S.C.R. No. 33
SENATE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION
1-1 WHEREAS, The Endangered Species Act originally was intended
1-2 to protect threatened and endangered flora and fauna but has become
1-3 a means to effect broader changes in land and water management; and
1-4 WHEREAS, Overdue for reauthorization by the Congress of the
1-5 United States, the Endangered Species Act does not currently
1-6 provide for adequate input by the states into the process of adding
1-7 new species to the endangered species list; and
1-8 WHEREAS, The United States Fish and Wildlife Service is
1-9 poised to add the Arkansas River shiner to the endangered species
1-10 list; and
1-11 WHEREAS, The 74th Legislature of the State of Texas does not
1-12 support the United States Fish and Wildlife Service's claim that
1-13 the species is in danger of extinction in the foreseeable future
1-14 because of habitat loss from the diversion of surface water, stream
1-15 dewatering/depletion, water quality degradation, construction of
1-16 impoundments, or possible inadvertent collection by the commercial
1-17 bait fish industry or from competition with the introduced Red
1-18 River shiner; and
1-19 WHEREAS, This listing could effectively remove from the
1-20 state, the cities, and local water districts control over the
1-21 Ogallala Aquifer; now, therefore, be it
1-22 RESOLVED, That the 74th Legislature of the State of Texas
1-23 hereby reject the suggestion by the United States Fish and Wildlife
2-1 Service that it has failed to manage its natural resources in the
2-2 Ogallala Aquifer in an environmentally conscious manner; and, be it
2-3 further
2-4 RESOLVED, That the 74th Legislature of the State of Texas
2-5 hereby express its adamant opposition to the addition of the
2-6 Arkansas River shiner to the endangered species list until such
2-7 time as the Endangered Species Act has been reauthorized and
2-8 amended by the Congress of the United States; and, be it further
2-9 RESOLVED, That the 74th Legislature of the State of Texas
2-10 hereby request the Secretary of Interior to direct the United
2-11 States Fish and Wildlife Service to inform the governor, the
2-12 lieutenant governor, the speaker of the house of representatives,
2-13 the attorney general, and the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department,
2-14 which is the state fish and wildlife agency, of any actions
2-15 contemplated to further the process of listing the Arkansas River
2-16 shiner as an endangered species; and, be it further
2-17 RESOLVED, That the Texas Secretary of State forward official
2-18 copies of this resolution to the Secretary of the Department of
2-19 Interior of the United States, to the President of the United
2-20 States, to the speaker of the house of representatives and the
2-21 president of the senate of the United States Congress, and to all
2-22 members of the Texas delegation to the congress.