R-84-602 - 4/26/1984City of Round Rock
214 East Main
Round Rock, Texas 78664
BRAZOS RIVER AUTHORITY
c/er 64(.4
14
4400 COBBS DRIVE • P. 0. BOX 7555 • TELEPHONEAREA CODE817776 -1441
WACO, TEXAS 76714 -7555
April 19, 1984
Gentlemen:
During the last session of the Texas Legislature, a package of
water legislation was introduced in the Senate. Although the
objective of some of this legislation was to provide urgently -
needed financial resources that could be used by the State in
support of water resource development, the package failed to
pass because of some very undesirable features contained in parts
of it.
As proposed, one of the bills in the package would have required
the Texas Water Development Board to develop State -wide rules for
water conservation and to impose requirements for a water con-
servation program on any local governmental entity seeking State
financial assistance for water resource development. It would
also allow the Texas Water Commission to require an applicant for
a water right to formulate and submit a water conservation plan
satisfactory to the Commission and to adopt conservation measures
approved by the Commission if in the Commission's opinion the ap-
plicant does not already have in place an effective water conser-
vation program. Although water conservation will be an essential
tool in meeting growing water needs, the provisions in this pro-
posed legislation would have encroached on local autonomy, limit-
ed flexibility for local action and required an expansion of
State bureaucracy.
Provisions in another of the proposed bills could have placed a
higher priority on the use of fresh water supplies to maintain or
enhance the productivity of bays and estuaries than on their use
to meet municipal, industrial and agricultural needs. It could
have also caused municipal, industrial and agricultural benefici-
aries of a water supply project to be forced to subsidize the costs
of providing benefits from a water resource project to bays and
estuaries.
Speaker of the Texas House of Representatives Gib Lewis has enlist-
ed a consensus of diverse interests to develop a comprehensive
package of water legislation which expands the desirable aspects
of the legislation proposed in the last session and eliminates the
most objectionable aspects, including those described above.
•
City of Round Rock - cont'd.
The Brazos River Authority Board of Directors has adopted the en-
closed resolution because of its agreement with the principles
embodied in the proposed legislation developed under Speaker Lewis'
leadership and the Board's belief that adherence to those princi-
ples is necessary to protect the equitable interests of municipal,
industrial and agricultural water users in the State of Texas.
CHH:gis
Encl.
cc: Each Member, Board of Directors,
Brazos River Authority .
CARSON H. HOGE, P.E.
General Manager
April 19, 1984
Page 2
RESOLUTION
WHEREAS the Honorable Gibson D. Lewis, Speaker of the
Texas House of Representatives, has undertaken the
iniative to draw together a consensus for develop-
ment of a legislative foundation for a comprehensive
water program for the State of Texas; and
WHEREAS the legislative proposals formulated under the
Speaker's leadership would encourage conservation of
the State's water resources while providing the finan-
cial resources necessary for their orderly development;
and
WHEREAS these proposals are based upon the premise that
decisions affecting the day -to -day interests of the
citizens of the State should be made at the lowest
practicable level of government; and
WHEREAS adherence to this premise is necessary to pro-
vide the flexibility essential to successful applica-
tion of a comprehensive water program in a state as ex-
tensive, varied and diverse as Texas; and
WHEREAS this proposed legislation is equitable in that
it would require each beneficiary of a project built
with public expenditures to bear a share of the costs
of the project that is proportional to benefits derived:
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED THAT the Board of Direc-
tors of Brazos River Authority concurs with these prin-
ciples as embodied in the proposed water legislation
formulated under the leadership of Speaker of the House
Gibson D. Lewis and hereby expresses its approval and
support for this legislation.
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Whereas, the Honorable Gibson D. Lewis, Speaker of the Texas House
of Representatives, has undertaken the iniative to draw together a consensus
for development of a legislative foundation for a comprehensive water pro-
gram for the State of Texas; and
Whereas, the legislative proposals formulated under the Speaker's
leadership would encourage conservation of the State's water resources while
providing the financial resources necessary for their orderly development; and
Whereas, these proposals are based upon the premise that decisions
affecting the day -to -day interests of the citizens of the State should be
made at the lowest practicable level of government; 'and
Whereas, adherence to this premise is necessary to provide the
flexibility essential to successful application of a comprehensive water
program in a state as extensive, varied and diverse Texas; and
Whereas, this proposed legislation is equitable in that it would
require each beneficiary of a project built with public expenditures to
bear a share of the costs of the project that is proportional to benefits
derived;
Now, Therefore, Be It Resolved That the City Council of the City of
Round Rock, Texas, concurs with these principles as embodied in the proposed
water legislation formulated under the leadership of Speaker of the House
Gibson D. Kewis and hereby expresses its approval and support for this
legislation.
Resolved this 26th day of April, 1984.
ATTEST:
JO/CTNE LAND, City Secretary
L
RESOLUTION NO. o Q a ,
MIKE ROBINSON, Mayor
City of Round Rock, Texas
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