Matagorda Bay ship channel project

Federal authorities have outlined a $2.8 million plan to dredge a controversial canal for oil tankers through a Superfund site on the Texas coast. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers presented the plan, which includes testing the bay floor for contaminants and removing them before proceeding with the Matagorda Bay ship channel project. Despite environmental concerns and previous withdrawal of approval, the Corps is determined to expand the canal to accommodate larger oil tankers for export. The bay was previously polluted with mercury from an aluminum plant, designated a Superfund site, and underwent a cleanup in the 2000s.