H.R. No. 1955
R E S O L U T I O N
WHEREAS, The United States Fish and Wildlife Service has
proposed granting endangered species status to the dunes sagebrush
lizard, a measure that would have a significant negative impact on
the Lone Star State; and
WHEREAS, The business climate in Texas has been consistently
ranked as the nation's best, and the oil and gas sector is crucial
to its continued vitality; Texas is the nation's leading producer
of oil and natural gas, and it holds 30 percent of the nation's
natural gas reserves and almost a quarter of its oil reserves; the
oil and gas industry contributes $30 billion annually to the Texas
economy and employs more than 315,000 Texans at some of the highest
salaries in the state; and
WHEREAS, Despite its resilience, the Texas economy has not
been immune to the global economic recession; there have been
significant job losses over the past two years, and recently high
gas prices have posed new challenges; the Fish and Wildlife Service
failed to take these factors into account in its proposal to grant
endangered species status to the dunes sagebrush lizard in
southeastern New Mexico and adjacent oil-producing areas of West
Texas; and
WHEREAS, In addition, the service has failed to consider that
approximately 75,000 acres identified as habitat for the lizard are
owned and managed by The University of Texas for the benefit of
higher education; university officials have estimated that the
listing could stop the drilling of approximately 1,000 oil and gas
wells and eliminate the production of seven million barrels of oil
equivalent annually; and
WHEREAS, The Texas Legislature and the Texas Parks and
Wildlife Department have traditionally recognized the private
landowner as the primary steward of our state's natural resources,
but the Fish and Wildlife Service has not adequately consulted with
the State of Texas, Texas landowners, or other stakeholders;
moreover, the service has failed to fully consider issues unique to
species protection and habitat conservation in Texas; and
WHEREAS, Listing the dunes sagebrush lizard as an endangered
species would inflict severe economic damage, harm property owners,
and undermine higher education in the Lone Star State; now,
therefore, be it
RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 82nd Texas
Legislature hereby respectfully urge the United States Fish and
Wildlife Service to withdraw its proposal to list the dunes
sagebrush lizard under the Endangered Species Act of 1973; and, be
it further
RESOLVED, That the house of representatives direct the
agencies of the State of Texas to cooperate with the efforts of the
Texas Endangered Species Task Force to investigate the scientific
basis of the proposed listing and the potential burdens on private
property rights and economic development in the state; and, be it
further
RESOLVED, That the chief clerk of the Texas House of
Representatives forward official copies of this resolution to the
president of the United States, the acting director of the U.S. Fish
and Wildlife Service, the president of the Senate and the speaker of
the House of Representatives of the United States Congress, and all
the members of the Texas delegation to Congress with the request
that this resolution be entered in the Congressional Record as a
memorial to the Congress of the United States of America.
Chisum
Craddick
Lewis
Gallego
Perry
Straus Gonzales of Williamson Morrison Straus Gonzales of Williamson Morrison
Straus Gonzales of Williamson Morrison
Aliseda Gonzalez Munoz, Jr. Aliseda Gonzalez Munoz, Jr.
Aliseda Gonzalez Munoz, Jr.
Allen Gooden Murphy Allen Gooden Murphy
Allen Gooden Murphy
Alonzo Guillen Naishtat Alonzo Guillen Naishtat
Alonzo Guillen Naishtat
Alvarado Gutierrez Nash Alvarado Gutierrez Nash
Alvarado Gutierrez Nash
Anchia Hamilton Oliveira Anchia Hamilton Oliveira
Anchia Hamilton Oliveira
Anderson of Dallas Hancock Orr Anderson of Dallas Hancock Orr
Anderson of Dallas Hancock Orr
Anderson of McLennan Hardcastle Otto Anderson of McLennan Hardcastle Otto
Anderson of McLennan Hardcastle Otto
Aycock Harless Parker Aycock Harless Parker
Aycock Harless Parker
Beck Harper-Brown Patrick Beck Harper-Brown Patrick
Beck Harper-Brown Patrick
Berman Hartnett Paxton Berman Hartnett Paxton
Berman Hartnett Paxton
Bohac Hernandez Luna Pena Bohac Hernandez Luna Pena
Bohac Hernandez Luna Pena
Bonnen Hilderbran Perry Bonnen Hilderbran Perry
Bonnen Hilderbran Perry
Branch Hochberg Phillips Branch Hochberg Phillips
Branch Hochberg Phillips
Brown Hopson Pickett Brown Hopson Pickett
Brown Hopson Pickett
Burkett Howard of Fort Bend Pitts Burkett Howard of Fort Bend Pitts
Burkett Howard of Fort Bend Pitts
Burnam Howard of Travis Price Burnam Howard of Travis Price
Burnam Howard of Travis Price
Button Huberty Quintanilla Button Huberty Quintanilla
Button Huberty Quintanilla
Cain Hughes Raymond Cain Hughes Raymond
Cain Hughes Raymond
Callegari Hunter Reynolds Callegari Hunter Reynolds
Callegari Hunter Reynolds
Carter Isaac Riddle Carter Isaac Riddle
Carter Isaac Riddle
Castro Jackson Ritter Castro Jackson Ritter
Castro Jackson Ritter
Chisum Johnson Rodriguez Chisum Johnson Rodriguez
Chisum Johnson Rodriguez
Christian Keffer Schwertner Christian Keffer Schwertner
Christian Keffer Schwertner
Coleman King of Parker Scott Coleman King of Parker Scott
Coleman King of Parker Scott
Cook King of Taylor Sheets Cook King of Taylor Sheets
Cook King of Taylor Sheets
Craddick King of Zavala Sheffield Craddick King of Zavala Sheffield
Craddick King of Zavala Sheffield
Creighton Kleinschmidt Shelton Creighton Kleinschmidt Shelton
Creighton Kleinschmidt Shelton
Crownover Kolkhorst Simpson Crownover Kolkhorst Simpson
Crownover Kolkhorst Simpson
Darby Kuempel Smith of Harris Darby Kuempel Smith of Harris
Darby Kuempel Smith of Harris
Davis of Dallas Landtroop Smith of Tarrant Davis of Dallas Landtroop Smith of Tarrant
Davis of Dallas Landtroop Smith of Tarrant
J. Davis of Harris Larson Smithee J. Davis of Harris Larson Smithee
J. Davis of Harris Larson Smithee
S. Davis of Harris Laubenberg Solomons S. Davis of Harris Laubenberg Solomons
S. Davis of Harris Laubenberg Solomons
Deshotel Lavender Strama Deshotel Lavender Strama
Deshotel Lavender Strama
Driver Legler Taylor of Collin Driver Legler Taylor of Collin
Driver Legler Taylor of Collin
Dukes Lewis Taylor of Galveston Dukes Lewis Taylor of Galveston
Dukes Lewis Taylor of Galveston
Dutton Lozano Thompson Dutton Lozano Thompson
Dutton Lozano Thompson
Eiland Lucio III Torres Eiland Lucio III Torres
Eiland Lucio III Torres
Eissler Lyne Truitt Eissler Lyne Truitt
Eissler Lyne Truitt
Elkins Madden Turner Elkins Madden Turner
Elkins Madden Turner
Farias Mallory Caraway Veasey Farias Mallory Caraway Veasey
Farias Mallory Caraway Veasey
Farrar Margo Villarreal Farrar Margo Villarreal
Farrar Margo Villarreal
Fletcher Marquez Vo Fletcher Marquez Vo
Fletcher Marquez Vo
Flynn Martinez Walle Flynn Martinez Walle
Flynn Martinez Walle
Frullo Martinez Fischer Weber Frullo Martinez Fischer Weber
Frullo Martinez Fischer Weber
Gallego McClendon White Gallego McClendon White
Gallego McClendon White
Garza Menendez Woolley Garza Menendez Woolley
Garza Menendez Woolley
Geren Miles Workman Geren Miles Workman
Geren Miles Workman
Giddings Miller of Comal Zedler Giddings Miller of Comal Zedler
Giddings Miller of Comal Zedler
Gonzales of Hidalgo Miller of Erath Zerwas Gonzales of Hidalgo Miller of Erath Zerwas
Gonzales of Hidalgo Miller of Erath Zerwas
______________________________
Speaker of the House
I certify that H.R. No. 1955 was adopted by the House on May 25,
2011, by a non-record vote.
______________________________
Chief Clerk of the House
Straus Gonzales of Williamson Morrison
Aliseda Gonzalez Munoz, Jr.
Allen Gooden Murphy
Alonzo Guillen Naishtat
Alvarado Gutierrez Nash
Anchia Hamilton Oliveira
Anderson of Dallas Hancock Orr
Anderson of McLennan Hardcastle Otto
Aycock Harless Parker
Beck Harper-Brown Patrick
Berman Hartnett Paxton
Bohac Hernandez Luna Pena
Bonnen Hilderbran Perry
Branch Hochberg Phillips
Brown Hopson Pickett
Burkett Howard of Fort Bend Pitts
Burnam Howard of Travis Price
Button Huberty Quintanilla
Cain Hughes Raymond
Callegari Hunter Reynolds
Carter Isaac Riddle
Castro Jackson Ritter
Chisum Johnson Rodriguez
Christian Keffer Schwertner
Coleman King of Parker Scott
Cook King of Taylor Sheets
Craddick King of Zavala Sheffield
Creighton Kleinschmidt Shelton
Crownover Kolkhorst Simpson
Darby Kuempel Smith of Harris
Davis of Dallas Landtroop Smith of Tarrant
J. Davis of Harris Larson Smithee
S. Davis of Harris Laubenberg Solomons
Deshotel Lavender Strama
Driver Legler Taylor of Collin
Dukes Lewis Taylor of Galveston
Dutton Lozano Thompson
Eiland Lucio III Torres
Eissler Lyne Truitt
Elkins Madden Turner
Farias Mallory Caraway Veasey
Farrar Margo Villarreal
Fletcher Marquez Vo
Flynn Martinez Walle
Frullo Martinez Fischer Weber
Gallego McClendon White
Garza Menendez Woolley
Geren Miles Workman
Giddings Miller of Comal Zedler
Gonzales of Hidalgo Miller of Erath Zerwas