TO: | Honorable Robert Puente, Chair, House Committee on Natural Resources |
FROM: | John S. O'Brien, Director, Legislative Budget Board |
IN RE: | SB1985 by Averitt (Relating to the creation of the McLennan County Groundwater Conservation District; providing authority to impose a tax and issue bonds. ), Committee Report 2nd House, Substituted |
The Legislative Budget Board, in cooperation with the Texas Water Development Board (TWDB) and the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ), has determined that:
The bill creates the McLennan County Groundwater Conservation District (District) in McLennan County with the powers and duties of Water Code, Chapter 36 related to general law for groundwater conservation districts (GCDs). The purpose of the District is to benefit property by providing for the conservation, preservation, protection, recharging, and prevention of waste of groundwater, and to control subsidence caused by the withdrawal of groundwater under powers conferred by Article XVI, Section 59 of the Texas Constitution. The District’s creation is subject to a confirmation election.
1) Population - The total 2000 Census population of
2) Location- The boundaries of the proposed district are coextensive with the boundaries of
3) Comments on Powers/Duties Different from Similar Types of Districts- The District’s temporary directors may hold subsequent elections if the initial election to confirm the District’s creation is defeated. The temporary directors become the initial directors at the time the District is confirmed by the voters, and serve staggered two- and four-year terms. Permanent directors are appointed to four-year terms by the
4) Overlapping Services- There are no other GCDs in
5) TCEQ's Supervision- As with general law GCDs, the TCEQ will have general supervisory authority, including bond review authority and authority as it is related to the District’s development and implementation of a management plan. The District would not have to comply with the TCEQ’s financial or auditing requirements.
6) Water Use- In 2004, 73 percent of the total water use in
Source Agencies: | 580 Water Development Board, 582 Commission on Environmental Quality
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LBB Staff: | JOB, WK
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