By: Armbrister, Montford S.C.R. No. 80 SENATE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION 1-1 WHEREAS, The United States Department of Interior, Bureau of 1-2 Reclamation, in times past has assisted the people of the State of 1-3 Texas by cooperating with state and local governments in 1-4 development of the state's water resources for municipal and 1-5 industrial purposes; and 1-6 WHEREAS, The projects developed by the Bureau of Reclamation 1-7 in Texas are complete and have been turned over to local sponsors 1-8 of the projects for operation; and 1-9 WHEREAS, The water made available by such projects is water 1-10 of the State of Texas, managed under the laws of Texas by the Texas 1-11 Natural Resource Conservation Commission and local governmental 1-12 entities; and 1-13 WHEREAS, Bureau of Reclamation projects in Texas were 1-14 authorized by congress and constructed under contracts that require 1-15 repayment of the local share of costs to the Bureau of Reclamation; 1-16 and 1-17 WHEREAS, The Bureau of Reclamation's current actual function 1-18 is largely limited to supervision of repayment of the local share 1-19 of costs; and 1-20 WHEREAS, In recent years the Bureau of Reclamation's mission 1-21 has shifted from water resource conservation and development to 1-22 oversight and management of existing projects; and 1-23 WHEREAS, The Bureau of Reclamation, in an effort to support 2-1 extended oversight and management activities, has imposed fees and 2-2 charges on local sponsors for services that are neither necessary 2-3 nor desired; and 2-4 WHEREAS, State and local governments can manage local water 2-5 resource projects more economically and efficiently for the benefit 2-6 of all citizens and the environment of the State of Texas without 2-7 assistance from the Bureau of Reclamation; and 2-8 WHEREAS, The Legislature of the State of Texas favors 2-9 elimination of unfunded federal mandates, unnecessary federal 2-10 bureaucracy, and elimination of federal debt; and 2-11 WHEREAS, Elimination of operational expenses for the Bureau 2-12 of Reclamation and immediate repayment of project indebtedness due 2-13 would assist in balancing the federal budget; now, therefore, be it 2-14 RESOLVED, That the 74th Legislature of the State of Texas 2-15 hereby endorse management of state water resource projects by state 2-16 and local governmental entities created for that purpose without 2-17 restraint, interference, or unsolicited assistance from the Bureau 2-18 of Reclamation; and, be it further 2-19 RESOLVED, That the Texas Water Development Board, as 2-20 requested by those entities, is directed to assist local and 2-21 regional entities in acquiring, either for the local entities or 2-22 the state, the Bureau of Reclamation ownership interest in existing 2-23 projects in Texas; and, be it further 2-24 RESOLVED, That the Texas Legislature hereby encourage and 2-25 urge congress to adopt legislation facilitating acquisition of the 3-1 Bureau of Reclamation interests in existing projects in Texas by 3-2 the state and local governments; and, be it further 3-3 RESOLVED, That the Texas Secretary of State forward official 3-4 copies of this resolution to the United States Department of 3-5 Interior, Bureau of Reclamation, the President of the United 3-6 States, the president of the senate and the speaker of the house of 3-7 representatives of the United States, and all members of the Texas 3-8 delegation to the congress with the request that it be officially 3-9 entered in the Congressional Record as a memorial to the Congress 3-10 of the United States.