1. United States
2. Texas
3. Letter

I am writing as a Texas constituent to ask why our state leadership has failed to take action to protect one of the most extraordinary and irreplaceable landscapes in Texas: Big Bend National Park and the wildlife that depends on it. The proposed destruction of habitat on Mariscal Mountain and along Mariscal Canyon through blasting, bulldozing, and construction of a new CBP road should concern every Texan who values our public lands. Big Bend is not empty desert. It is one of the crown jewels of Texas — a place of geological, cultural, historical, and ecological importance that cannot be replaced once damaged. The Mariscal Canyon area contains some of the most important Peregrine Falcon nesting habitat in the state. These remarkable birds return year after year to the same cliffs to raise their young. The area has been carefully monitored for decades by National Park Service biologists, researchers, and volunteers. Construction involving blasting and heavy equipment near these nesting cliffs threatens one of the most significant concentrations of Peregrine Falcons in Texas. The damage would not stop with the falcons. Big Bend supports a remarkable diversity of wildlife, including sensitive bat species that rely on caves and cliff habitats. The federally endangered Mexican long-nosed bat is among the species found in the region. These fragile ecosystems cannot simply be restored after they have been destroyed. The question Texas leaders should be asking is: why are we allowing this destruction to happen? Texas leaders frequently speak about protecting our heritage, honoring our history, and preserving the character of our state. But Texas is not only our cities, our highways, and our industries. Texas is also the Rio Grande canyons, the desert mountains, the wildlife, and the wilderness that generations before us fought to preserve. Where is the Texas leadership standing up for this place? Where are the voices demanding that alternatives be considered before irreplaceable habitat is destroyed? Where is the commitment to protecting the natural resources that belong to all Texans? This is not about being against border security. Texans can have legitimate discussions about security needs while still demanding that our public lands and wildlife be treated with respect and that less destructive alternatives be pursued. Protecting Texas does not mean destroying the very landscapes that make Texas unique. For many Texans, conservation is also a matter of moral responsibility. People of faith often speak about humanity’s obligation to care for the world entrusted to us. Claiming to value stewardship while allowing unnecessary destruction of rare and irreplaceable habitats is a contradiction. I am asking you, as leaders of this state, to stand up for Texas. Demand accountability. Demand that alternatives be considered. Demand that the natural treasures of this state not be sacrificed without necessity. Future generations will not judge us only by what we built. They will judge us by what we chose to protect. Please do your duty to defend Texas’ public lands, wildlife, and natural heritage.