There is a showdown coming on the attempts by End Op, LP — the water profiteers — to grab water resources from GMA 12 (Groundwater Management Area 12 — Bastrop, Brazos, Burleson, Falls, Fayette, Freestone, Lee, Leon, Limestone, Madison, Milam, Navarro, Robertson and Williamson counties) for the IH-35 growth corridor from Hays to Bexar counties. End Op, through their political connections, are players in the continued push for a 5-foot diameter, 100-mile pipeline to take 71 million gallons of water per day from the Simsboro Aquifer underlying Bastrop and Lee Counties.
We are calling on you (yes, YOU!) and other good folks across the region to come to two critical hearings to be held at the Milano Civic Center on Wednesday, February 29th, 10 am to 4 pm (the End Op hearing) and on the following Wednesday, March 7th, 10 am to 4 pm (the Environmental Stewardship hearing).
We at Independent Texans, along with area elected officials including Sen. Kirk Watson, Bluebonnet Electric Coop and others, requested that the Texas Water Development Board (TWDB) hold these hearings in Bastrop, so that those most affected could more easily attend.
TWDB ignored those requests and decided to have the hearings in Milano, Texas some 60 miles away where (no offense to Milano) there are virtually no restaurants!
We are determined not to let TWDB tamp down on citizen demand for local control of water resources!
Will YOU be there — and bring some folks with you? Reply and tell us you will come. If you can provide a ride for others or need a ride, please let us know that too.
Both sides of this dispute (End Op and Environmental Stewardship) are claiming that the “desired future conditions” parameters for pumping water in our area were not scientific. End Op’s claim is that there is plenty of water for everyone to go around. Environmental Stewardship (which, by the way, in no way stands to profit from their claims), sees it quite differently. Go here for the details written by Denis McGinnis of the Smithville Times back in August, for an intelligent discussion of the people and issues involved. Note that Denis references hearings in the fall — these hearings were pushed to Feb. 29 and March 7th).
Please reply to this message and let us know if you can attend either or both hearings or at least one.
THIS COULDN’T BE MORE IMPORTANT FOLKS! Please come.
Really want to understand what’s at stake? Go here for Environmental Stewardship’s legal petition on this urgent issue.
We can have a tailgate party. Bring your lunch and a chair, if you want. We’ll send you more details soon.
Get up, stand up, Texans…stand up for your water rights! (This message can be shared here — please do!)
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