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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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AN ACT
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relating to a state policy of encouraging voluntary land |
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stewardship to benefit the water in this state. |
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. Section 1.003, Water Code, is amended to read as |
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follows: |
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Sec. 1.003. PUBLIC POLICY. It is the public policy of the |
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state to provide for the conservation and development of the |
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state's natural resources, including: |
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(1) the control, storage, preservation, and |
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distribution of the state's storm and floodwaters and the waters of |
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its rivers and streams for irrigation, power, and other useful |
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purposes; |
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(2) the reclamation and irrigation of the state's |
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arid, semiarid, and other land needing irrigation; |
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(3) the reclamation and drainage of the state's |
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overflowed land and other land needing drainage; |
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(4) the conservation and development of its forest, |
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water, and hydroelectric power; |
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(5) the navigation of the state's inland and coastal |
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waters; [and] |
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(6) the maintenance of a proper ecological environment |
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of the bays and estuaries of Texas and the health of related living |
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marine resources; and |
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(7) the voluntary stewardship of public and private |
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lands to benefit the water in the state, as defined by Section |
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26.001. |
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SECTION 2. Subchapter A, Chapter 1, Water Code, is amended |
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by adding Section 1.004 to read as follows: |
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Sec. 1.004. FINDINGS AND POLICY REGARDING LAND STEWARDSHIP. |
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(a) The legislature finds that voluntary land stewardship |
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enhances the efficiency and effectiveness of this state's |
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watersheds by helping to increase surface water and groundwater |
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supplies, resulting in a benefit to the natural resources of this |
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state and to the general public. It is therefore the policy of this |
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state to encourage voluntary land stewardship as a significant |
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water management tool by providing assistance to landowners to |
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conduct those activities. |
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(b) "Land stewardship," as used in this code, is the |
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voluntary practice of managing land to conserve or enhance suitable |
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landscapes and the ecosystem values of the land. Land stewardship |
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includes land and habitat management, wildlife conservation, and |
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watershed protection. Land stewardship practices include runoff |
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reduction, prescribed burning, managed grazing, brush management, |
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erosion management, reseeding with native plant species, riparian |
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management and restoration, and spring and creek-bank protection, |
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all of which benefit the water resources of this state. |
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SECTION 3. Subsection (b), Section 11.0235, Water Code, is |
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amended to read as follows: |
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(b) Maintaining the biological soundness of the state's |
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rivers, lakes, bays, and estuaries is of great importance to the |
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public's economic health and general well-being. The legislature |
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encourages voluntary water and land stewardship to benefit the |
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water in the state, as defined by Section 26.001. |
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SECTION 4. This Act takes effect September 1, 2007. |