RAYMONDVILLE, TX — Today, the ceremony for the launching of the second phase of the Raymondville Drain Project took place at a site 18 miles east of Raymondville. The Raymondville Drain Project is 63-mile regional floodway running from Edinburg to the Laguna Madre that will provide stormwater management to Hidalgo, Cameron, and Willacy counties. As the largest regional project in the Rio Grande Valley, the project will allow for the future economic growth of the region by mitigating detrimental flooding events.

Senator Hinojosa released the following statement:

"The Raymondville Drain Project is critical to the future of our communities in the Rio Grande Valley. Securing funding without burdening our taxpayers has been one of my top priorities as a member of the Legislature. Since 2015, I have been working with Hidalgo County Drainage District No. 1, the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ), and the Texas Water Development Board to secure funding for this project. I appreciate TCEQ Executive Director, Toby Baker for his attendance at the groundbreaking today and for his support in helping secure funding for the project's second phase through the Texas RESTORE Act. I also want to thank the leaders of the District, Hidalgo County, and our local state and federal legislative delegation for their commitment and continued hard work in making this project a reality. This event today is another important milestone in seeing this project come to fruition."

Construction began in 2017 after 40 years of planning due to the lack funding. As Vice Chair of the Senate Finance Committee, Senator Juan "Chuy" Hinojosa was instrumental in authoring and securing funding through the state budget. To date, the state has contributed $19.6 million for the multi-phase drainage project.

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