Congressman Pete P. Gallego and State Representative Poncho Nevarez visit flood victims and area
By: Ricardo E. Calderon
An Exclusive Eagle Pass Business Journal News Story/ Copyright 2013
Congressman Pete P, Gallego (D-TX, 23rd District) and State Representative Poncho Nevarez (D-Eagle Pass, District 74) visited victims and the areas of Eagle Pass and Maverick County,Texas affected by the great flood of June 15, 2013 on the United States-Mexico border on Sunday,June 16, 2013 including an aerial assessment via a Texas Department of Public Safety helicopter of the swollen Elm Creek, a direct water tributary of the Rio Grande River, and the Rio Grande to determine and assess the damages caused by over 16.65 inches of rainfall within a 36 hours timespan.
Congressman Gallego stated that Eagle Pass and Maverick County are like his second home and he wanted to personally observe and visit the community to assess the extensive damages caused by the June 15th flood and to evaluate the emergency relief needed by the community to get back on its two feet after the devastating flood. Gallego stated that there are different levels of requirements needed to be satisfied for the community to qualify for local, state, and federal emergency disaster relief. Upon his return from the aerial assessment of the damages in Maverick County, Congressman Gallego stated that he was impressed with the severe and widespread damages caused by the June 15th flood, particularly along the Elm Creek area in northern Maverick County as well as the Farm to Market Road 1021 (El Indio Highway) area in southern Maverick County. Gallego stated that the people of Maverick County are very resilient and will need their resiliency to rebuild their community to pre-flood conditions. Congressman Gallego stated that he is working with all local, state, and federal officials to expedite any and all emergency disaster relief available to Maverick County be submitted to the appropriate authorities and be approved.
State Representative Poncho Nevarez stated that Maverick County Judge David Saucedo and him had previously done an aerial assessment of the flood damages on Saturday, June 15th, and both were struck by the significant cresting of Elm Creek above its banks and raging waters washing everything downstream into the Rio Grande River and the extensive damages caused by the June 15th flood. Nevarez stated that both the City of Eagle Pass and Maverick County prepared applications for emergency disaster relief with Governor Rick Perry’s Office yesterday on Saturday, June 15th, late afternoon and submitted their applications. Nevarez joined Congressman Gallego on Sunday, June 16th, aerial assessment and noted that although the flood waters had begun receding along Elm Creek and the Rio Grande River, the extensive damages were still visible including the continued closure of Highway 277 North at the Elm Creek Bridge to traffic between Eagle Pass and Del Rio, Texas. Nevarez reported that he was awaiting Texas Department of Transportation engineers from Laredo, Texas to evaluate the integrity and viability of the Elm Creek Bridge on Highway 277 North as a result of the raging floodwaters. Since Highway 277 North is a major transportation trade route for U.S.-Mexico trade and California trade, large tractor-trailers loaded with heavy cargoes travel on the Elm Creek Bridge and TxDOT needed to ascertain if the bridge’s integrity had been damaged or compromised by the floodwaters or whether it was safe for these heavy tractor-trailers to go over the bridge without any danger to the public. Nevarez stated that only emergency vehicles were being allowed to use the Elm Creek Bridge on Highway 277 North as of 3:00 P.M., Sunday, June 16th.
Representative Nevarez stated that he and his office will continue working with all local, state, and federal authorities to ensure that Maverick Countians receive all the emergency disaster relief they are entitled to.
Maverick County Commissioner of Precinct 2 Asalia Casares toured the most heavily damaged areas in her Precint 2 with Congressman Gallego including Jardines Verdes and La Herraduras Subdivisions adjacent to the Rio Grande River to evaluate the extent of the damage caused by the June 15th flood. County Commissioner Casares stated that at least 50 homes in Jardines Verdes were damaged and another 35 or so in La Herradura Subdivision were also damaged. Commissioner Casares stated she and her office were still assessing the damages in Precinct 2. Commissioner Casares was also provided an aerial assessment by the Texas Department of Public Safety helicopter stationed in Del Rio, Texas.
The City of Eagle Pass and County of Maverick have issued a joint press conference release scheduled for Monday, June 17, 2013 at 9:15 A.M. at the Eagle Pass Water Works and Sewer System Headquarters located at 2107 North Veterans Boulevard in Eagle Pass. The Eagle Pass Water Works and Sewer System Office was designated as the Emergency Response Center during the June 14-15th flood.
