1-1  By:  Armbrister, Montford                             S.C.R. No. 80
    1-2        (In the Senate - Filed March 6, 1995; March 7, 1995, read
    1-3  first time and referred to Committee on Natural Resources;
    1-4  April 18, 1995, reported favorably by the following vote:  Yeas 7,
    1-5  Nays 0; April 18, 1995, sent to printer.)
    1-6                     SENATE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION
    1-7        WHEREAS, The United States Department of Interior, Bureau of
    1-8  Reclamation, in times past has assisted the people of the State of
    1-9  Texas by cooperating with state and local governments in
   1-10  development of the state's water resources for municipal and
   1-11  industrial purposes; and
   1-12        WHEREAS, The projects developed by the Bureau of Reclamation
   1-13  in Texas are complete and have been turned over to local sponsors
   1-14  of the projects for operation; and
   1-15        WHEREAS, The water made available by such projects is water
   1-16  of the State of Texas, managed under the laws of Texas by the Texas
   1-17  Natural Resource Conservation Commission and local governmental
   1-18  entities; and
   1-19        WHEREAS, Bureau of Reclamation projects in Texas were
   1-20  authorized by congress and constructed under contracts that require
   1-21  repayment of the local share of costs to the Bureau of Reclamation;
   1-22  and
   1-23        WHEREAS, The Bureau of Reclamation's current actual function
   1-24  is largely limited to supervision of repayment of the local share
   1-25  of costs; and
   1-26        WHEREAS, In recent years the Bureau of Reclamation's mission
   1-27  has shifted from water resource conservation and development to
   1-28  oversight and management of existing projects; and
   1-29        WHEREAS, The Bureau of Reclamation, in an effort to support
   1-30  extended oversight and management activities, has imposed fees and
   1-31  charges on local sponsors for services that are neither necessary
   1-32  nor desired; and
   1-33        WHEREAS, State and local governments can manage local water
   1-34  resource projects more economically and efficiently for the benefit
   1-35  of all citizens and the environment of the State of Texas without
   1-36  assistance from the Bureau of Reclamation; and
   1-37        WHEREAS, The Legislature of the State of Texas favors
   1-38  elimination of unfunded federal mandates, unnecessary federal
   1-39  bureaucracy, and elimination of federal debt; and
   1-40        WHEREAS, Elimination of operational expenses for the Bureau
   1-41  of Reclamation and immediate repayment of project indebtedness due
   1-42  would assist in balancing the federal budget; now, therefore, be it
   1-43        RESOLVED, That the 74th Legislature of the State of Texas
   1-44  hereby endorse management of state water resource projects by state
   1-45  and local governmental entities created for that purpose without
   1-46  restraint, interference, or unsolicited assistance from the Bureau
   1-47  of Reclamation; and, be it further
   1-48        RESOLVED, That the Texas Water Development Board, as
   1-49  requested by those entities, is directed to assist local and
   1-50  regional entities in acquiring, either for the local entities or
   1-51  the state, the Bureau of Reclamation ownership interest in existing
   1-52  projects in Texas; and, be it further
   1-53        RESOLVED, That the Texas Legislature hereby encourage and
   1-54  urge congress to adopt legislation facilitating acquisition of the
   1-55  Bureau of Reclamation interests in existing projects in Texas by
   1-56  the state and local governments; and, be it further
   1-57        RESOLVED, That the Texas Secretary of State forward official
   1-58  copies of this resolution to the United States Department of
   1-59  Interior, Bureau of Reclamation, the President of the United
   1-60  States, the president of the senate and the speaker of the house of
   1-61  representatives of the United States, and all members of the Texas
   1-62  delegation to the congress with the request that it be officially
   1-63  entered in the Congressional Record as a memorial to the Congress
   1-64  of the United States.
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