In June 2006 the director of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service approved establishment of the Neches River National Wildlife Refuge on a beautiful stretch of the Upper Neches River in Anderson and Cherokee Counties. With the donation of the first acre of land to the refuge the following August, the refuge was officially established. Now the Texas Water Development Board and the City of Dallas, who want to build a reservoir on the refuge site, are suing the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to try and overturn the refuge.
The refuge needs YOUR support!
The 25,000 acres proposed for inclusion within the refuge boundary contain some of the best remaining and least disturbed bottomland hardwood forest habitat left in Texas, rated as "Priority 1" by the USFWS. Adding land to the Neches River National Wildlife Refuge will protect vital habitat for wildlife, including waterfowl and migratory songbirds, provide wonderful hunting and other outdoor recreational opportunities for the public, and serve as an economic boon to surrounding communities. The 540 National Wildlife Refuges in the lower 48 states fueled more than $809 million in sales. With bird watching and canoeing the fastest-growing nature activities in the state, East Texas has much to gain from the Neches River National Wildlife Refuge.
Water developers want to keep the site free for Fastrill Reservoir, which would drown most of the 25,000 acres proposed for the refuge. Fastrill is not needed for water supply. There is enough water available from existing reservoirs to more than meet the region’s water demands projected for 2060. No one is proposing to bring Fastrill on line until 2045 and the regional water plan for the Dallas-Fort Worth area shows it as a reserve supply for Dallas Water Utilities above their projected demand for 2060.
Key points: Unlike the reservoir builders, the Fish and Wildlife Service will not exercise land condemnation to put land in the refuge. The Service will purchase lands from willing sellers only. For lands purchased within the refuge boundary, the Service will make Refuge Revenue Sharing payments to each county to offset the tax revenues the counties are currently receiving in property taxes.
Once home to the Ivory-billed Woodpecker, the Upper Neches is located on the central flyway for migratory waterfowl and is prime wildlife habitat. The refuge site is in the debris field of the wreckage of the space shuttle Columbia and has been proposed as a memorial to this national tragedy.
Building a reservoir on the Upper Neches, however, would harm the very-water-dependent Big Thicket National Preserve, two national forest wilderness areas, a state wildlife management area, and the Texas State Historical Railroad.
The refuge is very popular with the people of Texas. More than 20,000 Texans have written letters of support. The Houston Chronicle and a number of East Texas newspapers have taken editorial stances in support of the refuge. Representatives of the East Texas tourism industry support the refuge and the economic and social benefits it will bring to the state.
For more information contact:
Representatives to contact:
Honorable Kay Bailey Hutchison
U.S. Senate
1919 Smith Street, Suite 800
Houston, Texas 77002
713-653-3456
713-209-3459 (FAX)
Honorable John Cornyn
U.S. Senate
5300 Memorial Drive, Suite 980
Houston, TX 77007
Main: 713-572-3337
Fax: 713-572-3777
WHAT TO SAY TO SENATORS: We’re excited about and fully support the Neches River National Wildlife Refuge in East Texas which will protect up to 25,000 acres of wonderful bottomland forests for songbirds, waterfowl, and wildlife. Please support the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service in defending the refuge and vote funding for land acquisition.
Honorable Jeb Hensarling
U.S. House of Representatives
6510 Abrams Road, Suite 243
Dallas, TX 75231
Phone: 214-349-9996
Fax: 214-349-0738
WHAT TO SAY TO REP. HENSARLING: We’re excited about the Neches River National Wildlife Refuge in East Texas and look forward to visiting it when it is open to the public. Please support the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service in defending the refuge and vote funding for land acquisition.
