By Truan                                        S.C.R. No. 35

      75R2945 MPC-D                           

                                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

1-24     supply, water quality, air, and other natural resources of the Rio

 2-1     Grande Basin, and have a direct consequence on our state; and

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

 2-3     protection and wise management of the shared natural resources of

 2-4     the Rio Grande Basin; now, therefore, be it

 2-5           RESOLVED, That the 75th Legislature of the State of Texas

 2-6     hereby urge the Texas Natural Resource Conservation Commission, the

 2-7     Texas Water Development Board, and other state agencies to work

 2-8     with the Congress of the United States and federal agencies to

 2-9     develop a structure for binational, comprehensive, basin-wide

2-10     management of the Rio Grande; and, be it further

2-11           RESOLVED, That the secretary of state forward official copies

2-12     of this resolution to the executive directors of the Texas Natural

2-13     Resource Conservation Commission and the Texas Water Development

2-14     Board and to all members of the Texas delegation to the United

2-15     States Congress.