Balmorhea State park is set to be expanded, thanks to state revenue from the oil and gas industry. The 643-acre land was recently acquired by the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department through the federal Land and Water Conservation Fund, which has invested state revenue from oil and gas leasing since 1964.
The expansion of Balmorhea to 751 total acres is not the first time the park benefited from the local oil and gas industry. In 2019, Apache Corp. donated $2 million to repair and preserve Balmorhea.
Balmorhea State Park has been home to a number of false claims by environmental activists intended to damage the oil and gas industry. In 2018, activists’ claims the park’s spring-fed pool closed as a result of oil and gas activity was debunked.
