Bill Text: TX HR491 | 2023-2024 | 88th Legislature | Enrolled
Bill Title: Recognizing March 7, 2023, as Texas Bays and Estuaries Day at the State Capitol.
Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Republican 1-0)
Status: (Passed) 2023-03-07 - Reported enrolled [HR491 Detail]
Download: Texas-2023-HR491-Enrolled.html
H.R. No. 491 |
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WHEREAS, Texas Bays and Estuaries Day at the State Capitol is | ||
taking place on March 7, 2023, to raise awareness of the critical | ||
importance of our state's precious coastal water resources; and | ||
WHEREAS, The Texas coast is home to nearly 7 million people | ||
across 18 counties; treasured by citizens throughout the state, it | ||
spans over 3,000 miles of bay shorelines and includes coastal | ||
prairies, saltmarsh wetlands, beaches, dunes, estuaries, and other | ||
ecosystems; and | ||
WHEREAS, The eight major bay systems of Texas, Sabine Lake, | ||
Galveston Bay, Matagorda Bay, San Antonio Bay, Aransas Bay, Corpus | ||
Christi Bay, Upper Laguna Madre, and Lower Laguna Madre, connect | ||
inflows from inland streams and rivers with oceanic tidal waters | ||
from the Gulf of Mexico; this process results in the creation of | ||
estuaries composed of freshwater mixed with saltwater; and | ||
WHEREAS, Our state's bays and estuaries serve as habitats for | ||
numerous species of fish and other wildlife, including endangered | ||
species, and contain coastal lands that are protected under the | ||
federal Coastal Zone Management Act; the coast's diverse natural | ||
environments also provide outstanding opportunities for nature | ||
enthusiasts and preservationists from all over the world; and | ||
WHEREAS, Ranching, farming, fishing, and petroleum are among | ||
the industries that operate along the Texas coast; bays and | ||
estuaries help sustain waterborne commerce, energy and chemical | ||
manufacturing businesses, military operations, commercial fishing, | ||
and recreational activities and tourism, all of which contribute | ||
significantly to our state's economy; these areas also play a vital | ||
role in protecting communities from storms and floods and in | ||
providing shoreline stabilization and erosion prevention, thus | ||
helping to mitigate environmental damage while safeguarding lives | ||
and property; and | ||
WHEREAS, The bays and estuaries of the Texas coastline are of | ||
tremendous environmental, recreational, and economic value to the | ||
Lone Star State, in addition to offering incomparable scenic beauty | ||
for all Texans to enjoy, and Texas Bays and Estuaries Day presents a | ||
welcome opportunity to highlight the necessity of preserving and | ||
maintaining these areas for the benefit of future generations; now, | ||
therefore, be it | ||
RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 88th Texas | ||
Legislature hereby recognize March 7, 2023, as Texas Bays and | ||
Estuaries Day at the State Capitol and commend all those who are | ||
working to protect and preserve the bays and estuaries of the Texas | ||
coast. | ||
Hunter | ||
______________________________ | ||
Speaker of the House | ||
I certify that H.R. No. 491 was adopted by the House on March | ||
7, 2023, by a non-record vote. | ||
______________________________ | ||
Chief Clerk of the House | ||