Congressmen visit Amistad on national park familiarization tour

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Congressmen visit Amistad on national park familiarization tour

U.S. Rep. Ciro D. Rodriguez shows no shortage of pride for the five units of the National Park System in his sprawling district that stretches from San Antonio to El Paso. Friday (Sept. 21), Rodriguez brought a colleague from congress to get acquainted – first-hand – with the parks: San Antonio Missions National Historic Park, Amistad National Recreation Area, Guadalupe Mountains National Park, Big Bend National Park, and Fort Davis National Historic Site.

U.S. Rep. Nick J. Rahall II (D-WV), chairman of the House Committee on Natural Resources, visited San Antonio Missions National Historic Park, Thursday. Friday, Rahall and Rodriguez looked over Amistad National Recreation Area, guided by Superintendent Alan Cox, hosted aboard the newly christened “Espirito de Amistad” by Larry and Susan Lively, managers of Lake Amistad Resort & Marina.

The 59-foot-long houseboat had a manifest of 17 passengers as the tour group motored quietly out of the Forever Resorts harbor at Diablo East. But before the hours of sailing on Lake Amistad, Cox waited for the congressmen and their entourage to take a look at the popular Diablo East boat ramp, heavily used for the pro tournaments for which the park and the lake have achieved international renown.

Cox said the biggest challenges he posed to the inquisitive legislators are the continuing needs for improved maintenance funding in this and nearly all National Park System units. “In 1997, we had 16 maintenance positions here at Amistad,” Cox explained. “Now we have eight, and that’s in spite of setting attendance records last year with 1.6 million visitors.”

Amistad National Recreation Area is in the National Park Service budget proposal next fiscal year for two seasonal maintenance positions, but Cox says there are no guarantees that he’ll get them. For new infrastructure in Amistad National Recreation Area, Cox said, “A new visitor center, that’s number one.” A recently completed Amistad National Recreation Area General Management Plan makes the park eligible to even propose such a basic facility, and Cox’s GMP is brand new.

Next on Cox’s wish list are “Fishing piers for people who can’t afford a $40,000 boat to get out on the lake.” Cox elaborated, “Literally, if you don’t have a boat, you really can’t get on this lake to use it! But, at this water level right now, we have 17 access points where you could launch a boat, and only five of those have a courtesy dock.” Cox wants to install courtesy docks – shore-connected docks alongside ramps where boaters can idle after launching while trucks and trailers are stowed above the ramp.

Rahall and Rodriguez arrived at Diablo East ramp and courtesy dock about 3:45 p.m., Friday. Striding onto the dock, anxious to get his first glimpse of Lake Amistad, Rahall was asked by LIVE! what he’s learned are top priorities of funding increases for the National Park Service. “Maintenance! And staffing!” said Rahall.

Rodriguez said, “We’ve got $129 million in the budget for a National Park Service increase, but we need so much more.” Rodriguez declined to speculate whether the Senate would even preserve that amount, and pass an appropriations bill within legal deadlines before having to resort to a “continuing resolution” at last fiscal year’s budget rates to extend the deadlines for budget deliberations.

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Informal Sitdown...

WT national parks are topic at meeting
Two members of the U.S. House and the four superintendents of West Texas' national park treasures had an informal sit-down Saturday at the Gage Hotel in Marathon, a follow-up to the congressmen's tour of San Antonio's historic missions, Amistad National Recreation Area, Big Bend National Park and the Rio Grande Wild and Scenic River.

Serving as host for Natural Resources Committee Chairman Nick Rahall, D-W.Va., was Rep. Ciro Rodriguez, D-Dist. 23.

The lawmakers summed up their visit, then dined with Chuck Hunt, superintendent of Fort Davis National Historic Site; Alan Cox, superintendent of Amistad National Recreation Area; John Lujan, superintendent of Guadalupe Mountains National Park; Bill Wellman, superintendent of Big Bend National Park; Suzanne Dixon, senior Texas program manager of the National Parks Conservation Association; Mike Hill, Region 1 director with the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department; and other officials.

Some of the park superintendents brought portfolios containing items to discuss with Rodriguez and Rahall, including homeland security and border issues. Hunt and Lujan's National Park Service sites were the only two that the congressmen didn't get to tour.

Before dinner Saturday evening, Brewster County Judge Val Beard and Precinct 2 County Commissioner Kathy Killingsworth took Rodriguez aside for a brief chat.

"What I've seen is truly different and unique," Rahall said of his Big Bend/Rio Grande/Amistad/San Antonio tour. "I will remember what I saw on this trip." He said there "are tremendous budget restraints on our national parks ... [and] we are working on this together." In July, Rahall co-sponsored legislation to provide a funding boost for the national parks.

Rodriguez mentioned recent appropriations bills that "added $125 million above the president's request," saying that "we did pass 12 appropriations bills on the House side while the Senate passed only one."

"I thank Chairman Rahall for accepting my invitation to visit the diverse and historic parks of the 23rd District of Texas," Rodriguez said. "[He] will be able to see firsthand how important these destinations are to our local economy and how important it is to conserve these natural resources for generations to come."

Rahall noted that this was his first visit to national parks as chairman of the Natural Resources Committee, although he had visited others as a member of the House panel.

Dixon, of the parks conservation group, said, "We appreciate the attention of [Rahall and Rodriguez] to the national parks of Texas. The upcoming centennial of the National Park System offers a significant opportunity to address [funding needs including] day-to-day operations, transportation, and land acquisition."

PIC
valanche photo / Cindy Perry From left, U.S. Rep. Nick Rahall, chairman of the House Natural Resources Committee; Chuck Hunt, superintendent of Fort Davis National Historic Site; Alan Cox, superintendent of Amistad National Recreation Area; John Lujan, superintendent of Guadalupe Mountains National Park; Bill Wellman, superintendent of Big Bend National Park; and U.S. Rep. Ciro Rodriguez, D-Dist. 23.

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Congressmen tour national parks, meet at Gage

Congressmen tour national parks, meet at Gage
Publish Date: September 28, 2007 
Congressman Ciro Rodriguez led Congressman Nick Rahall, Chairman of House Natural Resources Committee, on a tour of Texas National Park sites. Pictured here in Big Bend National Park, Rodriguez and Rahall met with park superintendent Bill Wellman, and Mark law enforcement ranger Mark Spier. The two women pictured are park visitors the group met while hiking.
The group also met for an informal dinner meeting at the Gage Hotel in Marathon where the Congressmen were briefed on park issues. Said Congressman Ciro Rodriguez: “Parks along the US-Mexico border operate with unique challenges that require special resources to preserve the natural landscapes while securing an international border. As we tour the national parks and historic sites in my district, Chairman Rahall will be able to see first-hand how important these destinations are to our local economy and how important it is to conserve these natural resources for generations to come.”

Below(L to R): Bill Wellman (NPS), Congressman Rahall, Congressman Rodriguez, Cesar Blanco, (Rodriguez’ staff), and Mark Spier (NPS).