Congress’ Push to Expand Big Bend National Park Moves Forward

A House Natural Resources Subcommittee on Federal Lands held a hearing last week to evaluate a bill that would increase the size of Big Bend National Park in West Texas.

Representative August Pfluger’s (R-TX) Big Bend Boundary Adjustment Act, co-led by Senator John Cornyn (R-TX), would authorize the acquisition of approximately 6,100 acres of land to be added to Big Bend National Park. An issue he said was important to his constituents and generations of Texans.

“The Big Bend National Park is one of the great treasures of Texas,” Rep. Pfluger said to the committee. “This legislation represents years of work by Texas landowners, the Big Bend Conservancy, private partners, local stakeholders and the state of Texas.”

The proposal follows years of discussions among local landowners, conservation groups and government officials about the future of the property. The Big Bend Conservancy and other local stakeholders have supported efforts to connect the privately owned acreage with the surrounding national park landscape.

Rep. Pfluger said many of his constituents, as well as he himself, grew up visiting Big Bend National Park and passing the experience down through generations of Texans.

“When you look at the land itself, it's easy to understand why this is important,” he said.

The Terlingua Creek runs through the park, which Rep. Pfluger said is considered in the bill’s push for boundary adjustments.

“Portions of Terlingua Creek above and below the property are already within the national park, and this boundary adjustment would allow these lands to be managed as part of the larger landscape that they're already connected to,” he said.

Rep. Pfluger said the bill would help protect watershed, wildlife habitat and cultural resources connected to Big Bend.

“This is a locally driven effort that has been in the making for a long time, and I am very proud to carry this legislation,” Rep. Pfluger said.