State-owned submerged lands and islands; an examination of laws and administrative practices relating thereto
Abstract
Your Study Committee finds as follows:
a. The absence of authority in any executive agency of the
State government to negotiate and consummate arrangements for the
sale, lease, or other disposition of submerged areas and islands has
(1) retarded the over-all development of these Stateowned
lands which are potentially so important to the economy
of Texas,
(2) deprived the State of much-needed revenue,
(3) specifically worked hardships upon littoral
property owners, business concerns interested in the industrial
development of coastal areas, and those desirous of
developing home sites and recreational facilities, and
Q4) resulted in either stalemate or unauthorized
developments.
Evidence of the public interest in these matters is to be found in the
reports of the Land Commissioner over a period of years and a great
volume of recent requests on file with the General Land Office for permits
to do various things which, regardless of their merits, cannot be
authorized.
b. The lack of specific authority for any agency to act in the
capacity of official representative of the State to negotiate with the
Federal government concerning matters affecting the islands, submerged
lands, and coastal waterways, or which arise in other areas
of mutual concern along the Gulf Coast, has sometimes resulted in the
State's interests not being fully identified and consequently protected.
c. State officials and citizens generally who were interviewed
or submitted their comments in writing appear to be unanimous in
their opinion that action should be taken by the Legislature to fill this
long-standing vacuum -- a statutory gap which becomes more acute
with the passage of time.