S.C.R. No. 122
SENATE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION
1-1 WHEREAS, The Texas Legislature is proud to honor Peggy Sue
1-2 Garner for the many significant contributions she has made as
1-3 Commissioner of the Texas Water Commission and the Texas Natural
1-4 Resource Conservation Commission and to recognize her on her
1-5 retirement from the Texas Natural Resource Conservation Commission;
1-6 and
1-7 WHEREAS, A dedicated public servant, Mrs. Garner has been
1-8 devoted to improving the quality of life throughout the State of
1-9 Texas, and her remarkable contributions will continue to positively
1-10 affect the citizens of Texas and the quality of our environment for
1-11 years to come; and
1-12 WHEREAS, Deeply committed to land and water and waste issues,
1-13 with a practical concern for what the individual citizen can and
1-14 should do to preserve and protect Texas, Commissioner Garner helped
1-15 expand recycling opportunities throughout Texas; and
1-16 WHEREAS, Commissioner Garner helped further the Household
1-17 Hazardous Waste Collection program which resulted in the diversion
1-18 of 2.8 million pounds of hazardous wastes from landfills since
1-19 1991; and
1-20 WHEREAS, In April, 1994, Commissioner Garner recognized the
1-21 special recycling needs for the rural and agricultural communities
1-22 of this state, and she launched the Texas Country Cleanups,
1-23 resulting in the collection of 77,814 containers, 27,804 tires,
2-1 36,072 gallons of oil, 41,913 filters, and 6,188 lead acid
2-2 batteries from 49 locations throughout the state; and
2-3 WHEREAS, She implemented the Agricultural Waste Pesticide
2-4 Collection Program which has collected nearly 1.5 million pounds of
2-5 unused fertilizers and pesticides; and
2-6 WHEREAS, In her dedication to confronting the challenges
2-7 facing the state's landfill capacities, Commissioner Garner has
2-8 aggressively sought to expand recycling efforts; over 35,000
2-9 gallons of paint, nearly 10,000 auto batteries, over 3,000 gallons
2-10 of anti-freeze, and 56,000 gallons of used oil have been collected;
2-11 and
2-12 WHEREAS, Commissioner Garner has initiated the streamlining
2-13 of granting agricultural permits at the Texas Natural Resource
2-14 Conservation Committee, where the commission will consider the
2-15 adoption of those rules next month; and
2-16 WHEREAS, Demonstrating common sense, Commissioner Garner
2-17 participated as a member of a United States Environmental
2-18 Protection Agency subcommittee in successfully convincing federal
2-19 regulatory authorities that the landfill liner requirements under
2-20 Subtitle D ought to allow a waiver for areas where groundwater is
2-21 not threatened; and
2-22 WHEREAS, Dutifully reviewing requests for the Arid Exemption,
2-23 Commissioner Garner has presided over the approval of over 95
2-24 percent of the applications received; and
2-25 WHEREAS, During a severe drought, she was so determined to
3-1 organize farmers and ranchers in West Texas to convince the federal
3-2 administration to provide grain for use in drought stricken areas,
3-3 that the state's county extension agents named Peggy Sue Garner
3-4 "Man of the Year in Texas Agriculture"; and
3-5 WHEREAS, A woman of boundless energy and enthusiasm, she has
3-6 contributed her time, talents, and energy to the benefit of several
3-7 worthy organizations, including the Upton-Reagan Community Action
3-8 Center and the McCamey Chamber of Commerce; and
3-9 WHEREAS, Endowed with gifts of native West Texas charm,
3-10 deceptively slow cadence, a common-sense approach to
3-11 problem-solving, compelling candor, and disarming wit, she so
3-12 inspired the confidence of the citizens of Upton County that she
3-13 ran unopposed in four of her five elected terms as Upton County
3-14 Judge; and
3-15 WHEREAS, Loyal to the interests of rural West Texas, County
3-16 Judge Garner formed the Sparsely Populated Entities Coalition to
3-17 champion their interests before state and federal agencies; and
3-18 WHEREAS, Throughout her lifetime, Mrs. Garner has set an
3-19 outstanding example of public service and community involvement;
3-20 she is indeed worthy of special praise and recognition on the
3-21 occasion of her retirement; now, therefore, be it
3-22 RESOLVED, That the 74th Legislature of the State of Texas
3-23 hereby commend Peggy Sue Garner for her exceptional service to the
3-24 State of Texas, the ranchers and farmers of West Texas, the
3-25 citizens of Upton County, and the residents of McCamey and
4-1 congratulate her on her retirement from the Texas Natural Resource
4-2 Conservation Commission; and, be it further
4-3 RESOLVED, That an official copy of this resolution be
4-4 prepared for Mrs. Garner as an expression of high regard by the
4-5 Texas Legislature.