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Environment, Property Ownership, and Natural Resources

Preserving American Freedom > Limiting the Expanse of Government Power > Environment, Property Ownership, and Natural Resources
We believe in the right to own property with minimal governmental interference. It is the source of the nation's wealth and the backbone of our free enterprise system. We oppose federalization of Texas lands and watersheds. We oppose vast acquisition of land to protect endangered species. We oppose the politicization of science, especially when it leads to reduced property rights.We reaffirm our belief in the constitutional concept of the right to own property without governmental interference. We believe that property ownership is the source of the nation's wealth; free enterprise forms the foundation of our collective wealth; local stewardship of our natural resources is best; sound science trumps politically correct science; groundwater is a vested ownership right; the state should not abridge or deny our inalienable property and mineral rights; in state control of state resources; in opposing nationalization of lands and watersheds; in opposing conservation easements on our natural resources administered by organizations unaccountable to voters; in opposing vast acquisition of Texas land by government agencies to protect endangered species; in allowing states to consider costs when comparing emission control techniques; in election of the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality chairman; and in eliminating the Endangered Species Act.

There will always be some government interference in property ownership, such as deeds and property taxes for real estate or the requirement to maintain emissions control systems on vehicles. "without governmental interference" is unrealistic.

Much of this plank is a grab bag of disjointed, random statements, some of which have little to do with the plank's subject.

"in allowing states to consider costs when comparing emission control techniques": that is already happening. For example, when faced with Clean Air Act violations, the EPA allowed the TCEQ to coordinate local governments to determine air quality improvement measures. The EPA merely validated the plan's soundness.

We have far too many ballot positions already. We do not need more, especially for administrative departments under gubernatorial control like the TCEQ.

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