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Gulf States Natural Resource Center - Sept./Oct. 2008

(National Wildlife Federation)

This issue's Gulf States news was featured as the Affiliate Spotlight story highlighting a victory for the Texas Conservation Alliance.  Read below for the complete story.

By: Janice Bezanson, Executive Director, TCA

A recent court ruling in Texas is a big step in protecting a huge conservation victory by a coalition led by NWF affiliate Texas Conservation Alliance.  The Alliance generated input from 20,000 people and media coverage in more than 50 media outlets in support of designating a new national wildlife refuge.  Citing the public support as a factor in the decision, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service director Dale Hall approved the Neches River National Wildlife Refuge in June 2006.  The City of Dallas and the Texas Water Development Board promptly sued, seeking to keep the site for a reservoir they say may be needed fifty years from now.

Judge Jorge A. Solis ruled in June that the Fish and Wildlife Service had met the provisions of the National Environmental Policy Act in creating the refuge and dismissed motions by Dallas and TWDB to require additional studies.  The City of Dallas and the Development Board are expected to appeal.

"We're delighted to have such a strong opinion," Janice Bezanson, executive director of the Alliance, told reporters.  "And it's very satisfying that the precedent cited was a case involving a refuge we helped protect in the past."

Although refuge supporters regret the delay in adding land to the refuge that an appeal will cause, they are excited about the level of enthusiasm the refuge has generated. Bezanson concluded, "We're delighted with the front-page media coverage, the number of favorable editorials, and the outpouring of citizen support for the Neches River Refuge."