 It is anticipated that these permits should move through the approval process more expeditiously now that former Texas governor Rick Perry has been confirmed as the new Secretary of Energy.The County has participated in a study by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers into the feasibility of deepening the Sabine-Neches waterway.This will allow ports in Southeast Texas, the third largest in the nation, to accommodate newer deep draft vessels and thus remain competitive with other ports on the Gulf Coast.