[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 155 (2009), Part 19]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page 26326]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                          EARMARK DECLARATION

                                 ______
                                 

                            HON. KEVIN BRADY

                                of texas

                    in the house of representatives

                       Thursday, October 29, 2009

  Mr. BRADY of Texas. Madam Speaker, pursuant to the Republican 
Leadership standards on earmarks, I am submitting the following 
information regarding earmarks I received as part of H.R. 2996--
Interior, Environment and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, 2010.
  Requesting Member: Congressman Kevin Brady, Texas 8th Congressional 
District
  Bill Number: H.R. 2996--Interior, Environment and Related Agencies 
Appropriations Act, 2010
  Project: Big Thicket National Preserve
  Account: National Park Service, Land Acquisition
  Requesting Entity: The Conservation Fund, Texas Office
  Address of Requesting Entity: 101 W 6th Street, Suite 601, Austin, TX
  The Big Thicket National Preserve is one of America's ecological 
treasures. It is an unusually shaped preserve whose boundaries include 
land once owned by major timber companies. This funding represents the 
final year in a seven year land acquisition program. This request 
enables the National Park Service to acquire critical land within the 
congressionally authorized boundary of the Big Thicket National 
Preserve to diversify the economic potential of southeast Texas through 
increased tourism opportunities. This project works only with 
voluntary, ``willing-seller'' landowners.
  The $5,000,000 for this project included in this final conference 
report combined with previous funding will allow the National Park 
Service to purchase over 2500 acres of land on 23 tracts acquired from 
willing sellers or by voluntary donation.

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