Ag Commissioner Combs proposes legislation that would protect Texas rivers from off-road vehicle use

By MANDY JOHN | Central Texas Edition

The proposed legislation from Agriculture Commissioner Combs will prevent any further destruction of Texas rivers by off-road vehicles. Courtesy photo

January 2, 2003 -- On Dec. 19 at the state Capitol in Austin, Agriculture Commissioner Susan Combs unveiled a proposed legislation to protect Texas rivers from off-road vehicle use.

"Our rivers are not roads," explained Combs. "They are home for many aquatic species. They are also there for those animals who use the river to drink from. Our pristine Texas waterways are much too valuable to allow their destruction simply in the name of recreation.

"Twenty years ago, this was not a problem because the volume of traffic was not affecting the river like it is today."

She said that protecting our rivers from off-road vehicles is not an access issue, but a resource-destruction issue.

"The public and landowners will still have access to Texas rivers under this legislation; they just won't have the right to destroy a river with their vehicles.

"This issue is not about the right of public access to the rivers, because everyone has the right to use them. It's about the type of access that people use.

"People have a right to fish, boat, and have a picnic on the river property. But driving their trucks into the river like a road is hard on the river; it can't take the abuse.

She said that the legislation calls for prohibiting the operation of motorized vehicles in public fresh waters or on the bed of navigable waters above tidewater limits with certain exceptions.

"About 100-150 trucks are at the rivers at one time on any given weekend. Whatever problem the truck has turns into a problem for the river. We have reached a point where the use of the river has turned into abuse on the river."

Combs added, "Everyone has a right to enjoy the state Capitol's lawn in Austin, but no one has the right to drive their truck on this lawn. The cost of allowing such vehicular access at treasured Texas sites - be they state monuments or rivers - is too great and must be restricted for the sake of future generations."

"The Texas Parks and Wildlife Department (TPWD) is looking for other places for four-by-four groups to have their recreational activities," stated Melissa Parker, special projects manager for the TPWD. "Right now we are working on having a trail grant fund. It will have a cost-share, which is an obstacle for some people. We are working on finding opportunities, though, to try and help any way we can with this situation.

"Most of the four-by-four groups would go to another location for fun if we could find a place for them. One of our suggestions is to go to the abandon mining sites and we are looking at other places as well. Our main goal is to get the groups out of the rivers and find someplace else for them to go."

"I am very optimistic about this new legislation to protect our rivers from off-road vehicle use," said John Robinson, landowner near the Llano river and one of over 20 members of the state task force concerning the rivers.

"Right now there are no fish in the Llano river. There are also no ducks or birds living there either. I believe it's because of the motorized vehicles tearing up the rivers.

"I am just a landowner and have been for the past 55 years. I just want my grandkids to enjoy the beauty of the Llano River like I was able to do when I was young."