A quick report about the Giddings hearing — yes, that’s us trying to get in the door! Thank you for showing up — not only from Bastrop and Lee counties, but from across the region as far as Huntsville and our municipal friends — who continue to push for real water conservation — from city of Austin!
We need you to COME TO TONIGHT’s second hearing in Giddings (starts at 6 pm sharp, at the American Legion Hall in Giddings at 1502 US Hwy. 77).
Things could be turning our way. But, more pressure is needed! There will be plenty of room inside tonight’s hall — so come. Lost Pines Groundwater Conservation District has apologized for the rude treatment last night — they heard us.
We have a temporary delay on 55,000 acre-feet of a total of now 111,000 acre-feet per year applications. (That’s nearly 100 million gallons per day). We should also thank Aqua Water Supply Corporation, a member owned water coop serving 50,000 residents mostly in Bastrop County. Aqua Water filed a request for a Contested Hearing to lay out their concerns about the Forestar (45,000 acre-feet) and LCRA (10,000 acre-feet) permit applications. This stopped any votes on these permits, until Aqua Water’s request is addressed at May 15th meeting of the Lost Pines Groundwater Conservation District meeting — to be held in Bastrop. Then these permits could be delayed further or approved, depending on how Lost Pines GCD votes on Aqua’s request to contest Forestar and LCRA.
Tonight’s hearing on End Op LLC’s 56,000 acre-feet application is CRITICAL to the entire picture for water conservation and potential exportation in Lost Pines GCD and all the folks who are turning their attention to it.
Meanwhile, water wars are cropping up all over the state. Hays County and nearby folks — mark your calendars for a TOWN HALL meeting next Thursday, April 25th at the Wimberely Community Center at 7 pm. (We will work to get a calendar up soon for folks across the state to start activating on this issue.)
Remember, tomorrow AND Monday, we will ask you to make some calls to your legislators. We’ll send you a message late tonight or tomorrow morning with details.
Believe it or not, we are a range of people from the green party to the tea party and all points in between! Our common mantra, for now is, Conserve Now, Export/Import Later. What more we can do together is up for discussion. It’s going to be a long fight.
PS Lots of detailed information is also now up at Environmental Stewardship.
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