Latest News
Natural Resources Committee Hears GEAA’s Top Bill
The House Natural Resources Committee met yesterday to hear comments about HB 595 and HB 1508, among others. Several GEAA members and supporters came to speak in support of these bills – thank you! If you’d like to see a recording of yesterday’s hearing, go to the Natural Resource Committee’s archived broadcasts and click on the broadcast listed for 3/17/09, starting at 12:06 pm. For a list of relevant bills considered at yesterday’s meeting, read below: HB 595: Leibowitz/Rodriguez – Relating to a restriction on permits authorizing discharges of sewage effluent into any water in the contributing or recharge zone of
HaysCan News Roundup
Growth in Hays County is straining our roads, open spaces and water supply. Citizens are demanding intelligent, honest planning for future growth and special interests are jockeying for influence and a stake in the lucrative development bonanza. The RoundUp invites you to tune in as we will be presenting the “healthy skeptic’s view,” digging below the spin and uncovering the truth behind the votes and decisions of our local government decision makers. Read more here.
GEAA asks Legislature to Take Action to Protect Water & the Hill Country
When: Wednesday, January 14th at 1:30 p.m. Where: on the South Steps of the State Capitol What: Leaders of the 45 member groups of the Greater Edwards Aquifer Alliance (representing 25,000 Texans in 19 Counties) go to the State Capitol to advocate their legislative agenda. Citizens from throughout the Texas Hill Country are concerned about the impacts of high-density development on our water resources – both in terms of the quantity of water available and the quality of our groundwater. The Greater Edwards Aquifer Alliance (GEAA), working with our member and the region’s elected officials has crafted a legislative agenda that
Rep. Leibowitz Files Bill to Prohibit Discharge of Sewage Effluent into Edwards Aquifer Waterways
“I filed H.B. 595 because the 1.7 million Texans whose source of drinking water is the Edwards Aquifer should not have to worry about treated sewage contaminating their water,” said Leibowitz. “In 2007, the Helotes debris fire contaminated wells near the aquifer when water was applied to the fire for just a few short days. Now, there’s a proposal to pour up to 1 million gallons of treated sewage each day into a creek that directly feeds the Edwards Aquifer. That’s just unacceptable.” The Greater Edwards Aquifer Alliance, the Alamo Soil and Conservation District, the cities of San Antonio and Austin,
GEAA Enlists Your Help with Warbler Watch Program
To help implement the proposed “Warbler Watch” program for the Texas Hill Country, GEAA recently established a partnership with Texas A&M University (TAMU) researchers. The goal of this collaborative program is to develop and implement a long-term and sustainable monitoring program, which will determine trends in distribution, abundance, habitat use, and breeding success of the GCWA across its breeding range. We propose to integrate with and expand upon comprehensive GCWA studies initiated by TAMU in 2003, which were enlarged to include a range-wide monitoring program during 2008. GEAA would help recruit volunteers and landowners, and distribute related educational materials to a
Watch Texas: State of Flowing Water on-line
Did you miss Texas Parks and Wildlife’s documentary, Texas: The State of Flowing Water? Don’t worry! You can watch the full show online. Explore the threats facing Texas water and learn what can be done to help. Watch the video here. Watch the show now, at www.texasthestateofwater.org for more information.
AGUA and CASE sign on to Lawsuits to protect Local Endangered Species
Final Legal Challenge Filed to Bush Administration’s Political Interference in Endangered Species Decisions; Half a Million Acres of Protection Sought for 19 Species in Nine
Judge Biery delivers lucid ruling on AGUA/TURF Hwy. 281 Case
U.S. District Court Judge Fred Biery denies a motion by the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) to dismiss as moot a lawsuit by GEAA member group
Hills of Castle Rock Development Settlement Reached
GEAA and San Geronimo Valley Alliance (SGVA) are very pleased to announce that a settlement agreement has been finalized between SGVA and BP Properties, Ltd.
Aquifer Groups Host US Fish and Wildlife Town Hall Meeting on Critical Habitat for Devils River Minnows
Aquifer Groups Host US Fish and Wildlife Town Hall Meeting on Critical Habitat for Devils River Minnows When: Monday, September 22nd at 5:00 p.m. Where:
Joe Straus Elected Speaker
AUSTIN – Texas legislators unanimously elected Rep. Joe Straus III speaker of the state House Tuesday, making Straus the first San Antonio leader of the