The Katy Prairie Conservancy has announced that the Harris County Engineering Department has corrected the email link for commenting on proposed changes to the Harris County Major Thoroughfare and Freeway Plan that will damage the Katy Prairie.<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n The correct email address is:<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n us290amtstudy@hcpid.org<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n Update May 8, 2016<\/strong><\/p>\n The comment period has been extended until May 13.<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n The Katy Prairie Conservancy<\/a> has sent out an urgent notice of a Harris County plan<\/a> to build new roads in and around the Katy Prairie Preserve. The preserve is a nonprofit land trust project<\/a> to restore and protect historic wetland prairie in Waller and western Harris counties<\/a>.<\/p>\n Buffalo Bayou originates in the Katy Prairie. Prairie wetlands, rapidly being destroyed and paved over by development, are vital for clean water and flooding mitigation, as are forested riparian zones along the banks of streams such as Buffalo Bayou and its tributaries.<\/p>\n The Harris County Engineering Department is holding a public meeting Monday, May 2, 2016, on proposed changes to the Major Thoroughfare and Freeway Plan<\/a> (see particularly pages 25 through 29) that will \u201cdegrade the Katy Prairie Preserve System,\u201d according to the conservancy.<\/a><\/p>\n The meeting takes place from 5:30 to7:00 pm at the Hockley Community Center, 28515 Old Washington Road, in Hockley, Texas.<\/p>\n The conservancy urges that if you cannot attend the meeting, please submit your comments in writing by May 13, 2016<\/strong>,\u00a0via email to\u00a0us290amstudy@hcpid.org<\/a>\u00a0or by mail to:<\/p>\n Harris County Engineering Department<\/p>\n 10555 Northwest Freeway, Suite 120<\/p>\n Houston, Texas 77092<\/p>\n Attn: Fred Mathis, P.E.<\/p>\n Proposed future development map of roads crisscrossing the Katy Prairie Preserve. Map from page 27 of the Harris County Engineering Dept. US 290 Area Major Thoroughfare Study.<\/p><\/div>\n Key Talking Points<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n The conservancy says that\u00a0while Harris County is proposing to dispense with parts of the one-mile road grid through some of the preserves, the county also\u00a0recommends constructing new roads in sensitive and\/or inappropriate areas.<\/p>\nWhen, Where, and How<\/strong><\/h4>\n
![\"Proposed](\"https:\/\/www.savebuffalobayou.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/05\/Katy-Prairie-HWY-plan-2.png\")
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