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SENATE RESOLUTION
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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 |
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acres of undeveloped desert and foothills; and |
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WHEREAS, The land was previously known as the Castner |
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Range Complex at Fort Bliss and was used as a United States Army |
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artillery range, but the Department of Defense ceased operations |
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there in 1971; unexploded ordnance remained behind, rendering |
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the land unsuitable for development, and under the stewardship of |
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the army, it has been allowed to rest in its natural state; and |
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WHEREAS, Since 1995, the army has been clearing old |
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artillery rounds from the surface of the land; surface clearance, |
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as opposed 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 |
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on 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 |
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surpassing beauty; bordering Franklin Mountains State Park on |
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the west, the range contains some of the most geologically |
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complex and visually striking parts of the Franklins and is |
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prized for its Mexican gold poppy, which carpets the lower slopes |
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in brilliant color in the 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 |
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military history and archaeological sites; 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 |
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idea strongly favored by area residents; both the El Paso City |
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Council and the El Paso County Commissioners Court unanimously |
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passed resolutions in recent years advocating that the Castner |
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Range be 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 |
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the canyons and lower elevations, and the United States |
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Department of Defense recently made a $300,000 grant to the |
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Frontera Land Alliance to collect data concerning a conservation |
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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 Senate of the State of Texas, 82nd |
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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 secretary of the senate forward |
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official copies of this resolution to the president of the United |
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States, to the commanding general of Fort Bliss, to the secretary |
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of the United States Department of Defense, to the president of |
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the Senate and the speaker of the House of Representatives of the |
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United States Congress, and to all the members of the Texas |
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delegation to Congress with the request that this resolution be |
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entered in the Congressional Record as a memorial to the Congress |
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of the United States of America. |
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_______________________________ |
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President of the Senate |
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I hereby certify that the |
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above Resolution was adopted by |
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the Senate on May 5, 2011. |
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_______________________________ |
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Secretary of the Senate |