Time to push! please get involved..

May 2012

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fishing bait time fish good thanks kayak around line back boat advice gonna work still water them braid dargel over mansfield know give thing sure soaking anyone appreciated style thank trying tide hhernandez made scooter through though past yamaha knots place fins years remember start lake middle help green first

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[J.Dean]

Judge Mills and others have been working diligently to help USFWS and the CORPS to see the benefits of restoring Cedar Bayou yet they continue to drag their feet.. It's easy for the local folks to understand the benefits of opening this pass, the fishing improves and their economy benefits. It's also easy for us as anglers to see the benefit of restoring thousands of acres of wetlands, numerous species gain a nursery and a pass to migrate and complete their life cycle...  But it apparently is quite difficult for those sitting behind there desk to understand the impact of leaving this pass closed, they've been stonewalling it for years with no good explanation.. But as my grandfather used to say, when you remove common sense your doomed to fail..

We've came a long way in the past couple of years and that's due to YOU applying pressure, the more public we make this issue that more difficult it is for agencies to deny it. Judge Bert Mills has spent a lot of time and energy making sure our government agencies are aware how important restoring Cedar Bayou is to us as anglers, local businesses, but most importantly how important it is to the resources and species that rely on it. It's time again that we let those in power know how important this issue is to us as anglers, and voters.

Below is a list of who we need to contact and how to get in touch with them.. Please take a moment to call, email, or fax our representatives and let them know we want this pass opened ASAP, and we won' stop pushing until it is.

Congressman Ron Paul
203 Cannon House Office Building
Washington, DC 20515
Phone Number: (202) 225-2831
http://www.house.gov/paul/contact.shtml

SENATOR KAY BAILEY HUTCHISON
284 Russell Senate Office Building
Washington, DC 20510-4304
202-224-5922
202-224-0776 (FAX)
202-224-5903 (TDD)
http://hutchison.senate.gov/contact.cfm

Senator John Cornyn
517 Hart Senate Office Bldg.
Washington, DC 20510
Main: 202-224-2934
Fax: 202-228-2856
http://cornyn.senate.gov/public/index.cfm?p=ContactForm

I personally want to hold a public meeting in Rockport with the CORPS and USFWS so they can fill us in on what the hold up might be.. I'll keep everyone updated on a date and time.

[ike]

It only took a few minutes to send them all an e-mail.

[Red]

I would suggest leaning heavily on the State agencies that might be involved or partially responsible as another resource. I agree that it would create an economic incentive.

Got to find a way around this problem first. Try hiring an engineer and hydrologist who thinks its a good idea.


The idea is that the damming of the rivers has reduced fresh water flow. Also, the alteration in sediment deposition caused by the intracoastal could be to blame.

Unfortunately, after you dredge the pass it will just fill right back up requiring maintenance. And the environmentalists will get all upset because the act of dredging might do harm than good.   

[Ms. Heavy Duty]

Mine have been submitted

[fishfry]

Mine has been submitted also..... 

[specksorreds]

Guys and gals, email, faxes and letters are great, but pick up the phone when you have a couple of minutes and make a call as well.  That is so, so important.  If you're in the area of one of your congressman's offices, stick your head in there as well.

Keep pushing, we all know what happens around the pass when it is open.

[Old Plugger]

Hello?! This is Cedar Bayou/Vinson Slough calling USFWS and CORPS. Is anyone out there? I am getting very thirsty. Condition critical. Long, hot summer approaching. Do you copy? Mayday! Mayday!

[J.Dean]

Good info Old Plugger I totally agree.. The last public meeting we held got results, the next one will get more.. When enough people get involved it tends to motivate the bureaucrats so they can avoid answering questions.. I'm still pushing for a meeting in a few weeks, both the CORPS and USFWS WILL be invited..

[gulfcoastlifestyles]

 

   

[Lance D]

I sent the same email to all 3 offices. Here is the body of my message:
I am proud to say I am 100% Texan and a sprotsman. I am apalled at how our government agencies keep dragging their feet on opening up a pass along the Texas Coast.
The Army Corps. of Engineers and USFWS (United States Fish and Wildlife Services) have stonewalled the opening of Cedar Bayou/Vinson Slough for several yaers now. This is unacceptable and deplorable.
You have the opportunity to make a decision set a precedent by taking up the battle and letting the Agencies listed above you will not stand by and allow them to continue their stonewalling activities.

A Concerned Sprotsman and Texan,

Lawrence Davis

[Reef Dawg]

I just sent an email to all three offices and here is what I had to say:

I would like to request your assistance with getting the CORPS of Engineers to release the permit to dredge Cedar Bayou from Mesquite bay to the Gulf of Mexico. They have been dragging their feet for the last several years while the ecology of the bay system is going downhill. This affects the wildlife's food supply as well as the quantity and quality of fish in the bay systems.

I fail to understand why the permit has been delayed unless it is to show partiality to the Bass family that claim to own the land between Vinson's slough and Cedar Bayou. This land is not part of San Jose Island which I will grant you that they own. They claim this land as part of San Jose Island because their cattle run on it. They claim that to dredge Cedar Bayou and Vinson's slough would cause them hardship in that they could not have access to this land via vehicle in order to check on their cattle. It would be better to build them a bridge over Vinson's slough than to allow the further decline of the ecosystem of the Mesquite, San Antonio, and Aransas bays.

I for one strongly protest this bias in favor of the wealthy land owner over the public. What is it going to take for the public good to be considered more important than the wealthy individual’s interests? Must we the public rise up in arms to achieve the vision that our founding fathers had for our government to serve the public and not the ruling class? Is this not the reason for which this great country was formed?

[lynnscb]

Reef Dawg, 2 BRIDGES built to no where except to the marsh lands, no grass and quick sand. No place to run cattle. We have done that and the bridges are gone now. Good money spent for a bad project. You and all the Tax payers paid for those bridges that was never use. Even if they owned the land it can not be used to run cattle on. The only hardship is the price that we the people have paid since those passes were killed. Passes that belong to us. I have learned that the people responsible for the killing of these passes and wanting them kept closed don't care about the ecosystem, the people that have lost their lives in this system, the whooping cranes that this state has lost, as long as one special interest is kept happy. I have both the 95 and 87 permit that depict just what they did and it was in my opinion criminal. Also I found out that FWS does not have jurisdiction over Cedar Bayou or Vinson Slough. Now I have to ask the question: what the hell are they doing holding this process up? I have been quite here lately, looking and searching for any information that I can get my hands on and guys you would get pretty damn angry if you have read what I have. It is enough to make you sick. Because I have been quite please don't think for one minute that I have not been hot on their butts. They did not like me before and they sure as hell are not going to like me any less by the time I get though with them. Talk about burn bridges. If any of you have a question on anything about the past permits or any other thing please just ask and I will get that information to you. Have a good weekend and be safe.

[Reef Dawg]

Lynn,

I don't know whose behind I can kick to get this moving, but I'm ready and willin' to do it in order for this project to move forward. I will write to whomever or even get in their face about this if you can point me in the right direction.

Jim

[docsol]

Below is the (canned) response to my letter which I sent to the Senators office.

Thank you for contacting me to express your support for reopening the Cedar Bayou pass in Aransas County. I appreciate having the benefit of your comments on this matter. 
 
As you know, Cedar Bayou is a natural pass to the Gulf of Mexico that was closed in 1979 to prevent an oil spill from damaging the channel’s ecosystem, which is home to a wide variety of fish and wildlife. Supporters of reopening the pass have suggested that a significant amount of time has elapsed that the channel may be reopened to the Gulf of Mexico and surrounding bays without damaging the local environment; however, this action requires approval by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, which has the responsibility of maintaining the barriers preventing the inflow of waters from the Gulf.   
 
The Army Corps of Engineers is currently in the process of evaluating a permit to reopen Cedar Bayou and, prior to approving or denying a permit, they are obligated to solicit comments from relevant federal and state agencies. In addition to this public comment period, the permit applicant must also be able to supply scientific data to demonstrate that reopening the channel will not have a negative impact on the environment or wildlife. Finally, as Cedar Bayou pass is home to several endangered waterfowl and additional evaluation by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is needed to show that the reopening would not violate the provisions of the Endangered Species Act. 
 
The Army Corps of Engineers will take into account all public comments, as well as those of federal agencies, prior to making a decision on the permit to reopen Cedar Bayou. I am hopeful that this matter will be resolved in a timely matter to the satisfaction of all parties involved, and you may be certain that I will continue to monitor the permit’s progress closely. I appreciate having the opportunity to represent the interests of all Texans in the United States Senate. Thank you for contacting me. 
 
Sincerely, 
 
JOHN CORNYN 
United States Senato

[Old Plugger]

Re: docsol post
Wow! As I read Cornyn's reply, I felt a sickening nausea in my stomach. There you go folks. That's what we are up against. Common sense thrown out the window in favor of mumbo jumbo politico speak. Obviously, someone has Cornyn in their hip pocket. I wonder who it is? LOL! I don't know how, but somehow the players who are blocking this have got to be exposed! They know what they are doing is wrong. It is pure evil. I better not write what I would like to do about it. It's time for my BP meds.
Old Plugger