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R E S O L U T I O N
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WHEREAS, The Castner Range in El Paso is one of the most |
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rugged and pristine landscapes in Texas, encompassing 7,000 acres |
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of undeveloped desert and foothills; and |
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WHEREAS, The land was previously known as the Castner Range |
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Complex at Fort Bliss and was used as a United States Army artillery |
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range, but the Department of Defense ceased operations there in |
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1971; unexploded ordnance remained behind, rendering the land |
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unsuitable for development, and under the stewardship of the army, |
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it has been allowed to rest in its natural state; and |
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WHEREAS, Since 1995, the army has been clearing old artillery |
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rounds from the surface of the land; surface clearance, as opposed |
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to subsurface clearance, was found to offer the best |
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risk-reduction-to-cost ratio and is most compatible with a |
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minimal-disturbance future land use, such as passive recreation on |
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protected parkland; and |
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WHEREAS, Although the Castner Range is off-limits to the |
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public, El Pasoans have long cherished the area for its surpassing |
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beauty; bordering Franklin Mountains State Park on the west, the |
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range contains some of the most geologically complex and visually |
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striking parts of the Franklins and is prized for its Mexican gold |
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poppy, which carpets the lower slopes in brilliant color in the |
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spring; and |
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WHEREAS, Also remarkable for its biodiversity, Castner Range |
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provides a number of distinctive animal habitats, and its unique |
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soils and location combine to make this the only known site in Texas |
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where several rare plants can be found; moreover, the range holds |
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the greatest concentration of springs in the Franklins, supporting |
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unexpectedly lush pockets of vegetation; and |
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WHEREAS, Castner Range is further distinguished by military |
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history and archaeological sites, among them the Fusselman Canyon |
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Petroglyph Site and the White Rock Shelter; and |
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WHEREAS, In 1981, the Texas Legislature provided for the |
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adjustment of the boundaries of Franklin Mountains State Park in |
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anticipation of the future addition of Castner Range lands, an idea |
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strongly favored by area residents; both the El Paso City Council |
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and the El Paso County Commissioners Court unanimously passed |
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resolutions in recent years advocating that the Castner Range be |
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left undeveloped and be conserved for recreational use; |
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furthermore, the Franklin Mountains State Park management plan |
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takes the range into account, envisioning a network of trails in the |
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canyons and lower elevations, and the U.S. Department of Defense |
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recently made a $300,000 grant to the Frontera Land Alliance to |
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collect data concerning a conservation conveyance for the area; and |
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WHEREAS, The Castner Range is one of the Lone Star State's |
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unequaled treasures, and its conservation will provide enormous |
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benefits to future generations of Texans; now, therefore, be it |
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RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 82nd Texas |
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Legislature hereby express its support for the conservation of |
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Castner Range; and, be it further |
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RESOLVED, That the chief clerk of the Texas House of |
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Representatives forward official copies of this resolution to the |
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president of the United States, to the commanding general of Fort |
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Bliss, to the secretary of the U.S. Department of Defense, to the |
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president of the Senate and the speaker of the House of |
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Representatives of the United States Congress, and to all the |
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members of the Texas delegation to Congress with the request that |
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this resolution be entered in the Congressional Record as a |
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memorial to the Congress of the United States of America. |