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. 1-65 * * * * *