Progress made on water conservation, Budget funds local parks

Environment Texas

AUSTIN – In a series of promising developments for the environment, important progress was made today in the Legislature for Texas parks and rivers. First, the House Appropriations committee approved a constitutional amendment to authorize $2 billion in spending in water infrastructure. If conservation targets in companion legislation HB4 are maintained, the combination of actions would result in a historic investment in water conservation. Second, the House approved a bill to prevent homeowners associations from blocking members from planting of drought-tolerant landscaping. Finally, the budget conference committee restored $15.5 million to the local parks grant program.

“It was a good day at the Capitol for the environment,” said Environment Texas Director Luke Metzger. “The budget deal means funding for our state and local parks is restored and our rivers will be better protected through a major investment in water conservation.”

Today’s approval of SJR1 by the House Appropriations committee means an investment of $2 billion in water infrastructure is one step closer to reality. Environment Texas cautioned that several key decisions remain to be made. The HB 4 conference committee must still decide how much of the funding to direct towards water conservation. A House version of the bill sets aside 20 percent of the funding for water conservation while a Senate version sets aside as much as 30 percent.

“This could be a historic session for water, but if history has taught us anything, we can’t continue down the same path of water waste,” said Metzger. “The Legislature should take this opportunity to set a new direction for water policy in Texas – one that focuses on cutting water waste, maximizing conservation and ensuring we leave enough water to protect our our rivers.”

The Texas House approved SB 198 (Watson/Dukes) to prevent homeowners assocations from blocking members who want to xeriscape – or put in native grasses and other drought-tolerant landscaping. A recent Environment Texas Research and Policy Center report found that increasing the use of drought-tolerant plants in landscaping instead of traditional lawns could reduce withdrawals by 14 billion gallons by 2020, or as much as 240,000 Texans would use in a year.

“Many Texans want to do their part to conserve water and it’s outrageous some busybodies in HOAs would stand in the way,” said Metzger. “This legislation protects the rights of Texans to respond to the drought through smarter use of our limited water supply.”

After a major push by parks advocates, today the budget conference committee reportedly restored $15.5 million to the local parks grant program. In 2011, the program was zeroed out and, until today, the program seemed headed for the same fate in next biennium’s budget. From the Mayor of Odessa to the Houston chamber of Commerce,  in the last few days hundreds of community leaders and parks advocates expressed outrage over the failure to invest in the program.

“Our state is growing by leaps and bounds, and we need to keep up with demand for parks, playgrounds and swimming pools,” concluded Metzger. “Funding the local parks grant program gives cities the critical resources needed to get our kids and families outside, enjoying nature.”