MINUTES
Joint Interim Committee on Water Resources
Development and Management
Wednesday, September 17, 1997
2:00 pm
Capitol Extension, Room E1.028
*****
Pursuant to a notice posted in accordance with Senate Rule
11.11, a public hearing of the Joint Interim Committee on
Water Resources Development and Management was held on
Wednesday, September 17, 1997 in the Capitol Extension, Room
E1.028, at Austin, Texas.
*****
MEMBERS PRESENT: MEMBERS ABSENT:
Senator J.E. Brown Senator Ken Armbrister
Representative Ron Lewis Senator Eddie Lucio
Senator Carlos Truan Representative David
Counts
Senator Jeff Wentworth
Representative Robert Cook
Representative Robert Puente
Representative Gary Walker
*****
The Chair called the meeting to order at 2:10 pm. The
following business was transacted.
Representative Lewis moved the adoption of the Committee
Rules. There being no objection, it was so ordered.
Senator Brown made opening remarks.
Representative Lewis made opening remarks, including
requesting that all River Authorities have a representative at
each and every hearing of the committee.
Senator Wentworth, Representative Walker, Representative
Puente and Representative Cook all made opening remarks.
Dan Pearson, Executive Director of the Texas Natural Resource
Conservation Commission (TNRCC) made a presentation on the
agency's implementation of Senate Bill 1, including the
following:
The TNRCC, the Texas Water Development Board (TWDB) and the
Texas Parks and Wildlife Department (TPWD) signed a Memorandum
of Agreement, which addresses the following areas: water
planning process; data collection and dissemination master
plan; state water bank; and groundwater.
The TNRCC has four major rulemaking projects underway as part
of Senate Bill 1 implementation: water rights management
tools; field citations; development of business plan by new
water systems; and water and sewer rate flexibility.
Work is underway to develop water availability modeling for
each of the state's 22 river basins.
Craig Pedersen, Executive Administrator of the Texas Water
Development Board made a presentation on the agency's
implementation of Senate Bill 1, including the following:
The TWDB anticipates having the state's front end decisions
addressed by February, 1998 - 6 months ahead of the schedule
set by Senate Bill 1.
Discussion of the Memorandum of Agreement between the three
agencies.
The TWDB is working in a cooperative manner with local and
regional entities regarding the development of rules and
guidelines.
Planning on having draft regions and guidelines out by October
1st.
Working on draft guidelines for: guidance principles for
State Water Plan; establishing criteria for eligibility for
financial assistance from the Research and Planning Fund;
procedures for adoption of plans by Regional Planning Groups;
and guidelines for format of information.
Work is ongoing with data collection and dissemination, as
well as drought monitoring and response.
TWDB will be the lead on monitoring and drought response in
working with the Division of Emergency Management.
Presentation on the Safe Drinking Water Program, Disadvantaged
Communities Program; and Investor Owned Communities Program.
Larry McKinney with the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department
gave a presentation on that agency's implementation efforts
for Senate Bill 1, highlighting the Memorandum of Agreement.
After brief closing remarks, Representative Lewis moved that
the committee stand in recess.
_______________________________
_________________________________
Senator J.E. "Buster" Brown Representative
Ron Lewis
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Carol McGarah, Clerk