By:  Truan, Carona                                    S.C.R. No. 35

                            SENATE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION

 1-1           WHEREAS, The Texas-Mexico border is a resource-poor region

 1-2     that battles the difficulties of a limited supply of water, air

 1-3     sheds that trap pollution, and a desert environment that preserves

 1-4     instead of degrades man-made materials, including hazardous and

 1-5     solid waste; and

 1-6           WHEREAS, The severity of these resource constraints threatens

 1-7     major economic dislocations and adjustments as population and

 1-8     industrialization increase as a result of the North American Free

 1-9     Trade Agreement; and

1-10           WHEREAS, Environmental degradation of the water, air, and

1-11     other natural resources in the Rio Grande Basin has the potential

1-12     to jeopardize the economic vitality of the region for both Texas

1-13     and Mexico; and

1-14           WHEREAS, The prolonged drought affecting the Rio Grande

1-15     dramatically highlights the region's vulnerability and the need for

1-16     binational cooperation; and

1-17           WHEREAS, Irrigated agriculture on both sides of the border is

1-18     being significantly harmed by the drought, forcing long-term and

1-19     short-term readjustments in water use and public investment; and

1-20           WHEREAS, Although Texas is the downstream claimant to water

1-21     from the Rio Grande, the majority of tributaries to the river

1-22     originate from areas outside the state; and

1-23           WHEREAS, The actions of outside jurisdictions affect water

 2-1     supply, water quality, air, and other natural resources of the Rio

 2-2     Grande Basin and have a direct consequence on our state; and

 2-3           WHEREAS, It is in Texas' best interest to promote the

 2-4     protection and wise management of the shared natural resources of

 2-5     the Rio Grande Basin; now, therefore, be it

 2-6           RESOLVED, That the 75th Legislature of the State of Texas

 2-7     hereby urge the Texas Natural Resource Conservation Commission, the

 2-8     Texas Water Development Board, and other state agencies to work

 2-9     with the Congress of the United States and federal agencies to

2-10     develop a structure for binational, comprehensive, basin-wide

2-11     management of the Rio Grande; and, be it further

2-12           RESOLVED, That the secretary of state forward official copies

2-13     of this resolution to the executive directors of the Texas Natural

2-14     Resource Conservation Commission and the Texas Water Development

2-15     Board and to all members of the Texas delegation to the United

2-16     States Congress.

2-17                          COMMITTEE AMENDMENT NO. 1

2-18           Amend SCR 35 on Page 2, line 7 by inserting the words, "the

2-19     General Land Office," before the words "the Texas Water Development

2-20     Board".

2-21                                                                  Counts