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| Logging, mining, and oil/gas drilling in Texas’ national forests jeopardizes $8.4 billion per year in Texas business expenses, including activities such as fishing, hunting, and wildlife watching, according to a new report released today by Environment Texas. | |
| Judge Elizabeth Laporte of the Northern District of California today overturned the Bush administration’s repeal of protections for nearly 60 million acres of pristine national forest lands. This includes roughly 4,000 acres in the Sam Houston National Forest north of Houston. | |
| We’re very pleased by the final bond package approved by City Council today. | |
| Today, on the final day of the Legislature, the Texas House of Representatives approved HB 12, which ensures that a substantial funding increase for parks provided for in the state budget can move forward. | |
| AUSTIN - With the Texas House expected to approve a parks funding bill today, Environment Texas released a new report warning that many biologically important natural areas in Texas are threatened with development. The group used the report’s findings to call on the Legislature to appropriate at least $15 million per year to acquire threatened natural areas and protect them as state parks. Environment Texas also called on the Legislature not to eliminate park discounts for school, church and scout groups, as may be required in the current budget. | |
| AUSTIN- Today, Environment Texas launched a 1250 mile road trip of their “State Parks Express” RV to draw attention to the Legislature’s continuing failure to give adequate funding to Texas’ state and local parks. The RV, which will travel to Midland, Lubbock, Amarillo, Waco and College Station, will stop outside the office of the local legislator and invite local citizens to come out for a “weenie roast for the parks.” | |
| Some of our best-known natural areas, including Big Bend Ranch State Park and Padre Island National Seashore, are threatened with development and other harmful activities, according to a report released today by Environment Texas, the Save Our Springs Alliance, Texas Committee on Natural Resources, Texans for State Parks and Creating Common Ground. The groups highlighted the Barton Springs Edwards Aquifer region, where Austin city staff have warned that 7500 acres are immediately threatened with development. | |
| We applaud the School Land Board for rejecting bids by private interests to buy the Christmas Mountains. The Christmas Mountains were donated to the people of Texas to be used as a public wilderness area and the sale to private interestswas contrary to the wishes of the land's original donors and of more than 10,000 Texans who submitted comments to the Commissioner Patterson and the Board. | |
| In an unprecedented election where parks became a major issue at the top of the ballot for the Governor’s race, at the bottom of the ballot, a number of quieter ballot propositions racked up major gains for Texas parks, recreation and green space. In bond elections in Austin, Houston, Dallas, Irving, Williamson County, Rosenberg, Bee Caves and West University Place, voters approved more than $623 million in bonds to acquire new park land and natural areas and to improve recreation facilities. | |
| Today's decision by the School Land Board to postpone the sale of the Christmas Mountains for ninety days is encouraging news. Yesterday, Commissioner Patterson announced that he would push the two other members of the School Land Board to accept one of the two private bids for the Christmas Mountains and gave an ultimatum to the National Park Service to change their policy on hunting or lose their right to try to add the property to Big Bend National Park. That did not happen, so clearly the other two board members are not comfortable with this deal. We thank Todd Barth and David Herrmann for respecting the strong public opposition to this sale and for seeking out a better solution. We look forward to working with the School Land Board, the National Park Service, and Congress in the coming months to find a final solution that will keep the Christmas Mountains in public hands and that will maintain the integrity of Texas' word. | |
| AUSTIN - One day before the possible sale of the Christmas Mountains to private interests, parks advocates made a final plea to Land Commissioner Jerry Patterson, Governor Rick Perry and Attorney General Greg Abbott to halt the sale to give time to the National Park Service and Texas Parks and Wildlife Department to prepare bids to acquire the property. The groups announced that more than 6300 Texans have signed petitions asking for such a delay. | |
| AUSTIN- Environment Texas launched an online petition today calling on Governor Rick Perry and Attorney General Greg Abbott to direct their appointees on the School Land Board to cancel the sale of the Christmas Mountains to private interests and work to arrange permanent protection of the property as part of Big Bend National Park. Environment Texas condemned Land Commissioner Jerry Patterson (chair of the School Land Board) for blocking the park’s protection and asked Perry and Abbott to intervene. | |
| AUSTIN –A new analysis by Texas economist Dr. Ray Perryman finds that local parks in Texas contribute more than $5.5 billion to Texas’ economy and create more than 38,000 jobs. A coalition of parks directors and business and environmental leaders from across the state used the report’s conclusions to call on the Legislature to increase funding for parks by passing HB6 and SB252. | |
| Environment Texas released a short film today highlighting the funding crisis in the Texas state parks system. Narrated by two-time Oscar nominee and Texas native Ethan Hawke, the film reveals a magnificent parks system beleaguered by lay-offs, dilapidated infrastructure, and proposals to sell or close as many as 18 parks. Hawke joined Environment Texas in calling on the Legislature to approve House Bill 6, which would increase funding for state and local parks by more than $90 million. | |
| Pointing to a continuing crisis with Texas parks and natural areas, Environment Texas called on a legislative task force to finally meet and develop a plan to stop raiding parks funding for other purposes. The group also delivered to Lt Gov Dewhurst petitions signed by more than 2100 Texans calling on him to support a "long-term solution to give Texans the world class parks system we deserve". | |
