Freeport, Texas, Residents Concerned About Levees

Freeport, Texas -- On Tuesday, as residents of the small town of Freeport, Texas, count their blessings for being spared much of the damage from Hurricane Ike, many residents are wondering if they will be the next Bolivar peninsula or, even worse, the next New Orleans. Why would these concerned residents ask this question? Because the only protection they have from a major hurricane here is a 20-foot dirt protection levee and that has residents very concerned.

For many residents, Ike was a close call, way to close for comfort. As Ike looked right up until the last minute that it would hit this sleepy little fishing community of about 9,000 citizens most residents were wondering if levees would hold and if they would have a home to come back to. Many residents voiced concerns Monday as they attempted to rebuild their lives and their community.

"What is going on here?" says Francine Minor a long time resident of Freeport. "We are not that well protected here as you can see. Just drive out to the levee."

After looking at the levee system here around Freeport it is easy to see why residents would concerned. The levees are only about 20 ft tall and are made of simple fill dirt. We tried to reach city and corps of engineer officials Monday for comment to no avail.

This is not the first time Freeport residents have feared local leadership. In 2005 the city attempted to take over 15% of the city using immanent domain laws. The city wanted to turn property over to a private developer for the construction of a private marina. The story made state and national news when residents fought back. City officials tried to eliminate the local fishing community to bring in tourist to the area.