Galveston Channel will close annually for a boat parade, blocking non-participants

The Coast Guard wants to create a new rule for a section of the Galveston Channel in Texas. This rule would close the channel to all but authorized boats during an annual boat parade.

This is a small but concrete example of how public waterways are increasingly being privatized for specific events. It means that for one day a year, anyone who normally uses that part of the channel for fishing, transport, or recreation will be blocked. These kinds of local regulations add up, slowly changing how people can access public resources.