Public Notice - 100 Acres of Container Yard at Bayport East End, Bayport Container Terminal

Port Houston Public Notice 

To improve the efficient movement of goods to reduce ongoing disruptions to the supply chain, the Port of Houston Authority (“Port Houston”) plans to use 100 acres at the developed Bayport East End (East End), Bayport Container Terminal (“BPT”), Harris County, Texas as an additional container yard (“CY”). The additional CY space will accommodate increased container volumes, while improving terminal efficiency, supporting emissions reduction, and maintaining international trade. This will bring significant economic benefits to the region.

The East End was originally developed as a cruise terminal, but its use was changed, in part, to an auto roll-on/roll-off terminal based on past market demands. To address current and projected future demands for container storage at BPT, Port Houston now plans to change the use of the East End to CY that will include paving the existing auto terminal area and adjacent unpaved area to its south.

The proposed East End change of use project includes two 50-acre CYs: CY 8 and CY 9. Port Houston has obtained a Port Infrastructure Development Program (“PIDP”) grant, administered by the U.S. Maritime Administration, for construction of the first 50 acres (“CY 8”) and plans to pursue additional grants for other portions of the proposed East End project. Design is anticipated to begin in first quarter of 2023 with construction in first quarter of 2024.

Port Houston has an existing U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (“USACE”) permit for BPT that included the development of the East End. No modifications to the USACE permit will be required as part of this project. The environmental review and consultation required by the National Environmental Policy Act and other applicable environmental laws are being performed by Port Houston and the U.S. Department of Transportation Maritime Administration to support the PIDP grant contract.

The proposed project includes:

• Removal of auto terminal building slab, existing parking lot pavement, driveways, and access road (Cruise Street within limits of project).
• Grading of the project area, including fill of an existing retention/detention pond and removal of excess soil material.
• Installation of pavement: reinforced and roller compacted concrete pavement and/or other types of concrete pavement used in the storage of containerized cargo.
• Construction of a storm water collection system, water lines (potable and fire suppression), and sanitary sewer lines. Existing utilities in the area of the existing access road and parking lot would be abandoned in place and/or removed.
• Demolition of existing, and construction of new, electrical infrastructure, including lighting (high mast light poles [“HMLPs”], security lighting), plugs for refrigerated containers, and substations. Fiberoptic cable will be placed in an underground duct bank adjacent to the electrical duct bank and will connect to boxes at HMLPs.
• Construction of a new Maintenance and Repair building.
• Pavement markings and signage across the project area, as needed for safe and efficient CY operations.

To provide comments or for further information please contact Environmental@porthouston.com