.swg.usace.army.mil. Find us on Facebook, www.facebook.com/GalvestonDistrict or follow us on Twitter, www.twitter.com/USACEgalveston.


Release no. 15-049