Problem:
- The Texas constitution preempts cities from regulating oil and gas. Some cities such as Houston had ordinances requiring drilling be at lest 1,000 feet from the normal water’s edge of Lake Houston or any of its drains, streams or tributaries
- HB40 re-written to include a 5-year “prima facie” clause, a legal term which gives the impression that cities will retain the right to keep ordinances more than 5 years old. At best, this is only partially true.
Solutions:
- Create a public bank to finance water related projects
- Close corporate loopholes in the state sales tax
- Reallocate some of the $800 million wasted on border security
- Amend the Texas constitution remove the cap on the Consolidated Water Quality Fee assessed by the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality, so that the fee is assessed equitably on all fee payers.
- Any business that uses more than 100,000 gallons of water a day will be charged an additional 25-cents per every 1,000 gallons.
- Reduce the amount of money wasted on professional sports stadiums so the money can be used to reduce flooding
Texas Constitution
Code – Water
Chapter – 26 Water Quality Control
Section – 26.0291 Water Quality Fee
Code – Natural Resources
Chapter – 81 Railroad Commission of Texas
Section – 81.0523 Exclusive Jurisdiction and Express Preemption
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Miami Herald – Beyond the high tides, South Florida water is changing
Huffington Post – This Company Wants To Help Buildings Save Water And Money
NPR – Big Switch for Water Regulation in Texas Dominates Hearing at the Capitol
Texas Comptroller – Texas Supreme Court Decision Affirms Right to Water
Texas Tribune – State Supreme Court Punts on Major Water Case
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Charleston Gazette Mail – Missoula officials make case for public water takeover in WV
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Environmental Defense Fund – What Texas’ Elected Officials Should Know About House Bill 40
Star Telegram – Cities concerned about state urban-drilling bill
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Sacramento Bee – California must invest in watersheds, just like dams
Men’s Journal – Who Stole the Water?
San Antonio Express – Three water bills to watch in the Texas Legislature
The Guardian – Rural water access: why should countries follow Paraguay’s lead?
City Lab – Why Doesn’t New Orleans Look More Like Amsterdam?
Next City – Low-Income Philadelphians Get Help Paying the Water Bill
The Week – The perverse incentives of the National Flood Insurance Program
The Atlantic – Can Congress Bring the National Flood Insurance Program Above Water?
Texas Observer – Troubled Waters: New Book Plunges into Texas’ Convoluted Water Law
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Houston Press – Out of Control
City Council proposes higher water fees for large companiesCity Council proposes higher water fees for large companies
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