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R E S O L U T I O N
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WHEREAS, The Energy Policy Act of 2005 was signed into law on |
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August 8, 2005; and |
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WHEREAS, Section 384 of the Act established the Coastal |
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Impact Assistance Program (CIAP) to make available to eligible |
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producing states and coastal political subdivisions a proportion of |
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qualified Outer Continental Shelf (OCS) revenues for fiscal years |
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2007 through 2010 to assist the producing states and coastal |
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political subdivisions in mitigating the coastal impacts of |
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offshore oil and gas production; and |
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WHEREAS, The secretary of the U.S. Department of the Interior |
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is authorized to disburse $250 million for each fiscal year to |
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eligible producing states and coastal political subdivisions, with |
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the funds to be allocated on the ratio that the amount of OCS |
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revenues generated off the coastline of the producing state bears |
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to the amount of qualified OCS revenues generated off the coastline |
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of all producing states; and |
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WHEREAS, Although the State of Texas has been allocated the |
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combined sum of $97,182,404.18 for fiscal years 2007 and 2008 under |
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CIAP, it has not received those funds because of delays in approving |
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the state CIAP plan and delays in the grant review process; and |
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WHEREAS, These delays jeopardize the awarding of grants for |
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such worthy projects as the Cedar Bayou and Vinson Slough Hydraulic |
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Restoration Project, which would restore the historical hydraulic |
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connection between Cedar Bayou, Vinson Slough, and the Gulf of |
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Mexico in Aransas County and which would result in substantial |
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improvements to the health of the estuary and native wildlife; and |
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WHEREAS, Quick disbursement of the state's allocated Outer |
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Continental Shelf revenues will create and retain local jobs and |
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protect the Texas coastline; now, therefore, be it |
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RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 81st Texas |
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Legislature hereby respectfully urge the U.S. secretary of the |
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interior to simplify existing policies and procedures to allow for |
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the expeditious release of Coastal Impact Assistance Program funds |
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to the State of Texas; and, be it further |
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RESOLVED, That the chief clerk forward an official copy of |
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this resolution to the U.S. secretary of the interior and to all the |
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members of the Texas delegation to Congress. |