Environment Texas Blog

The Texas House of Representatives will (hopefully) vote this week on a bill that indirectly will help protect our state parks.  

The committee substitute to house bill 3971 (CSHB 3971) would create a permanent funding source for beach erosion projects. There is currently a 1 1/3 cents-per-barrel fee on crude oil loaded or off-loaded in Texas ports which funds oil spill clean up programs. The bill would increase the fee to 2 cents a barrel and add a $3.00 fee to motor vehicle title transfers. The additional funds would be used to support beach erosion projects.

In the original version of the bill, money for these projects came from a portion of the sales tax on sporting goods. Parks advocates opposed the original bill, as we argue all of these funds should go towards parks, as was originally intended.

However, with the new source of funding for beach erosion projects envisioned under the committee substitute, $25 million previously appropriated for erosion would now be freed up for parks and open space. $15 million would go to acquire and develop new and existing parks (such as the Fort Worth Prairie Park that our friends at the Great Plains Restoration Council are trying to protect) and $10 million would go to support the Farm and Ranch Conservation Program.  

Polling done by Texas Tech University found that Texans “are becoming increasingly frustrated about the lack of access to lands to experience nature.” With Texas’ population expected to double in the next few decades, demand will grow for access to parks and natural areas close to urban areas will be lost to encroaching development. In addition, if left unprotected, vital waterways could be ruined.  

In 2006, the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department (TPWD) convened a blue ribbon commission to examine the needs of the parks and determined that despite Texas’ rapid growth, “there has not been a major acquisition and development program for state parks since 1967.” The panel recommended that the Legislature appropriate at least $15 million per year for acquisition and development of new parks and the expansion of existing parks.

While the Legislature significantly increased funding for existing parks in 2007, no new money was appropriated to protect threatened natural areas as parkland.  With the real-estate market still reeling, Texas has a chance to protect our cherished landscapes at bargain prices. It was during the financial downturn linked to the Savings and Loan crisis, that the state of Texas was able to purchase Big Bend Ranch State Park. But without stable funding, we may miss this historic opportunity to protect other Big Bends.

While some of the beach erosion projects to be funded under HB 3971 have questionable environmental value, on the whole we think this is a good deal for Texas parks. A vote on the bill has been postponed until Thursday. The House should approve this bill as soon as possible and let Texas Parks and Wildlife get to work preserving Texas’ natural heritage.