Texas Legislature passes bills that impact East Texas
DR. MICHAEL BANKS Jacksonville

There were a number of issues passed into law by the 80th legislature directly affecting East Texas. Friends of the Neches River and Save Texas Parks were involved in the following issues.

The future of the Texas State Railroad State Park was decided by a bill transferring this recreational historic train between Rusk and Palestine to a rail authority created from these cities.

This authority has contracted with a private company, American Heritage Railways, to operate the railroad starting around September 1, 2007.

While we supported state funding for Texas Parks and Wildlife Department to continue running the train, this other option will ensure the operation of the train for the moment - its economic impact remaining in our area. Also of value to our economy is $12 million the legislature appropriated to the rail authority for capital improvements to the tracks and assets of the park. This will also find a positive way into our economic development. We hope for the best in the operation of this historic treasure. It is a done deal; we must move on.

The omnibus water bill (SB 3) was passed in the fading minutes of the House with the parks bill (HB 12) suspended in the balance.

The proponents of the water bill may wish to retract the much debated designated reservoir sites item as it has stirred the animosity of property rights advocates across the state. With the re-addition of Fastrill reservoir as a site in the bill, past victories of our Friends of the Neches River are remembered. It was June 12, 2006, when the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Director Dale Hall signed the proposal for the Neches River National Wildlife Refuge to be created in the same location as the proposed reservoir. Land has since been deeded to and accepted by the service. A ruling for the U.S. Fish and Wildlife in a lawsuit brought by Dallas and the state would protect this irreplaceable bottom land wildlife habitat for generations to come. The pressure on the Legislature to produce a water bill kept a better bill from being legislated.

The crowning moment for us this legislative session came with the passage of the parks funding bill. We, Save Texas Parks, started making contacts months before the session began. Before the elections last fall were decided, contacts were being made to ensure more and proper funding of our state parks system. We worked with George Bristol of Texas Conservation Coalition as the lead and with other park support groups to have the legislature pass a bill that appropriates funding to Texas Parks and Wildlife so pride could be restored in our state parks.

The Legislature came through.

A partial summary of the funding is park operations was almost double to $32 million; capital improvements and equipment were increased; matching grants for parks in cities and counties were raised to its highest level; funds were designated for land acquisition.

More than $182 million of new and needed funds were allocated for our park system. With a state budget of $152 billion and a surplus of $2 billion, the funding of our parks is justifiable with a return to the state through increased tourism and park utilization. Besides, "Our parks are a gift from the people, to the people." We must start laying the ground work for this trend to be continued with the 81st Legislature.

Our democratic process is a large part of what makes America great, and Texas is the best of that greatness.

Dr. Banks is a founder and co-chairman of Friends of the Neches River and president of Save Texas Parks.