DPCC Environmental Newsletter

I received the following email alert from Rita Beving, Dallas Sierra Club Conservation Committee Co-Chair Sunday evening. Immediate action is needed. -- Bob Fusinato

From: Rita Beving
Date: Sun, 1 Apr 2007 21:23:30 EDT
Subject: CONSERVATION ALERT on Bad Reservoir Bills NOW in HOUSE

ALERT - Reservoir Designation Bills Set for Texas State House
Hearing, House Natural Resources Committee

Wednesday, April 4, 2007 - 2 p.m. or upon adjournment

E2.012, State Capitol Extension

Three House bills designating "unique" reservoir sites have been set for hearing in the House Natural Resources Committee this coming Wednesday, April 4. (You probably received notice last month on the Senate versions of similar bills which have not passed out of the Senate committee.)

Citizens concerned about these reservoir site designations need to contact the members of the House committee and/or turn out in large numbers for the hearing Wednesday afternoon to voice their opposition to these bills.

Designating as many as 19 reservoir sites as "unique" would tie up to 1/2 million acres of Texas landowners' property indefinitely as the state determines whether to indeed build a reservoir on these lands or not. That means a landowner would not know whether to build a house, a barn, plant trees, etc. for future income or property enhancement. It would affect the landowners' property values to sell-- or to buy indefinitely for many years till final determinations were made.

Some of these reservoirs you may be most familiar with that Dallas Sierrans have worked against locally for more than 7 years included in this bill would be Marvin Nichols, Fastrill, Parkhouse, Lower Bois d'arc, and Ralph Hall.

Sierra Club and other groups have already idenitifed that future water needs beyond the projected need of 2060 for DFW could be met with water already available in other existing reservoirs along with conservation and water efficiency measures.

The Sierra Club will testify against the f ollowing three bills now set for Wednesdday's HOUSE hearing:

HB 1681 by Rep. Geren -
this bill designates the same reservoir sites as SB675 and Article 3 of the originally filed SB 3 would do. See above basic description of the 19 unique reservoir site designations..
HB 2187 by Rep. Hartnett -
this bill is essentially identical to HB1681
HB 3707 by Rep. Laubenberg -
this bill specifically designates as a unique reservoir site the Lower Bois d'Arc Creek site near Paris, TX. No other designations are included.

NOTE: Two other bills of interest that are set for hearing that day are:

HB 2470 by Rep. Robby Cook -
that adds requirements for reservoir developers and puts some limitation on reservoir designation
HB 2883 by Rep. Guillen -
that establishes state policy encouraging voluntary land stewardship to benefit the water in the state.

The Sierra Club will testify neutral on Rep. Cook's bill, pointing out pros and cons of the legislation, and will support Rep. Guillen's bill. Landowners may wish to support both bills.

Please contact the following House Natural Resources Committee members before Wednesday telling them you are opposed to HB 1681, HB 2187, HB 3707:

Robert Puente/Chair (D-San Antonio), 512-463-0452, Fax 512-463-1447,
--- robert.puente@house.state.tx.us
Mike Hamilton/Vice-Chair (R Mauricevlille), 512-463-0412, Fax 512-463-1915,
--- mike.hamilton@house.state.tx.us
Dan Gattis (R-Georgetown) 512-463-0309, Fax 512-463-8354,
--- dan.gattis@house.state.tx.us
Brandon Creighton (R-Conroe) 512-463-0726, Fax 512-463-8428,
--- brandon.creighton@house.state.tx.us
Pete Gallego (D-Alpine) 512-463-0566, Fax 512-236-9408,
--- pete.gallego@house.state.tx.us
Ryan Guillen (D-San Diego) 512-463-0416, Fax 512-463-1012,
--- ryan.guillen@house.state.tx.us
Harvey Hilderbran (R-Kerrville) 512-463-0536, Fax 512-463-1449,
--- harvey.hilderbran@house.state.tx.us
Jodie Laubenberg (R-Rockwall) 512-463-0186, Fax 512-463-5896,
--- jodie.laubenberg@house.state.tx.us
Michael O'Day (R-Pearland) 512-463-0707, Fax 512-463-5896
--- michael.oday@house.state.tx.us

Thanks for your support. We will fight this every step of the way.

Democratic Party of Collin County
Environmental Issues Newsletter & Legislative Alert
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Democratic Party of Collin County Environmental Issues Newsletter & Legislative Alert April 2, 2007

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Democratic Party of Collin County
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