Coupland Residents May Get Information On TTC Route They Requested

On February 14th I posted on the plight of the Garry's, who live in Coupland, and their inability to get information from their state government pertaining to the route of the Trans-Texas Corridor (TTC). The article from the SAEN, linked in that earlier post ended this way:

"The corridor's Draft Environmental Impact Statement was due in December and it's not out," Garry said, explaining that it will more precisely plot the final route of the corridor. "My husband and I filed an open records request to see it," she says, "and TxDOT sent a letter saying they referred our request to the attorney general for an opinion on whether they must let us see it."

I know how frustrating that can be. And I hope the Garrys aren't too surprised if they don't see it until after the November election.

Today there was this story in the TDP, TTC route may be revealed:

The document sought by two Coupland residents and others that would show in greater detail the route of the Trans Texas Corridor (TTC) through Central Texas may be released in March, according to a letter received by Buzz and Susan Garry of Coupland.

The Garrys had sought the Draft Environmental Impact Statement (DEIS) from the Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT) and Cintra Zachry, the company which is under contract to build part of the massive toll road proposed by Gov. Rick Perry.
Susan Garry said she recently received a letter from TxDOT indicating that even though Attorney General Greg Abbott had ruled the DEIS couldn't be released, TxDOT is working with the Federal Highway Administration to get approval for release of the document sometime next month.

The title said MAY, this is not a done deal. The Garry's have TxDOT and the Federal Highway Administration on their side, who's on the other side?

Cintra Zachry filed suit in Austin last month to block release of its development and financing plans, which Texas Attorney General Greg Abbott has said are not public record. Abbott made his ruling in response to an open records request from the Houston Chronicle.

In addition, TxDOT refused to make public its plans for the project, which includes a $7.2 billion toll road from Dallas to San Antonio and could include massive rail infrastructure through the Taylor and Coupland areas.

The state's Attorney General and a foreign corporation. Sound familiar? Who else is with and against the Garry's?

The TTC has become a front-burner topic in local political races. At a candidate forum held in Taylor on Monday, Republican Barbara Samuelson and Democrat Karen Felthauser, both of whom are running for state representative from District 52, stated their opposition to the TTC. The District 52 incumbent, Rep. Mike Krusee, was at the forum but didn't address the TTC or its local impact.

I hope the Garry's get the information they deserve about the property that's been in their family for generations.

If you're a fan of open government don't forget that David Van Os is running for Attorney General for the Democratic Party. Make plans to join him next weekend at the state Capitol Building for his Filibuster For Independence:

In 1836 the founders of Texas declared and won their independence from dictatorship and entered the community of nations. In our day the people of Texas must again win their independence from the modern dictatorship of corruption, cronyism, and corporate government. We have a Constitution to save!