Fence erected at Rollover Pass
BOLIVAR PENINSULA — Following a decadelong dispute over the fate of Rollover Pass, the first step toward closing the popular fishing channel on Bolivar Peninsula was taken Monday afternoon when workers constructed a fence around the man-made channel.
As the fence was erected, a group of roughly 20 protesters gathered outside the blocked area to voice their displeasure. One local resident refused to leave.
One man, 67-year-old Ted Vega, stood his ground, choosing to stay inside the fishing channel while officers from the Galveston County Sheriff ’s Office attempted to clear the area.
Standing alongside a flag reading “Come and Take It,” Vega was warned by officers that failing to leave the channel would result in his arrest. After consulting with the group of supporters, Vega chose not to leave, and was subsequently taken into custody.
“The county owns the land, I agree,” Vega said. “But we’re still in litigation, and there’s no urgency to do this. They’re showing intent to destroy (the channel). Someone has to stand up for the wildlife and the people who live here, and I’m the one to do it.”
In 2009, the Texas Legislature authorized closing Rollover Pass under Senate Bill 2043, citing erosion and environmental damage. For years, the closure has been delayed following opposition by sports and fishing groups, as well
as rising costs.
Earlier this month, the Texas General Land Office announced a $7.4 million contract with Brizo Construction to close off the channel. The project is expected to be completed by April 2020.
“Once the last panel was set, it was trespassing,” said Sgt. Mark McGaffey of the Galveston sheriff ’s office, who was on scene for Vega’s arrest.
“The fence is going up because the contractor doesn’t want to be responsible if somebody falls in or gets hurt,” McGaffey said. “The sheriff’s office is not on either side. We have a court order, and that’s what this is about.”
Rollover Pass became a favorite fishing spot after first opening in 1955 as a dredging project to improve water quality and help with fish migration. General Land Office officials say its closure will help combat the growing erosion created by the channel, but locals contend it could cause unforeseen flooding problems.
Pam Adams has lived a stone’s throw from the channel for 14 years. Her home was dubbed “the last house standing” after Hurricane Ike hit in 2008. She hasn’t suffered any flooding to her property in the storms since then, but fears that could change with the channel’s closure.
“I feel like when they close this off, where’s this water going? Right under my house,” Adams said. “And not just my house. Everybody on this side could be flooded.”
Adams is a family friend of Vega. Her husband, Warren, who died a little more than two years ago, fought alongside Vega to help preserve Rollover Pass for years as the land office worked to close it.
“I asked Ted after Warren passed away, why don’t you just walk away? You’re getting old and no one is backing you,” Adams recalled. “He said, ‘I promised Warren.’ Now, he’s willing to go to jail for it.”
Adams said she planned to bail out Vega immediately following his arrest.
“I’ll be the first one there right by his side,” she said.
It’s not just locals who feel passionately about Rollover Pass. People flocked to the fishing spot on Monday from far and wide. Gwen Teague brought her son and his girlfriend from the Fort Worth area to spend one last day fishing the channel. Nate Svoboda came from Pittsburgh, Pa.
Still, it’s Vega who’s leading the charge to keep Rollover Pass intact. He’s lived on Bolivar Peninsula since 2010, moving from Baytown to take advantage of an ideal fishing area.
As he stood inside the channel watching the fence be constructed and waiting to be arrested, Vega remained adamant that this was not his last resort. A motion for a new trial and a temporary restraining order were denied by a Galveston County judge, Vega said, but he’s hopeful an appeal will yield better results.
He also wants to create a dialogue between locals and Texas General Land Commissioner George P. Bush.
“This is not a protest. This is the beginning of a protective mission,” Vega said. “We’re trying to protect this place, and that’s what I’m here for. Not to fight, just to protect this place peacefully.”