PRESS RELEASE - 8/22/06Tuesday night, August 15th, the board of the Blanco-Pedernales Groundwater Conservation District adopted a set of revisions to its operating rules. These changes, belatedly developed after major revisions to the Texas water code in 2005, mark the first significant update to the rules since 2002.
Preserve Our Water has been actively involved in the public participation phases of the revision process. The first phase of the public comment process was a Stakeholder Group meeting. As a member of that Group, POW prepared detailed comments and recommendations regarding the proposed changes. Independent experts in groundwater management in Texas reviewed the recommendations and found them prudent and reasonable. Unfortunately the District did not agree as few of the suggestions were adopted and those that were constituted little more than clerical corrections.
Concerned citizens submitted written comments and spoke at the public hearing. Directors of POW did likewise. Once again, the district's board chose to disregard all of these comments and suggestions when they adopted the rules by a 4-0 vote, the board's president, Ron Zunker, being absent.
POW President Dave Collins told the District's board members during the hearing, "Blanco County has the weakest set of rules among peer Districts in this area. These rules, rather than closing the gap to bring us on par with our peer districts, serve to widen that gap."
Among the many changes to which citizens and POW objected were:
· Assignment of all authority for making drought condition declarations to the District's General Manager with no mandatory review or oversight by elected officials,· Assignment of all authority for decisions following issuing of a well permit to the General Manager, including variances and production limit increases, with no oversight or participation by elected officials and, therefore, no requirement for public notice,
· Elimination of lot size requirements for declaring a well exempt from obtaining a permit and the failure to adopt well spacing requirements as allowed under the amended state water code.
One concerned citizen, Jack Ratliff, a retired UT law professor and Blanco County resident commented, "These changes create a regulatory vacuum almost certain to suck into the county the worst development practices. The result will most likely be irreparable harm to our groundwater resources. Why choose to develop in Hays or Gillespie County when they make prudent conservation requirements that we don't?"
Preserve Our Water believes that the actions of our Groundwater Conservation District have placed Blanco County and our water square in the bull's eye of the march to over develop this region and in so doing, destroy that which makes it so desirable. Prudent, well managed development that accounts for the fragility of the groundwater and other resources that make the Hill Country so distinctive is in everyone's interest. High density development with little or no regard to the impact on water, top soil and other resources can be in the interest of only a very few - the interests that promote and carryout the development and then take their profits and leave the consequences for citizens and residents.
Preserve Our Water renews its commitment to monitor the activities of our District. While these changes make that task more difficult they also make it all the more critical. We call on our fellow citizens to join in that effort. Attend the meetings of your Groundwater Conservation District. They meet in regular session on the 3rd Thursday of each month at 7:00 pm. The board always provides citizens an opportunity to comment, so anyone can voice their concerns or offer their ideas. The public meeting is held at the District offices, 601 W. Main, Johnson City. The District, from time to time, calls special meetings. POW will do its very best to alert citizens to these meetings, as well.
It is our water, neighbors. It is up to all of us to defend and protect it.
WATER NEWS FOR BLANCO COUNTY AND BEYOND #10
August 22, 2006
Well problems?
Are you, or someone you know, having well problems? Many reporters are contacting water conservation groups seeking interviews with well owners who are having drought related water quality and/or quantity problems. If you or someone you know would like to talk to a member of the press.
Please contact:
Annalisa Peace
Executive Director, Greater Edwards Aquifer Alliance
210-320-6294
Of course, our Groundwater Conservation District at 830-868-9196 should also be notified, as should Janie Hopkins with the Texas Water Development Board,
512-936-0841.
BPGCD Rule Revision Process
On Tuesday, August 15th the B-PGCD board voted 4-0 (Ron Zunker, board President being absent) to adopt a set of far reaching revisions to its operating rules. These rules define most of the activities of the District related to the management and conservation of our groundwater resources.
POW took a very active role throughout the public participation phases of the process. As a member of the "Stakeholder Group" that was the first step in that process, POW prepared detailed comments and recommendations. Those documents were based on an analysis of the proposed changes in light of Texas law and the practices of peer groundwater districts in the Hill Country. We asked independent experts in the field to review our conclusions; they confirmed we were on target.
Unfortunately, the District chose to ignore or reject all but the most minor of those comments and recommendations.
Numerous citizens and POW board members prepared written comments and addressed the District board during the Public Hearing. Again, our elected officials chose to ignore the input and concerns of citizens and adopted those changes.
Among the many negative effects of the changes are:
Concentration of authority for virtually all groundwater management decisions with the General Manager with no Board participation or oversight (which has the side effect of effectively blocking those decisions from public view in most cases),
Elimination of any reference in the rules to the chief tool that Districts have to make decisions, the District management plan, Elimination of any standards relating to the density of wells either through regulating lot size for exempt wells or regulating the spacing between wells,
Elimination of any regulation of groundwater transported out of Blanco County.
For more information about these changes and the implications for our groundwater, please contact a POW board member, designated below, or see the article distributed to the press at our web site
http://www.blanco-texas.com/powPR082206.html.
B-PGCD Denies Motion for Rehearing
On May 17th POW filed a Motion for Rehearing with the District in the matter of the Rockin' J permit. That motion called for setting the permit aside and conducting a new hearing that conformed to state law and the District's own rules. At the August 15th meeting, 90 minutes before the deadline for responding to this motion, the District's board acted. Board member Tom Murrah (Precinct 1) introduced a motion to grant the motion, Board member Phil Sergeant (Precinct 2) seconded.
After some discussion a vote was taken that resulted in a tie (Board president Zunker - Precinct 4- not being present to break the tie). More discussion ensued and a second vote was taken. Board member Sergeant switched his vote and the motion failed. Board vice-president Bobby Wilson (Precinct 3) introduced a motion to deny the permit.
That motion passed by a vote of 3-1.
POW is exploring its next steps in this matter.
We would be pleased to hear from any of the citizens receiving this newsletter regarding their feelings about this
situation. As you consider the matter, bear in mind that the Rockin' J is continuing a 12 hour a day watering program as they seek to establish their golf course in the middle of a drought. You may also want to consider that numerous wells in the surround area are experiencing difficulty.
POW Board contacts
Due to business and professional obligations, not all POW board members are as readily available as others. To try to provide timely information, these board members should be your first point of contact:
Dave Collins 868-9055
Shirley Beck 833-4868
PASS THE WORD
Do you know someone who should be receiving this newsletter but doesn't? Please pass this along to them.
Hill Country Alliance
This organization is comprised of citizens from across the Hill Country who are interested and concerned about water resources. POW is pleased to pass along their news reports, "Neighbor to Neighbor".
Neighbor to Neighbor News from HCA
From The Guardians of Lick Creek...Into our 2nd year of exercising our 1st Amendment Rights, the Guardians of Lick Creek are back from much needed vacations and are again protesting. If you plan on driving Hwy
71 West on Sunday afternoon, please feel free to HONK, give us THUMB'S UP or STOP and VISIT. We will be at the entrance to West Cypress Hills from 1:00 p.m. to 3:00 p.m. on Sunday afternoons.
To read more about the Guardians see www.lickcreek.org
The Hays Trinity has released a report on Hays County Water Supply, "Dry Wells, in Hays County, Blame Drought or Development?" written by Raymond Slade. See www.hillcountryalliance.org or
http://www.blanco-texas.com/powslade.htmlto read Raymond's report.
Water Well and Water-Level Survey for Western Hays County is posted here:
http://www.surveymonkey.com/s.asp?u=497602484103
Please use this survey relating to your water well and the water-level in your well, if you are interested in sharing such information, with the Hays Trinity Groundwater Conservation District. This data will help the District map
the effects of the ongoing dry weather that the area is experiencing and to make policy recommendations related to how to better manage the aquifer so the effects of drought are minimized and property values are
protected to the greatest degree possible in the future.
Andrew Backus, President, HTGCD.
The State Water Plan has been released. Read Environmental Defense Attorney, Mary Kelly's opEd about the Plan Here.
See WWW.HillCountryAlliance.org for more.
