Bill Text: TX HR156 | 2013 | 83rd Legislature 2nd Special Session | Enrolled
Bill Title: Recognizing Willacy County Commissioners Court for their leadership in economic growth and environmental sustainability.
Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Republican 1-0)
Status: (Passed) 2013-07-30 - Reported enrolled [HR156 Detail]
Download: Texas-2013-HR156-Enrolled.html
H.R. No. 156 |
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WHEREAS, Willacy County, located in the Lower Rio Grande | ||
Valley in South Texas, under the leadership of its Commissioners | ||
Court, has built a diversified local economy while also promoting | ||
the conservation of its abundant natural resources; and | ||
WHEREAS, Home to a strong agricultural industry, Willacy | ||
County has supported Bermuda onion farming since 1912 and counts | ||
sorghum among its other most important crops; oil and natural gas | ||
production continue to further contribute to the county's economy | ||
over 73 years, and a recent over $20 million capital investment in | ||
drilling for natural gas underscores the continuing importance of | ||
that industry to the county's economic progress; and | ||
WHEREAS, Other sources of energy are also being developed; | ||
the county welcomed the completion of two wind farms, titled Los | ||
Vientos I, II and Magic Valley and built by E.On Climate & | ||
Renewables, Inc., and Duke Energy, Inc., which are generating more | ||
than 600 megawatts in green source energy serving South and Central | ||
Texas as a long-term source of revenue to meet energy demands; in | ||
addition, Willacy County has become home to the corporate | ||
headquarters of Valley Telephone Cooperative, which provides | ||
access to television entertainment, telephone services, and the | ||
Internet; the location of several detention centers in the county | ||
has added still more jobs to the local economy; and | ||
WHEREAS, Known for the richness of its plant and animal life, | ||
Willacy County contains a wide variety of flora and fauna that have | ||
received special protection, specifically recognizing the "ocelot" | ||
on the federal highly endangered list, a cat species with fewer than | ||
50 in population habitat known to the area; and | ||
WHEREAS, Willacy County and its leaders aim to promote | ||
ecotourism for world visitors and residents alike to also enjoy the | ||
Santa Ana National Wildlife Refuge, the Tieniente and East Lake | ||
sections of the Lower Rio Grande Valley National Wildlife Refuge, | ||
the Laguna Atascosa National Wildlife Refuge, and the Padre Island | ||
National Seashore--Laguna Madre; moreover, development of the | ||
Coastal Land Resource Center, being developed on donated property | ||
by Edward B. Raymond Heirs, and Herman J. Wetegrove family and | ||
structural improvements to the Laguna Madre at Port Mansfield, | ||
titled Laguna Point Recreation Area, are two major projects aimed | ||
to promote tourism, environmental education, and recreation of the | ||
area's great outdoors, with completion dates set for 2014; and | ||
WHEREAS, The county takes pride in its partnership with the | ||
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to promote ecotourism and manage and | ||
preserve its pristine environments; and | ||
WHEREAS, Willacy County and its cities and community leaders | ||
work together to build and develop its community human capital by | ||
joining partnerships, by investment, and in alliance with higher | ||
education institutions for college, satellite, and classroom | ||
coursework learning to provide its citizens access to education | ||
resources; and | ||
WHEREAS, Willacy County residents are working together to | ||
build a bright future for themselves and their children, and it is | ||
indeed fitting to honor them for their numerous accomplishments; | ||
now, therefore, be it | ||
RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 83rd Texas | ||
Legislature, 2nd Called Session, hereby recognize Willacy County | ||
Commissioners Court members of 2008 and 2009 and current | ||
Commissioners Court elected officials for charting myriad paths | ||
toward economic growth, environmental sustainability, and | ||
community progress and extend to its public officials, its business | ||
and civic leaders, and all who call the county home sincere best | ||
wishes for continued success. | ||
Guillen | ||
______________________________ | ||
Speaker of the House | ||
I certify that H.R. No. 156 was adopted by the House on July | ||
29, 2013, by a non-record vote. | ||
______________________________ | ||
Chief Clerk of the House | ||