By:  Harris, J.                                        H.R. No. 438
       73R6919 LBD-D
                                  R E S O L U T I O N
    1-1        WHEREAS, Over the course of its rich history, Brazoria County
    1-2  has thrived as one of our most economically significant regions,
    1-3  and Texans from across the state will officially pay tribute to
    1-4  this fine county when they recognize March 23, 1993, as Brazoria
    1-5  County Day at the State Capitol; and
    1-6        WHEREAS, Included in the original 300 land grants secured
    1-7  from Mexico for settlement, Brazoria County is located along Texas'
    1-8  central Gulf Coast and was handpicked by Stephen F. Austin as a
    1-9  prime site for settlement based on its potential wealth; traversing
   1-10  the region, the Brazos and San Bernard rivers provided colonists
   1-11  with a reliable supply of water, while the mild climate and fertile
   1-12  soil were valuable for raising many types of agricultural
   1-13  commodities, such as cotton and sugar; and
   1-14        WHEREAS, Brazoria County became the wealthiest county in
   1-15  Texas, with large plantations spread along the banks of major
   1-16  rivers and streams; in the late 19th Century, residents turned to
   1-17  the production of rice, and in 1902, oil production began its rise
   1-18  to prominence; today, more than 35,000 acres of irrigated land are
   1-19  devoted to the cultivation of rice, and the petrochemical industry
   1-20  has become the backbone of the county's economy; and
   1-21        WHEREAS, The area known as Brazosport is home to the largest
   1-22  basic chemical complex in the world, where both domestic and
   1-23  international chemical companies produce a wide range of household
   1-24  and industrial products, such as pharmaceuticals, insecticides, and
    2-1  food additives; and
    2-2        WHEREAS, At the heart of this leading manufacturing center,
    2-3  environmental quality also is highly valued; the city of Lake
    2-4  Jackson, for example, has been so well-planned that it has received
    2-5  the Governor's Community Achievement Award on five different
    2-6  occasions for its residents' successful efforts to enhance the
    2-7  natural beauty of their community; and
    2-8        WHEREAS, Although Brazoria County is highly industrialized,
    2-9  35,000 acres of land at the Brazoria and San Bernard national
   2-10  wildlife refuges are devoted to the preservation of more than 200
   2-11  bird species and other wildlife, while the Peach Point Wildlife
   2-12  Management Area, operated by the Parks and Wildlife Department,
   2-13  oversees the protection of native marsh and prairie animal habitat;
   2-14  and
   2-15        WHEREAS, For their commitment to positive development and
   2-16  their exceptional contributions to the financial prominence of this
   2-17  state, the citizens of Brazoria County are truly worthy of special
   2-18  legislative recognition; now, therefore, be it
   2-19        RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 73rd Texas
   2-20  Legislature hereby proclaim March 23, 1993, as Brazoria County Day
   2-21  at the Capitol and commend that county's citizens on their many
   2-22  outstanding achievements; and, be it further
   2-23        RESOLVED, That an official copy of this resolution be
   2-24  prepared for Brazoria County as an expression of high regard by the
   2-25  Texas House of Representatives.