I recently had the pleasure of visiting with the Texas Farm Bureau to talk about the years ahead and some of the critical issues and challenges facing the Department of Agriculture and the state of Texas.
Among the topics we covered, the availability of water is the single greatest issue facing agriculture. We need to see groundwater used effectively while also safeguarding the rights of landowners. A debate that balances the rights of property owners is critical to the future investment in our state.
Likewise, eminent domain is another issue that requires careful consideration. Owning property and passing it on to our children is a rich part of our Texas heritage. Reliable roadways, hospitals and other infrastructure are certainly necessary to our future prosperity, and it is equally imperative that landowners be justly compensated for relinquishing their property on behalf of the public good.
On the issue of redistricting, I strongly encourage our public officials to come together in order to create public policy that keeps both urban and rural Texas moving forward. Only tending to your own backyard does not create a better community. Each of us has a responsibility to be a good neighbor.
Again, my thanks to the Texas Farm Bureau for inviting me to discuss these issues and I look forward to our partnership growing as we work together to help all Texans.
You can view our full discussion here:
Showing posts with label water war. Show all posts
Showing posts with label water war. Show all posts
Friday, January 28, 2011
Friday, January 14, 2011
Water Wars Could Heat to a Boil
While headlines during this legislative session will be filled with budget woes and redistricting tales, a strong undercurrent that may not be as visible is the flowing dialogue over water.
A case currently pending before the Texas Supreme Court, Edwards Aquifer Authority and the State of Texas v. Burrell Day and Joel McDaniel, has us all neck-deep in a quandary. The source of concern is the petitioners’ assertion that landowners have no right to access the water beneath their property. Believe me, this is not a debate about the cup being half-empty or half-full. This is a major issue that not only could erode a landowner’s long-established rights, but also could decrease his or her property values and undermine such investments as irrigation pumps and water wells.
Sen. Troy Fraser, R-Horseshoe Bay, Chair of the Senate Committee on Natural Resources, recently filed Senate Bill 332, which if passed, would clearly state that landowners have a vested ownership interest in the groundwater beneath their property. Many in agriculture and other landowner groups strongly support this clarification and have established www.GroundWaterOwnership.com to help organize and focus their mission.
Recently, however, the Lower Colorado Regional Water Planning Group (LCRWPG) and some groundwater conservation districts from across the state adopted a resolution that takes a different approach. This group says landowners should have a protected right to water only after it is pumped. The LCRWPG resolution argues that allowing landowners to access, or pump, the water beneath their property makes it difficult for groundwater conservation districts to manage water supplies in our aquifers, and will make districts vulnerable to lawsuits from disgruntled landowners.
We need to remember that no one, and I mean know one, has more of a vested interest in protecting our natural resources than farmers and ranchers. They know they have to take care of the land for it to be productive enough to supply the necessary items to feed and clothe our world. So while I strongly support local management of ground water resources, I also strongly believe a landowner should have a recognized interest in the water beneath his/her property. Otherwise, what would keep an outside entity from taking it without consideration of the impact to the landowner? Surely, we can find common ground and all keep our heads above water.
I look forward to the hearings on Sen. Fraser’s bill. Put your life jacket on because this water ride is likely to be rough.
A case currently pending before the Texas Supreme Court, Edwards Aquifer Authority and the State of Texas v. Burrell Day and Joel McDaniel, has us all neck-deep in a quandary. The source of concern is the petitioners’ assertion that landowners have no right to access the water beneath their property. Believe me, this is not a debate about the cup being half-empty or half-full. This is a major issue that not only could erode a landowner’s long-established rights, but also could decrease his or her property values and undermine such investments as irrigation pumps and water wells.
Sen. Troy Fraser, R-Horseshoe Bay, Chair of the Senate Committee on Natural Resources, recently filed Senate Bill 332, which if passed, would clearly state that landowners have a vested ownership interest in the groundwater beneath their property. Many in agriculture and other landowner groups strongly support this clarification and have established www.GroundWaterOwnership.com to help organize and focus their mission.
Recently, however, the Lower Colorado Regional Water Planning Group (LCRWPG) and some groundwater conservation districts from across the state adopted a resolution that takes a different approach. This group says landowners should have a protected right to water only after it is pumped. The LCRWPG resolution argues that allowing landowners to access, or pump, the water beneath their property makes it difficult for groundwater conservation districts to manage water supplies in our aquifers, and will make districts vulnerable to lawsuits from disgruntled landowners.
We need to remember that no one, and I mean know one, has more of a vested interest in protecting our natural resources than farmers and ranchers. They know they have to take care of the land for it to be productive enough to supply the necessary items to feed and clothe our world. So while I strongly support local management of ground water resources, I also strongly believe a landowner should have a recognized interest in the water beneath his/her property. Otherwise, what would keep an outside entity from taking it without consideration of the impact to the landowner? Surely, we can find common ground and all keep our heads above water.
I look forward to the hearings on Sen. Fraser’s bill. Put your life jacket on because this water ride is likely to be rough.
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