As concerned Texans, we wish to conserve and sustain the clear, clean water and rural character of the Texas Hill Country. We recognize that our creeks, rivers, aquifers and springs are threatened with pollution and overpumping as a result of rapid urbanization and land fragmentation.

We call on our elected local, state and federal officials to take actions needed to protect the water and land that sustains our economies, our fisheries and wildlife, and our Hill Country rural communities and urban centers alike. In order to protect and sustain our water resources, we must empower local communities to manage groundwater and development. To that end, we call on our elected officials to take actions that will preserve the Texas Hill Country and its surface and groundwater resources.

Specifically:

We call on Elected Officials and the Texas State Legislature to:

• Protect Water as a Public Resource and repeal the rule of capture
• Fund major purchases of parks, open space, and conservation easements to protect critical water resources and provide recreational opportunities
• Repeal Texas’ “grandfather” law and empower cities and counties to manage growth and protect water quality
• Enable local, elected Ground Water Conservation Districts across Texas to manage groundwater pumping and land use and other activities that threaten the quality or quantity of recharging water
• Protect the Rural Character of the Hill Country by limiting new highways and toll roads and authorizing local scenic highway designations