Chet Edwards For Congress

Working Hard for Hood County


Since his election in November 2004, Congressman Chet Edwards has worked hard for the people of Hood County.

Using his seniority and seat on the House Appropriations Committee, Chet has secured a total of $6.4 million for vital road, water and airport improvements projects in Hood County, funds that were not in the Administration’s budget requests.

Economic Development through Better and Safer Roads

• Chet secured $3 million to widen US Highway 377 in Granbury, from State Highway 144 to the intersection with Business Route 377 east of downtown. The highway will be widened from four to six lanes, improving the flow if traffic in Hood County and helping to spur economic development.

Protecting the Quality of Water in Lake Granbury Hood County

Numerous Hood County residents and community leaders approached Chet with their concerns about the water quality in Lake Granbury, in light of possible e coli bacteria contamination and several golden algae blooms and subsequent fish kills.

• Since 2005, Chet has secured $1.1 million for scientists at the Texas Water Resources Institute (TWRI) to investigate bacteria “hot spots” and deal with the golden algae blooms, and conduct education programs on water quality for Hood County residents. Protecting Lake Granbury is key to a safe drinking water supply and ensuring the continued economic vitality of Hood County.




• Chet wrote to and asked the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to award a $1.4 million grant to the Brazos River Authority (BRA) and Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ) in order for those agencies to begin developing a watershed protection plan in conjunction with local stakeholders. The EPA awarded the grant in September 2005.




• Chet secured $100,000 to develop and implement an integrated watershed protection plan to ensure adequate supply and quality of water for current and expanding future needs in Hood County in conjunction with the Texas Agricultural Experiment Station and Texas Cooperative Extension, local entities, and federal and state agencies..

An Expanded Airport for a Growing Business Community

• Chet has secured a total of $2.25 million for improvements to the Granbury Airport that will improve the facilities and lengthen the runway by 1,700 feet to accommodate jet aircraft. This is top priority of Hood County economic development leaders, who know that the larger airport and longer runway will further entice businesses to relocate to Hood County and expand the local tax base, alleviating the tax burden on local homeowners.

Economic Development through Tourism

• Chet secured $98,000 for the refurbishment of the Historic Granbury Opera House. Originally built in 1886, the interior was last refurbished in 1975. Estimated renovations now include a new roof, replacement of water damaged and rotting wood, and refurbishment of intricately carved wood fixtures. Reportedly, one of the oldest opera houses still standing in Texas, this historic facility is very popular in the community and serves as a central tourist attraction to Granbury.