Government Shutdown Raises Concerns for Gulf Coast Projects

As Congress becomes deadlocked over government funding, concerns are growing in Texas about how a prolonged shutdown could ripple through the Gulf Coast region.

Coalter Baker, the former leader at the White House Office of Management and Budget (OMB) under Director Mick Mulvaney, and the executive director of the Gulf Coast Protection District (GCPD), was able to share his perspective with Texas Politics on the potential impacts.

"The way to start... both parties have their priorities. Eventually, there will have to be some sort of compromise to fund the government," Baker explained.

He emphasized that the current leadership at the OMB is prepared to manage the shutdown's short-term effects.

"I'm not as concerned in the short term due to the expertise that President Trump has at the Office of Management and Budget right now. OMB is adept at this; they are appropriations experts," Baker noted.

He highlighted potential disruptions in Southeast Texas, particularly in federal permitting and regulatory processes.

"NASA, for instance, has announced that they will be closed during the shutdown, so obviously Johnson Space Center here in Houston will face some impact as well," he said. Guidance for other agencies, including the Port of Houston, is still being issued, though operations may continue depending on existing funding.

There is also a possibility that energy infrastructure could see ripple effects.

"We hold 80% of the nation's military-grade fuel, 60% of aviation fuel, and 30% of gasoline... projects that protect those assets from storm surge can still be operated because we had project funding given to us by Congress and signed by the president," said Baker.

Regarding mitigation at the state and local level, Baker encouraged people to contact their lawmakers.

"They could always advocate to their elected leaders at the federal level and try to get the powers to move legislation... so that both houses of Congress and the president can sign," he said.