By: Sims 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 ground water 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 or 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 interest 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.