Bill Text: TX SR506 | 2011-2012 | 82nd Legislature | Enrolled
Bill Title: Expressing support for the conservation of Castner Range.
Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 1-0)
Status: (Passed) 2011-05-05 - Reported enrolled [SR506 Detail]
Download: Texas-2011-SR506-Enrolled.html
By: Rodriguez | S.R. No. 506 |
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WHEREAS, The Castner Range in El Paso is one of the most | ||
rugged and pristine landscapes in Texas, encompassing 7,000 | ||
acres of undeveloped desert and foothills; and | ||
WHEREAS, The land was previously known as the Castner | ||
Range Complex at Fort Bliss and was used as a United States Army | ||
artillery range, but the Department of Defense ceased operations | ||
there in 1971; unexploded ordnance remained behind, rendering | ||
the land unsuitable for development, and under the stewardship of | ||
the army, it has been allowed to rest in its natural state; and | ||
WHEREAS, Since 1995, the army has been clearing old | ||
artillery rounds from the surface of the land; surface clearance, | ||
as opposed to subsurface clearance, was found to offer the best | ||
risk-reduction-to-cost ratio and is most compatible with a | ||
minimal-disturbance future land use, such as passive recreation | ||
on protected parkland; and | ||
WHEREAS, Although the Castner Range is off-limits to the | ||
public, El Pasoans have long cherished the area for its | ||
surpassing beauty; bordering Franklin Mountains State Park on | ||
the west, the range contains some of the most geologically | ||
complex and visually striking parts of the Franklins and is | ||
prized for its Mexican gold poppy, which carpets the lower slopes | ||
in brilliant color in the spring; and | ||
WHEREAS, Also remarkable for its biodiversity, Castner Range | ||
provides a number of distinctive animal habitats, and its unique | ||
soils and location combine to make this the only known site in Texas | ||
where several rare plants can be found; moreover, the range holds | ||
the greatest concentration of springs in the Franklins, supporting | ||
unexpectedly lush pockets of vegetation; and | ||
WHEREAS, Castner Range is further distinguished by | ||
military history and archaeological sites; and | ||
WHEREAS, In 1981, the Texas Legislature provided for the | ||
adjustment of the boundaries of Franklin Mountains State Park in | ||
anticipation of the future addition of Castner Range lands, an | ||
idea strongly favored by area residents; both the El Paso City | ||
Council and the El Paso County Commissioners Court unanimously | ||
passed resolutions in recent years advocating that the Castner | ||
Range be left undeveloped and be conserved for recreational use; | ||
furthermore, the Franklin Mountains State Park management plan | ||
takes the range into account, envisioning a network of trails in | ||
the canyons and lower elevations, and the United States | ||
Department of Defense recently made a $300,000 grant to the | ||
Frontera Land Alliance to collect data concerning a conservation | ||
conveyance for the area; and | ||
WHEREAS, The Castner Range is one of the Lone Star State's | ||
unequaled treasures, and its conservation will provide enormous | ||
benefits to future generations of Texans; now, therefore, be it | ||
RESOLVED, That the Senate of the State of Texas, 82nd | ||
Legislature, hereby express its support for the conservation of | ||
Castner Range; and, be it further | ||
RESOLVED, That the secretary of the senate forward | ||
official copies of this resolution to the president of the United | ||
States, to the commanding general of Fort Bliss, to the secretary | ||
of the United States Department of Defense, to the president of | ||
the Senate and the speaker of the House of Representatives of the | ||
United States Congress, and to all the members of the Texas | ||
delegation to Congress with the request that this resolution be | ||
entered in the Congressional Record as a memorial to the Congress | ||
of the United States of America. | ||
_______________________________ | ||
President of the Senate | ||
I hereby certify that the | ||
above Resolution was adopted by | ||
the Senate on May 5, 2011. | ||
_______________________________ | ||
Secretary of the Senate |