Water Wonks Hour Lecture Series #4: Comparative Analysis of Assured Water Supply Policies and Regulations Across the Western United States and Texas at the Municipal, County, and State Level

Rachel Hanes Bio:
Rachel holds a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science and Spanish from Trinity University in San Antonio, TX and a Master of Public Policy and Management from Carnegie Mellon University in Pittsburgh, PA. She has multiple years of experience in the environmental and water policy fields and in working within and with nonprofits and local, state, and federal governments.

Before joining GEAA, Rachel served for three years as a program analyst for the U.S. Department of Interior, Bureau of Reclamation in the Reclamation Law Administration Division and later in the Colorado River Binational Program, working to help manage and conserve water in the West. Rachel has also worked for the Natural Resources Defense Council on their decarbonization efforts, the City of Pittsburgh Department of Mobility and Infrastructure on their Complete Streets and green infrastructure initiatives, the Tarrant County Tarrant Transit Alliance, the Office of Congressman Joaquin Castro, the League of United Latin American Citizens on environmental issues along the border, and the Esperanza Peace and Justice Center in San Antonio on local water issues.

Earthshare Fellow Bio: Brenda graduated December 2023 from UT Austin as an international political-economy major. Born in Mexico and raised in the Rio Grande Valley, international relations has always been an interest of hers, given the nature of growing up in the middle of two cultures. She is enthusiastic about entering a green career as she works under EarthShare Texas’ Green Leaders Fellowship Program this Spring. Tackling environmental issues have always been a passionate subject of hers especially with her perspective as a minority and how minority communities are so often the ones most impacted by climatic changes, and yet are the least responsible for it. Brenda is highly motivated to take on a personal responsibility to protect these communities and our environment from the on-going economic and political greed around the world as she works toward a career in international development with a focus on sustainability projects.

Synopsis:

Rachel recently directed Earthshare Fellow Brenda Chapa, on a semester-long policy research project for the Greater Edwards Aquifer Alliance and will report on the results of the project including a literature review of assured water supply policies, laws, and regulations at the municipal, county, and state level in the Western United States compared to those policies within Texas.

She will provide an outline of the comparative analysis, policy recommendations, and suggested areas for future research including recommendations for current and projected high-growth areas of Texas.