Commission Agenda Item 6
August 21, 2025

• Item Type: Action
• Presenter: Whitney Gann, Ph.D.

Request for Pipeline Easement – Jefferson County – Approximately 27.7 Acres at J.D. Murphree Wildlife Management Area

I. Executive Summary:

Staff requests authorization to grant an easement across the J.D. Murphree Wildlife Management Area (WMA) for the construction and installation of a 42-inch diameter natural gas pipeline.

II. Discussion:

The J.D. Murphree WMA consists of approximately 25,500 acres of coastal marsh and open water within the Texas Chenier Plain and is adjacent to the Sabine Neches Waterway. The WMA is divided into three units: Hillebrandt, Big Hill, and Salt Bayou.

Kinder Morgan requests an easement of 50 feet in width, crossing 8,044.08 feet (1.52 miles) of the WMA’s Big Hill Unit and crossing 16,057.54 feet (3.04 miles) of the WMA’s Salt Bayou Unit. The Big Hill crossing would be completed by one horizontal directional drill. The Salt Bayou crossing would be completed by three horizontal directional drills. The complete easement would be approximately 24,101.62 feet (4.565 miles) in length and total approximately 27.7 acres.

III. Recommendation:

Staff recommends that the Texas Parks and Wildlife Commission adopt the following motion:

“The Texas Parks and Wildlife Commission adopts the Resolution attached as Exhibit A and authorizes the Executive Director to take all necessary steps to grant an approximately 27.7-acre easement to Kinder Morgan at the J.D. Murphree Wildlife Management Area.”

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Exhibit A – Commission Agenda Item No. 6

A Resolution by the Texas Parks and Wildlife Commission

Regarding the Granting of an Easement on

Approximately 27.7 Acres of Real Property in Jefferson County

Resolution

      WHEREAS, Texas Parks and Wildlife Department (TPWD) owns and operates J.D. Murphree Wildlife Management Area (WMA) for a variety of recreation, research, and conservation values; and,

      WHEREAS, Kinder Morgan is seeking to establish an approximate 27.7-acre easement (Easement) for a 42-inch diameter natural gas pipeline; and,

      WHEREAS, Kinger Morgan requests a fifty-foot (50’) easement across the WMA that will span approximately 4.565 miles; and,

      WHEREAS, the Texas Parks and Wildlife Commission (Commission) finds that as required by Texas Parks and Wildlife Code (PWC) chapter 26, notices of today’s hearing of this matter were published at least once a week for three consecutive weeks in a newspaper of general circulation that is published at least six days a week in the communities nearest to the WMA in which such newspaper is published (Beaumont Enterprise) with the last day of publication being not less than one week or more than two weeks before the date of today’s hearing; and,

      WHEREAS, the Commission finds, in accordance with PWC chapter 26, that (1) there is no feasible and prudent alternative to the use or taking of such land for the Easement; (2) the program or project that requires the Easement includes all reasonable planning to minimize harm to the land; and,

      WHEREAS, the Commission finds that the grant of an Easement subject to conditions that will minimize harm of the Easement to the WMA is in accordance with PWC section 11.301; and,

      WHEREAS, the Commission finds that the granting of this easement is consistent with the coastal management program goals and policies (PWC chapter 26 and 31 Texas Admin. Code Section 26.29).

      NOW, THEREFORE the Commission authorizes the Executive Director to take all necessary steps to negotiate terms and conditions under which an Easement may be granted, and to grant an Easement to Kinder Morgan for the purposes and subject to the conditions described herein and in the motion approving this Resolution.

Adopted and approved this 21st day of August 2025.

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Exhibit B – Commission Agenda Item No. 6

Location Map for the J.D. Murphree Wildlife Management Area (WMA)
Jefferson County

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Exhibit C – Commission Agenda Item No. 6

Vicinity Map for the J.D. Murphree WMA
Approximately 20 Miles South of Beaumont

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Exhibit D – Commission Agenda Item No. 6

Area Map of the J.D. Murphree WMA

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Exhibit E – Commission Agenda Item No. 6

Location of Requested Easement
WMA Outlined in Red
Requested Easement in Yellow