Save Rollover Pass

As most of you know, I lost my home in Hurricane Ike. A vital part of our community is Rollover Pass, which the Texas General Land Office is now trying to get legislation passed to close it. They are blaming erosion and using the hurricane as an excuse to do something the General Land Office Commissioner, Jerry Patterson, was attempting long before the hurricane. However, since most people are uneducated on the issue, they are believing what they are being told, without conducting any formal testing, they are believing that closing Rollover Pass is the best answer. I, personally, believe that for the amount of funding Commission Patterson is requesting, alternative methods (such as jetties, a delta or a dike which have been proposed) could be implemented that would slow erosion while allowing Rollover Pass to remain open. I also believe that they should not close the pass without fully researching and studying the economic and ecological devastating impacts it would have to the community of Gilchrist and Bolivar Peninsula. Don't get me wrong, I am all for saving Bolivar Peninsula, but I believe this is a knee-jerk reaction to the hurricane and certain individuals are preying on the vulnerability of the tragedy.

I am asking, NO, PLEADING you all to email your Texas Senators and Representatives to not accept these bills until they have been revised. I am copying what I wrote to my senators and representatives, with my personal sentiments in italics. Feel free to add your own anecdotes and stories if you have visited. Even if you never made it, just let them know you oppose these bills they way they stand. I have a feeling that if Rollover is allowed to close, Gilchrist will not be able to return and it'll be like losing my home all over again. The House Bill goes for public hearing on WEDNESDAY, APRIL 1st, so please send this email tomorrow. If you don't know your representative or senator, let me know and I will help you find out! Pass this around to people across the state as well, the more that know, the better. If you have any questions about this matter, please don't hesistate to ask me or call me!

Thanks!
-Amanda


Title: Opposition to HB 3986 and SB 2043

As you may know, the community of Gilchrist was decimated by Hurricane Ike last September. A vital part of that community is Rollover Pass, which has been a unique recreational area for citizens of Texas and out of state visitors for over 50 years. It is the cornerstone of the Gilchrist community and serves as a premiere fishing destination for the Bolivar peninsula and Galveston County. If you have never had the pleasure of visiting there, it is simply a small man-made strait that cuts through the Bolivar Peninsula and connects the Gulf of Mexico with Rollover Bay. The opening of this pass has resulted in a tremendous fishing opportunity, thereby helping the economy of not only Gilchrist but also Bolivar Peninsula.

Now that Hurricane Ike has displaced many in the Gilchrist and Bolivar Peninsula community, the General Land Office is organizing to push legislation to close the Pass. How, in the wake of a catastrophic hurricane, can a governmental agency justify the taking away of this economic engine for our community? As people are trying to reorganize their lives after total upheaval, it is essential that we maintain and preserve one of the greatest cornerstones in our community. Regardless of who you ask, many can attest to how Rollover Fish Pass has provided an unparalleled fishing experience for those within and outside our community including young fisherman, disabled retirees and even experienced fisherman. As a resident of Gilchrist, I have seen first hand the benefit and necessity of Rollover Pass. My family has owned two successful businesses in Gilchrist that, before Hurricane Ike, thrived as direct result from the visitor’s patronage to Rollover Pass. What sets Gilchrist and the Bolivar Peninsula apart from traditional coastal cities, is our ability and desire to support each other. Rollover Pass remains not only an integral part of our identity as residents of the Bolivar Peninsula, but also vital for the ecological system thriving in Rollover Bay and the larger Gulf Coast.

The proposed House Bill 3986 and its companion Senate Bill 2043 still require considerable revision including inclusive language which would require the Texas General Land Office Commissioner to "modify" the Pass instead of merely allowing Rollover Pass to be closed. There are many factors that remain excluded from the conversation regarding the decision to the close the Pass. These factors include, but are not limited to, the economic rebuilding of Gilchrist and Bolivar Peninsula in addition to the ecological impact on the bird and fish species that thrive in and around Rollover Bay.

I ask that you stand with me and the community of Gilchrist and Bolivar Peninsula in not supporting HB 3986 or SB 2043 until social and environmental impact assessments can be conducted and further investigation is done to determine whether other options are available that allow Rollover Pass to remain open while still preserving the Bolivar Peninsula. As a last resort, should the Pass be determined as closed, at the very minimum, the companion bills must address specific details regarding an appropriate replacement due to the loss of this economic and recreational opportunity in our community.

Thank you for your time and consideration,

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