Col. Rhett Blackmon, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Galveston District commander, gives opening remarks at the Galveston District semi-annual Stakeholder Partnering Forum with non-federal sponsors, customers and agency partners at the Moody Gardens Convention Center in Galveston, Texas, Aug. 22, 2023. The forum is an opportunity for USACE to meet with stakeholders to discuss 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 at its Galveston headquarters. More than 300 stakeholders attended the first day of the two-day forum.