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R E S O L U T I O N
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WHEREAS, Residents of Matagorda County are gathering in |
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Austin on February 7, 2023, to celebrate Matagorda County Day at the |
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State Capitol; and |
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WHEREAS, One of the oldest counties in Texas, Matagorda |
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County derives its name from the Spanish word for "thick brush," in |
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reference to the canebrakes that once lined its shores along the |
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Gulf Coast; located between Galveston and Corpus Christi, 72 miles |
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southwest of Houston, the county offers residents easy access to a |
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large metropolitan city while providing the quiet lifestyle of a |
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rural South Texas community; and |
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WHEREAS, Noted for its abundant wildlife, Matagorda County is |
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thought to have more species of birds than anywhere else in the |
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country during certain times of the year; its diverse geography, |
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from marshes and coastal prairies to rivers and forests, affords |
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outstanding birding opportunities; the Matagorda County Birding |
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Nature Center is an ideal place to learn about birds, gardening, |
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wildlife, and native plants, and three Great Texas Coastal Birding |
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Trail loops encompass 17 observation sites; moreover, the county's |
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bays are filled with redfish, flounder, trout, crab, oysters, and |
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shrimp, and the Port of Palacios is one of the largest shrimping |
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ports in Texas, home to more than 125 shrimp boats; and |
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WHEREAS, Ranching, farming, and petroleum remain important |
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economic resources in Matagorda County, which further benefits from |
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the presence of the South Texas Project; moreover, the county is the |
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home of international companies TenarisBayCity, OQ Chemicals |
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Corporation, and LyondellBasell, and has recently welcomed HIF USA, |
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Air Liquide, and Röhm America LLC to the area; the county also |
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boasts several prospective residential developments, totaling over |
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800 housing starts, as well as many new retail outlets and |
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restaurants; and |
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WHEREAS, Bay City, the county seat of Matagorda County, has |
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been called the "Gateway to the Great Outdoors"; founded in 1894, |
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the city was named for its location in the center of a vast coastal |
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prairie, which has been known as "Bay Prairie" from the time of |
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Stephen F. Austin; although the city is 25 miles from the Gulf of |
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Mexico, a port was constructed in the 1960s to link it to the Gulf |
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Intracoastal Waterway via the Colorado River; and |
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WHEREAS, Matagorda County is blessed with a rich history and |
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abundant natural resources, and its residents may take great pride |
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in their county's legacy and bright future; now, therefore, be it |
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RESOLVED, That the Senate of the 88th Texas Legislature |
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hereby recognize February 7, 2023, as Matagorda County Day at the |
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State Capitol and extend a warm welcome to the visiting delegation. |