Groups oppose Senate's 'worst bill' on water
JANICE BEZANSON Austin
We had stellar testimony March 6 opposing designation of unique reservoir sites before the Senate Natural Resources Committee.

The testimony was in opposition to SB 675, authored by Sen. Kip Averitt (R-Waco) that designates 19 sites in Texas as "unique reservoir sites." This is a bad bill.

Speakers included 15 from the Sulphur River Oversight Society, two from Ward Timber, and eight or 10 from International Paper (both management and unions), four from Fannin County opposing Lower Bois d'Arc Creek Reservoir and a couple of us speaking against Fastrill.

Four members of Region D and one from Region C spoke. The conservation groups that have worked on water issues so long - Lone Star Sierra Club, Dallas Sierra, National Wildlife Federation, Environmental Defense and Texas Committee on Natural Resources - all gave good comments.

Sen. Kevin Eltife, who opposes the bill, hit the Water Development Board staff with tough questions. Senators Seliger, Heger, Jackson, and Deuell also asked some good questions.

Included in SB 675 are Lakes Fastrill, Marvin Nichols, Lower Bois d'Arc and Ralph Hall Lake - the four unneeded reservoirs wanted by the DFW-North Texas water providers. These and other reservoir projects will have a huge effect on the lives of Texans, particularly East Texans where so many of the projects are located.

Legally speaking, the designation of an area as a unique reservoir site means that no state or local government entity can do anything on that site that would preclude its future use for constructing a reservoir.

What the "unique reservoir site" designation would mean in reality: the designation is a restriction of private property rights.

The volunteers back home have been busy. International Paper delivered a boxful of letters. Several senators said their fax machines had been ringing off the wall. Sen. Deuell told the Bois d'Arc Creek folks that he's had 600 faxes from Fannin County.

We should continue to send our comments to the committee by phone, fax, e-mail, mail or in person.

Be sure and share a copy of your comment to Lt. Governor Dewhurst - he's the one who will determine the fate of the bill in the long run.

It was a delight to see the younger generation emerging as leaders on water planning issues. Gary Cheatwood, Jr., opposing Marvin Nichols, and three young men from Fannin County opposing Lower Bois d'Arc Creek Reservoir, Nathan Ryser, Glenn Lee, and Nathan Melson, gave some of the best citizen testimony I've ever heard. Congratulations to them and to their families!

We're making a big impression and we need to keep it up.

Janice Bezanson is the executive director of the Texas Committee on Natural Resources (TCONR). For more information visit www.tconr.org.