FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE                  CONTACT:  Katie Chimenti, 281-286-9750

Monday, June 21, 2004  6:17:07 PM                             Nancy Edmonson, 281-471-4567

Terminal Coincidence

Has anyone noticed some coincidences involving Houston entrepreneur Ned Holmes, board member and past chairman of the Greater Houston Partnership?

Holmes was chairman of the Port Commission when the Port of Houston Authority's Bayport plan was first announced. In fact, the project was originally called the "Ned S. Holmes Bayport Container Terminal." Is it pure coincidence that he is also the president and CEO of the major U.K. shipping company P&O, as well as president and CEO of P&O Shipping North America, Inc.?

Holmes's name, however, slipped out of the container port project's name somewhere along the way. Holmes himself also slipped off the Port Commission.

In early 2002, the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department expressed strenuous objections to the Bayport site on the grounds that a container port there would mean significant environmental damage to Galveston Bay natural resources. Later that year, Holmes was appointed to the Texas Parks and Wildlife Commission. Is it pure coincidence that in the course of 2003, TPWD dropped its objections to the Bayport plan?

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Galveston Bay Conservation and Preservation Association

P.O. Box 323, Seabrook, Texas 77586                           Phone: 281-326-3343

Website: http://www.gbcpa.net                                  E-mail:  gbcpa@ev1.net

Stop Bayport: The Fight Continues