The Port of Houston Authority was honored with the Galveston Bay Foundation’s Guardian of the Bay Award at their annual luncheon September 27. Accepting the award on behalf of the port was Commissioner Stephen Don Carlos, Port Authority Environmental Affairs Director Leah Oberlin and Channel Development Project Manager David Casebeer.
PHA’s environmental stewardship efforts occur year round through community outreach and events, which is one of the organization’s primary goals from the 2014 adopted strategic plan.
“This is a port-wide achievement," Oberlin said. "Our port family works, lives and plays in Galveston Bay. As one of the stakeholders of the bay, we invest our time by partnering with them on various projects such as beach clean-ups and oyster reef restoration programs.”
The port also reuses dredged material through dredging projects in order to restore marine habitat and aquatic life. The Port is creating 3,100 acres of marsh, constructing bird islands and developing offshore beneficial use berms for fisheries habitat.
As part of the port’s environmental policy, stewardship and pollution prevention are incorporated into all business decisions and practices. “We believe that we are all responsible for keeping our communities clean, vibrant and healthy- and our relationship with Galveston Bay Foundation helps us do just that,” added Oberlin.