Texas coasts, parks struggle after Ike
Neglected parks lack funding to repair damage
Texas’ coastal ecosystem suffered massive damage from Hurricane Ike
that the Dallas Morning News said “could take a generation to heal.”
According to the Associated Press, Ike caused 500,000 gallons of crude
oil to spill into the Gulf of Mexico and the marshes, bayous and bays
of Texas.
Our state parks system, already suffering from a $400 million backlog
in needed repairs, sustained catastrophic damage, particularly
Galveston Island and Sea Rim state parks. Hundreds of acres of
wetlands, which survive on a mixture of fresh and saltwater, were
drowned under seawater, threatening the wildlife that lives there.
Working for funding, protections
On Oct. 3, House Speaker Tom Craddick announced the creation of a
special committee to review Hurricane Ike damage and response.
Environment Texas will push the Legislature to support a major recovery
effort to restore the Texas coast, including taking steps to mitigate
the impacts of future hurricanes.
Now, more than ever, the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department needs
significant funding to get back on its feet. In 2007, the Legislature
more than doubled funding for the parks for two years. However, the
dedicated fund that Environment Texas worked for was not set up,
leaving funding beyond 2009 in doubt.
The state should also extend the coastal-hazard buffer zone,
known as “setbacks” to better protect beachfront development from
high-wave events and coastal erosion. These setbacks will also help
reduce pollution and protect our beaches and dunes from harmful
development.
To help reduce the impact of future hurricanes and improve the response
to damage, funding for the Oil Spill Prevention and Response program
should be expanded by tripling the 1.3 cent per barrel fee on crude oil
loaded or off-loaded in Texas ports. Finally, the state should set up a
rebate program to help people purchase solar panels, which will play a
critical role in alleviating power outages in the wake of hurricanes.
