Oppose Sunset Recommendation on Groundwater Regulation
Oppose State Regulation of Groundwater
Take Action!
The Sunset Commission is considering recommendations to give the State control over groundwater regulation
Only constituents of the Sunset Commission members are enabled to send messages directly to the Commission. However, if your representative is not a member of the commission, you can still have your voice herd with your Representative, Senator and Lieutenant Governor.
To find your state representative and senator, please go to www.fyi.legis.state.tx.us/
The staff of the Sunset Advisory Commission has recommended that:
1) The Regional Water Planning Groups appointed by the Texas Water Development Board have an equal vote to that of local groundwater conservation districts in deciding how much groundwater can pumped from acquifers.
2) The Texas Commission on Environmental Quality, our state environmental agency, have the authority to decide if the “Desired Future Conditions” (DFCs) of an aquifer which are established by local groundwater conservation districts are “reasonable.” These DFCs determine how local groundwater will be protected.
These recommendations will undermine the authority of local districts to determine how to protect local groundwater. Instead, regional water planning groups and the TCEQ would have the authority to override the decisions of these districts.
You must advise the members of the Sunset Advisory Commission that you oppose giving groundwater management authority to these regional entities and a state agency. If these recommendations are approved, they will go to the Texas Legislature during the 2011 legislative session.