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Get out and vote this Saturday, San Antonio! Watch our 1 minute+ video “ Hit Pay to Play and Vista Ridge in the Right Spot ” and share away, San Antonio! Groups that rarely work together — Alamo Sierra Club, Homeowner-Taxpayer Association of Bexar County, Joshua Initiative, LULAC Concilio Zapatistic 4383, San Antonio Keeping Bureaucracies Accountable and the League of Independent Voters – San Antonio — all want an independent management, financial and legal audit of the Vista Ridge Water Pipeline…not to mention an end to the pay to play political culture at San Antonio City Hall. Election Day for San Antonio Mayor and all 10 City Council seats is this Saturday, May 4th, with polls open 7 am to 7 pm. Find your poll site here What can you do? ►Share our video and encourage folks to come out and vote for the candidate of their choice. ►Mark your calendar for Monday, May 13th, 7 to 9 pm for the second meeting of the new San Antonio Chapter of the LIV. ►Keep your eyes peeled for legislative alerts and get ready to call your State Legislators! United we stand, divided we FAIL! PS It’s getting dicey at the State Capitol especially on putting land, water and democracy up for sale. Keep reading our emails and take action quickly before the end of the session, May 27th. Thank you! #independentaudit #paytoplay #VistaRidge

More and more Texans have smelled the coffee that groundwater is more valuable than oil, so why subsidize growth by benefiting water profiteers. Smell the coffee, Texas, groundwater is more valuable than oil. We need calls before HB 1066 hits the Senate Floor tomorrow, May 2! FIND YOUR LEGISLATORS HERE Call tonight and leave a message…see the Fact Sheet on this bill below. And ask your family and friends to make a call too! This Fact Sheet prepared by Farm and Ranch Freedom Alliance (FARFA) and signed on to by SAWDF and the League of Independent Voters of Texas was provided today to all Senate offices. SAWDF Director Andy Wier testified on this export permit renewal boondoggle for SAWDF late Monday night. Chairman of the Senate Water & Rural Affairs Committee, Charles Perry (R-Lubbock) invited Andy to present the amendment we want by early the next morning. Andy, a Bastrop resident, stayed in Austin into the night to work on the amendment with the three groups, Judith McGeary at FARFA did the final drafts and Andy arrived back at the Senate by 8:30 Tuesday morning, amendments in hand to meet with the staff person for Perry’s Committee and Judith —- only to be told late yesterday, “Thanks but no thanks” by Sen. Perry. Undaunted, Andy went to work on another important bill….but that’s a story for another Action Alert (or two) you might expect to see by end of week or early next week. ►Your calls to Sen. Kirk Watson (D-Austin & Bastrop), 512.463.0114, Sen. Lois Kolkhorst (R-Lee and Burleson), 512.463.0118 and Sen. Charles Schwertner (R-Milam), 512-463-0105 really do matter! Read the Fact Sheet and then tell your Senator tonight you OPPOSE HB 1066 because it blocks the public from participating in major permitting decisions that could significantly impact their property rights. Governor Abbott vetoed a virtually identical bill in the 2017 session for the same reason! click here for the FACT SHEET ON HB 1066 #SenLoisKolkhorst #HB1066 #JudithMcGeary #SenCharlesPerry #SenKirkWatson #farmandranchfreedomalliance #SimsboroAquiferWaterDefenseFund

For Immediate Release                                                                        April 29, 2019 Twenty-three Candidates Endorse Vista Ridge Resolution Video Likens Vista Ridge to Goliath, Ratepayers to David Twenty-three candidates running for San Antonio Mayor and City Council on May 4th have reviewed the information and endorsed the Vista Ridge Resolution calling for clarification of “the policymaking role of San Antonio Water System, and its need for more openness and transparency; requiring an independent managerial, legal and financial review of the Vista Ridge Project .” The entire four page Vista Ridge Resolution can be found here. Candidates endorsing the resolution are as follows: Mayor : Tim Atwood, Greg Brockhouse*, Bert Cecconi, Antonio Diaz, Matt Pina District 1 : Lauro Bustamante, Justin Holley, Richard Gonzales, Oscar Magana, Roberto Trevino*, Colton Unden, Ray Zavala District 2 : Jada Andrews-Sullivan, Ruben Arcienega, Denise Gutierrez-Homer,  Walter Perry, Sr., Salena Santibanez Guipzot District 4 : Adriana Rocha Garcia District 5 : Jilma “Jill” Davila District 9 : Patrick Von Dohlen District 10 : Elise Kibler, Reinette King, Maria Perez *Currently on the city council. The resolution, drafted by the non-partisan, non-profit 501c4 League of Independent Voters, is also endorsed by the Alamo Sierra Club, the Homeowner-Taxpayers Association of Bexar County, Joshua Initiative. LULAC Concilio Zapatista 4383 and San Antonio Making Bureaucracies Accountable (SAMBA). The drafters have been distributing this flier and gathering signatures on an informal petition also listed online at early poll sites stating: “Vista Ridge, the $3.4B, 143-mile pipeline slated to begin conveying groundwater in 2020, poses a serious threat to reasonable water rates for SAWS ratepayers and sustainability of two critically important aquifers; the mighty Edwards (San Antonio’s drinking water) and the Simsboro formation of the Carrizo-Wilcox Aquifer providing water for Burleson, Bastrop, Milam and Lee counties.” James Murphy is one of the state’s top water attorneys and serves as an Advisory Board Member of LIV. Mr. Murphy is working at the legislature to stop SAWS lobbyists from making Vista Ridge the poster child for the state’s groundwater projects. Murphy said: “Many people do not know that SAWS simply would not allow a smaller and more local project to even be discussed before the City Council as an alternative to this boondoggle. I am fully qualified to call Vista Ridge a boondoggle because I participated in the early stages of the project and abandoned it after realizing the huge risks to ratepayers and the ancient Simsboro, an aquifer that, unlike the Edwards, does not recharge in human terms. The risks that the Simsboro could be damaged and the city forced to stop this project are very real. SAWS ratepayers will then be left holding the bag for the most expensive groundwater in Texas.” Ellen Berky, a San Antonio architect and Board Member for the League of Independent Voters, said: “The League of Independent Voters warned the City its private partner was going bankrupt. We also urged that SAWS do a fully public deal with a loan from the Texas Water Development Board – for half the interest costs of using a private partner. We were ignored. All we know now is that we’ve seen water rate increases every year since 2013, largely on account of the Vista Ridge project, and the San Antonio Water System has been hiding project records behind their private partner. Very soon, the Mayor and City Council will be voting on significant utility fee and rate increases, just as the Vista Ridge water is slated to begin pumping in 2020. We want all the information on this project made public now.” Stan Mitchell, retired, a Harvard MBA with relevant private sector experience, and a leader of San Antonio Making Bureaucracies Accountable, said, “I attended a neighborhood meeting this week where SAWS gave a presentation on their ‘integration pipeline.’ SAWS won’t even call the project by its name. It’s called Vista Ridge. Our public water utility has been absurdly opaque about the combined costs of this project, glossing over the price tag for moving massive amounts of water from Burleson to Bexar County, not to mention the total cost of integrating all this water into the SAWS existing distribution system within the San Antonio metro area. Why doesn’t the public already know the energy costs to convey 50,000 acre-feet (68 million tons of water) per year 143-miles to San Antonio for 30 years? The public deserves to know the Vista Ridge project’s total financial burden which will have to be absorbed through increased public utility billings in the coming years.” This 1-minute video was also released likening the project to Goliath and urging the voters get together to hit the project in the “right spot,” like David. # Contact Information: Ellen Berky, (210) 737-8421, eberky@usa.net Stan Mitchell, (210) 493-2656, Stannew2@icloud.com James Murphy, (210) 859-2189, mangerian@gmail.com Or reply to this message, call or text Linda Curtis, (512) 657-2089 #StanMitchell #EllenBerky #Simsboro #candidatesendorse #IndependentVoters #VistaRidge #EdwardsAquifer #JamesMurphy

SUPPORT THESE EMINENT DOMAIN RELATED BILLS NOW TO BE HEARD TOMORROW I am writing as tomorrow, April 25 at 8 am in room E2.012 marks the biggest day of the session where numerous eminent domain bills are going to be heard in the Land & Resource Management Committee.  More bills have been added since last week, so I have narrowed and prioritized this list. Both the House and Senate versions of the omnibus bills SB 421 and its companion HB 991 will be heard.  Both SB421/HB991 will: Provide basic easement terms to affected landowners to help ensure that their property is protected during and after construction. Provide landowners with an evidence-based valuation of their property’s value along with any damages to the remainder, conducted by certified appraiser or licensed real estate broker; and Requires companies to host informational meetings to present information about the project to landowners allowing for questions and company feedback. Other bills that will be heard include Schwertner’s SB 552, 553, and 555 dealing with the following topics:  survey permission, purchase of additional property should a condemnor need it, and a bill ending landowners paying property taxes on a condemnor’s easement.  Should these and the omnibus bills pass out of committee and make it to the House floor, they will go to the Governor’s desk. HB 1919, HB 3327, and HB 1253 (companion to SB 554 that passed the Senate) will be heard for the first time.  These bills deal with filing complaints with the RRC; a public meeting on a pipeline with notice to a county judge, nearby counties, and the groundwater district; and the right to repurchase property.  We would like to see all three of these bills pass out of Committee for a House floor vote.  HB 1157 ensures the timing on appraisal submissions to a Special Commission are the same from both parties. Why is this hearing so important?  Because all House bills have to be reported out of the House Committees by Monday, May 6….and we are rolling into other deadlines. If you can come testify, this is the time to come.  Please let me know if you are.  If you can’t come, then email/call/write all the committee members and tell them you support all the bills listed below.  Please ask others to do so. Messaging:  (Personalize it with where you are from, why you are concerned, etc.) Dear Land & Resource Management Committee Members:  I want to encourage you to pass the following bills out of committee which will be heard tomorrow, April 25.  No significant legislation has passed regarding eminent domain since 2011.  Please support these bills in order to better protect landowners in the state of Texas. Both SB421 and its companion HB991 are omnibus bills that provide standard easement information, establish a better evidence-based property valuation, and affords an informational meeting between a landowner and a condemning entity to improve the overall eminent domain process. SB 552 would provide property owners additional information relating to their rights in regards to the survey of their property. SB 553 would require a clearly identifiable offer for the purchase of additional property should a condemning entity need land outside the easement. SB 555 ends landowners paying property taxes on a condemnor’s easement if for a nonagricultural use.   HB1157 ensures that the timing of appraisal submissions to a Special Commission are the same for both landowners and condemnors. HB1919 allows property owners to file complaints of misconduct to the state about certain entities regulated by the Railroad Commission. HB3327 requires expanded notice of a proposed oil and gas pipeline project to include the county judge, nearby counties, and the groundwater district and provides for a public meeting. Protect Texans with an improved and fairer process in eminent domain. Lend your support to pass these bills out of committee.  Thank you for your consideration. Name/Address/Phone Contact information for the Land & Resource Management Committee: Tom Craddick at 512.463.0500 or  tom.craddick@house.texas.gov Sergio Munoz at 512.463.0704 or  sergio.munoz@house.texas.gov Cecil Bell at 512.463.0650 or  cecil.bell@house.texas.gov Terry Canales at 512.463.0426 or  terry.canales@house.texas.gov Ben Leman at 512.463.0600 or  ben.leman@house.texas.gov Ina Minjarez at 512.463.0634 or  ina.minjarez@house.texas.gov Jonathan Stickland at 512.463.0522 or  jonathan.stickland@house.texas.gov Shawn Thierry  at 512.463.0518 or  shawn.thierry@house.texas.gov Thanks all, Rita Beving, Texas Landowners for Eminent Domain Reform 214.557.2271

Sorry this is so late, but we need your help to reach legislators NOW to vote NO on House Bill 726 coming for a floor vote tomorrow – April 15th —  in the Texas House. We will soon do all we can to stop this in the Texas Senate! We need you to call your State Representative NOW! Find him or her here . (Or just call the Capitol Switchboard at 512-463-4630 and ask them to hook you up to your State Rep’s office!) This legislation can do permanent and serious harm to the future water supply of all Texans by facilitating the “California Water Model.” That is moving groundwater – the water underlying millions of Texas from our aquifers — to areas without a nearby water supply. Just remember to remind your legislator:   Rural Texans do not want their water stripped from their land. Urban Texans do not want to pay for profiteering and speculation in water to fuel hyper-development – a driving force of urban unaffordability. More on HB 726 here . We need you to call your State Representative NOW! Find him or her here .  You can usually leave message anytime. If that fails, you can send your Rep an email to First Name dot Last Name @ house.texas.gov .  Urge your Rep to simply vote NO on HB 726 NOW! We expect the vote to come up on MONDAY, April 15th sometime after 11AM, but these votes are sometimes delayed, so do your call as soon as you can. Then ask friends, family and neighbors to do the same. Tell your legislators that you want HB 726 AMENDED as proposed by Rep. John Cyrier (pronounced SEER-E-AY). Tell your legislator to stand up for the private property rights that ALL landowners have their groundwater; INCLUDING those who choose to keep our aquifers healthy and sustainable for all future Texans by not selling their groundwater! MORE POINTS TO MAKE, if you want to : “Taking” other people’s groundwater without compensation; especially those who don’t sell their groundwater is wrong. Groundwater mega-projects take water many miles beyond the boundaries of their well fields; taking water from neighboring domestic wells and the water flow in rivers & streams is wrong. Stripping away local control over groundwater permitting, by automatically extending/renewing speculative permits that may leave our aquifers vulnerable to permanent damage is wrong.   Please note – and tell your legislators this! The State Water Plan already lays out less expensive, regional alternatives that are sustainable and protect Texas’ economic growth. Got questions? Call us at 512.213.4511 or email us at info@independentleaguetx.org Thank you, Texans! #Texasgroundwater #HB726 #aquifers #Californiawatermodel #Texaseconomicgrowth

We are writing you first with some good news on eminent domain reform.  As of yesterday, Kolkhorst’s omnibus bill SB421 passed.  No, it doesn’t look like the same bill as it first started, but it will incrementally improve the process. Schwertner’s SB555 on landowners not paying property taxes also passed the Senate.  So now there are 5 bills passed through the Senate which also include SB554, SB553, and SB552 which collectively address the repurchase of property where a project doesn’t progress within 10 years, the purchase of additional needed property other than the easement, and survey permission.  All now move to their respective House committees. But we write you regarding 2 bills on Monday which will be heard in Energy Resources upon House adjournment in E2.010 (I think if you got there by noon you would be good as far as your arrival to register): HB4423 establishes monies or bonds that a pipeline needs to deposit for needed surface remediation for an easement if the proper reclamation doesn’t happen per your easement agreement — and also off the easement if the operator fails or is unable to do so. HB4060 authorizes a fee from pipeline companies to promote pipeline emergency preparedness to be administered by the Texas Railroad Commission.  This includes training, evacuation routes, training, equipment, and more.  This fund is established for pipelines more than 20″ in diameter and within the range of communities, counties, or districts that meet certain criteria. These bills are both offered by Rep. Erin Zwiener of the Kyle area.  Both are attached. These are the members of the Committee you want to write or call.  I encourage you, if you are a landowner and can’t come Monday, that you send these Representatives photos of how your pipeline easements look or any damage outside your easement and tell them why this bill is needed: Energy Resources Chris Paddie (chair – 512.463.0556)or chris.paddie@house.texas.gov Abel Herrero (vice chair – 512.463.0462) or abel.herrero@house.texas.gov Rafael Anchia (512.463.0746) or rafael.anchia@house.texas.gov Ernest Bailes (512.463.0570) or ernest.bailes@house.texas.gov Tom Craddick (512.463.0500) or tom.craddick@house.texas.gov Drew Darby, (512.463.0331) or drew.darby@house.texas.gov Charlie Geren (512.463.0610) or charlie.geren@house.texas.gov Roland Gutierrez, (512.463.0452) or roland.gutierrez@house.texas.gov Cody Harris (512.463.0730) or cody.harris@house.texas.gov Mary Ann Perez (512.46.0460) or mary.perez@house.texas.gov Jon Rosenthal (512.463.0722) or jon.rosenthal@house.texas.gov Regards, Rita Beving Texas Landowners for Eminent Domain Reform 214.557.2271 PS Be sure to read our most recent newsletter — this message from TLEDR came in a tad too late for it.

Folks, there’s a whole lotta political shaking going on in Texas. Stan Mitchell and Ellen Berky pitch the end of Pay to Play and a Vista Ridge investigation to SAWS Board of Trustees. The earthquake we’re detecting is related to the convergence of both party establishments. That’s right. On some things – like the brokering of arguably the most valuable resources on the planet  – groundwater and land resources – they agree. Do nothing because Oil and Gas and Real Estate are the King and Queen lobbies. No one will tell you – but us, the independents – these “emperors” have no clothes! In this Newsletter: ►Groundwater game in the Lege is on! ►Alamo City here comes LIV! ►City of Austin’s sucker stadium gets spot kick – SB 1771 ►Houston Moving to End Pay to Play! ►What the heck is LIV anyway? Groundwater Game in Lege is on! Why are we so focused on groundwater? Did you miss that it’s the “new oil”? The world is struggling with finding enough of it, while Texas is getting ready to sacrifice it at the alter of “all growth is good.” Yesterday, HB 1066 passed the Texas House nearly unanimously. The primary author is east Texan, Rep. Trent Ashby (R-Lufkin — see picture). The joint author is Rep. Lyle Larson (R-San Antonio). Ashby had earlier refused to amend his offensive Vista Ridge handoff bill to SAWS in Committee as he was requested to do. We wrote about it here . We asked legislators at ground zero over the Simsboro formation of the Carrizo-Wilcox Aquifer in counties east of Austin, to vote no on the bill when it came to the floor. Rep. John Cyrier, who represents two of the four most affected counties (Bastrop and Lee counties), greatly impacted by SAWS and other’s extreme mega-permit “water grabs,” surprised us by voting yes on HB 1066. Rep. Ben Leman, a freshman legislator who represents Burleson County (home of the terribly mistaken Vista Ridge water pipeline) also voted yes on HB 1066. Re p. Terry Wilson, who represents gravely impacted Milam County, was the brave lone vote against HB 1066. We are evaluating what to do now but wish to first thank Rep. Wilson! We would also remind you that this is what happened on another debacle, the  Trans-Texas Corridor. Only two legislators voted against it – then Reps. Lon Burnam (D-Ft. Worth) and Terry Keel (R-Austin.) It took 5 years of hard labor by ordinary citizens to pull the monstrosity down. But it happened with a statewide cross-partisan coalition and the independent breakout gubernatorial candidacies of then Republican Comptroller Carole Strayhorn and Kinky Friedman. The earth moves in not so mysterious ways. Check out our new San Antonio page! Alamo City, here we come! Please wa tch the video and if you live in San Antonio, sign the petition. Share this page widely please. Did we thank you all for coming or watching the stream of our “Cross Community Alliances” event last Saturday. Well, thank y’all! On Tuesday, LIV’s San Antonio Board Member, Ellen Berky and local fiscal accountability watchdog, Stan Mitchell (SAMBA Coalition), spoke to the San Antonio Water System Board of Trustees. Watch Berky call for “ An Independent, Managerial, Legal and Financial Review ” of the $3.4 — $4.5 billion boondoggle, aka Vista Ridge water pipeline to Burleson County. Mitchell’s call for an end to “Pay to Play” with a rather damning spreadsheet of whose paying what to play, will knock your socks loose.  ( Check out Mitchell’s credentials on page 2 and look at the spreadsheet on pages 3 and 4 . ) Next week this page will introduce you to the candidates and Council Members who are supporting the Vista Ridge Resolution. Watch for it! City of Austin’s Sucker Stadium Gets Spot Kick With Senate Bill 1771 Here’s a no-brainer bill by Sen. Paul Bettencourt (R-Houston), SB 1771 . The backdrop of this bill is the City of Austin’s giveaway of future property taxes for all other authorities, not just the City’s, to the Precourt “Sucker Stadium” deal. This Austin Monitor piece tells you what you need to know . What can you do? Call your state rep and senator and ask them to pass SB 1771 and give these stinky stadium deals a swift kick. Find your legislators here . Houston Moving to End Pay-to-Play! In Houston, this new End Pay to Play PAC has emerged to take on the apparent trough feeding in the City of Houston.  We’re not yet endorsing this, but we’re watching and so should you. You should also be watching Bill King, who is running for Mayor against incumbent, Sylvester Turner. Though LIV does not endorse candidates, we pay WAY attention when an independent is running a major campaign in a major race and he’s blowing the whistle on pay-to-play. What the heck is LIV anyway? In our opinion, the two-in-one-party system needs continued shock treatment. This cannot be done by a partisan outfit or a namby-pamby group that won’t tell you the truth. Telling you the truth is the purpose of a third force (not to be confused with a third party) that can unite Texans across all parties. A “cross-partisan movement” that will go to bat for all the voters is what it takes to shake those in government out of the bed they’re sharing with those in the private sector continually looting the public purse. The pundits say that we – independents – don’t exist. Funny thing is, the Gallup Poll has been study independents since 2004 . We are the plurality of voters that – for good or not – are the foundational change voters. The pundits also say we independents just cannot make up our minds. The truth is that all voters are left starving for some new menu items to digest that can’t get to the table right now without an independent movement to shake up and bake up a new small “d” democracy. The League of Independent Voters of Texas is a non-partisan, non-profit organization focused on issues. We might be small for now. But, like David, we’re striving to be brave enough to stand up and hit Goliath in the right spot. Join us with your knees knockin’! Become a dues paying member of LIV , learn more about us , check our our leaders , and get involved. We’ve got a place at LIV ready made for you! #BillKing #KinkyFriedman #HB1066 #TerryWilson #CaroleStrayhorn #SAWS #TrentAshby #PaulBettencourt #SuckerStadium #LyleLarson #BenLeman #JohnCyrier

click on this to watch the Vista Ridge slide show It’s time to call your rep now, y’all! This is no April Fool’s prank. Though perhaps we are fools for trying to stop this completely unnecessary manmade disaster on groundwater depletion. We’re also beginning to wonder if the Republican Party of Texas is preparing to throw those who elected them — rural Texans — under the bus. We need your calls today and tomorrow to get State Representatives of all political persuasions, rural and urban, to vote NO on HB 1066. Also, for you San Antonians, we’ll be at the SAWS meeting tomorrow at 9 am.  Their meetings are also streamed on their site . HB 1066 is supposed to come to the floor of the Texas House tomorrow, Tuesday, April 2. (Note: Bills scheduled for the floor sometimes take a few days, so calls tomorrow may be timely as well.) HB 1066 is a handoff to the woefully mistaken $3.4B, 143-mile Vista Ridge San Antone Hose. Not even the Post Oak Savannah Groundwater Conservation District, which issued the permit for Vista Ridge, supports it! HB 1066 is the work of the SAWS Buzz Saw lobby machine. We recently wrote to you here about HB 1066. The author, Rep. Trent Ashby (R-Lufkin), who has previously been judicious in the past on groundwater grabs, has refused to amend this legislation. Do you live in the “forced donor” Simsboro communities? Call your Rep!!! Rep. John Cyrier for Bastrop & Lee counties at 512) 463-0682Rep. Terry Wilson for Milam County at (512) 463-0309Rep. Ben Leman for Burleson County at (512) 463-0600 Otherwise, you big city pals in San Antonio & Austin go to this link to find your Rep . What’s wrong with Vista Ridge? Click on Jack Nicholson in “The Shining” to watch our new Vista Ridge slide show presented in San Antonio last Saturday at the “Cross Community Alliances” event. Thanks so much to candidates and community for showing up or watching the stream. San Antonians, join us tomorrow at SAWS . Come a little before the meeting starts at 9:00 am and look for Ellen Berky pictured here. Our next SA event in is on April 22 . Bring yourself and petitions — print them out from our brand new San Antonio page under construction here . In the “forced donor” communities in counties east of Austin, we’ll be lending SAWDF a hand at the Smithville Garage Sale this coming Saturday, April 6th. SAWDF can use more items and volunteers! Reply if you can help out or call Linda at LIV. Independently yours, Texas! #HB1066 #TerryWilson #SAWS #TrentAshby #Austin #VistaRidge #SanAntonio #BenLeman #Smithville #JohnCyrier

Watch your water! After you watch our “David (us) v. Goliath (Vista Ridge)” 1-minute video, share it and read the rest of this message. WATCH YOUR WATER! ►Tomorrow, Monday, March 25, at 3:30 pm., join us at the Capitol for the SB606 Water and Rural Affairs Committee hearing or watch the stream from here . This Saturday, join us in San Antonio or watch the stream from our Facebook page – while you’re at it, like us ! And, please make some phone calls to your legislators. Action Items at the end of this message. SB 606 , authored by Sen. Kirk Watson (D-Austin) will be heard before the Senate Water and Rural Affairs Committee. SB 606 is a slap on the wrist to LCRA (Lower Colorado River Authority.), only adding some transparency, training and public engagement reform to an agency that just joined the privateering groundwater conveyance business – in denial of their own mission to protect the Colorado River. We oppose SB606 unless it contains an amendment to keep the LCRA out of the dirty business of groundwater conveyance for real estate development in dry areas aka “The California Water Model.”   The substance of that amendment would be the third page of James Murphy’s testimony to the Sunset Commission on December 17. ( See here ) (Note: Murphy, thankfully, just joined LIV’s Advisory Committee — see here .) Sen. Watson, who also sits on the powerful Sunset Commission, also represents all of Bastrop County. However, he sat silent in front of constituents who asked him for action last December to stop the LCRA water grab in Bastrop. To be fair, a number of Republican officials who represent the besieged Simsboro communities (the targeted Simsboro is part of the Carrizo-Wilcox aquifer) — Bastrop, Lee, Milam and Burleson counties: Rep. John Cyrier (R-Lockhart), Rep. Terry Wilson (R-Georgetown), Sen. Charles Schwertner (R-Bryan) and Sen. Lois Kolkhorst (R-Brenham) have yet to step up us for this session. City of San Antonio officials are talking about climate change while allowing the $3.4B Vista Ridge 142-mile water conveyance pipeline to proceed. Meanwhile, SAWS lobbyists continue to make Vista Ridge a “game changer.” California here we come, as California struggles mightily to recover after decades of over-pumping. Don’t let our land, our water and our democracy get caught in the legislative sausage grinder. This is why LIV is calling for an investigation of Vista Ridge. See the Vista Ridge Resolution HERE just delivered to the San Antonio City Council. Please help us get folks out next Saturday in San Antonio. Watch the stream on our Facebook page if you can’t make it. Here’s what you can do to hit Goliath in the right spot! Find your State Representative and State Senator here . CALL to ask them to put a stop to the siege on groundwater and to step up for rural Texas where land and water belong together. Ask them to work with LIV and we’ll come right on over! Share from here our “Cross Community Alliances” San Antonio event this Saturday, March 30, 10 to noon at Tripoint Event Center . Or use our Facebook Event page here — like our page, first, please. Can’t get there? Our region belongs together! Help the non-profit 501c4 LIV pay our bills by becoming a dues paying member. Share all of this, won’t you? Thank you, independent Texas! #TerryWilson #watergrab #SimsboroAquifer #LoisKolkhorst #KirkWatson #SAWS #DavidandGoliath #VistaRidge #CharlesSchwertner #BenLeman #LCRA #JohnCyrier

SAWS got a well deserved spanking yesterday at the Natural Resources Committee hearing, using public dollars for water and wallet grabs. SAWS got a spanking yesterday at the Natural Resources Committee hearing using public dollars lobbying for water and wallet grabs URGENT calls needed through Friday! Both public (@SAWS) and private partners of the Vista Ridge/San Antone Hose got a wake up call yesterday at the Natural Resources Committee hearing on House Bill 1066. Judith McGeary, Milam County landowner and Executive Director of the Farm and Ranch Freedom Alliance (FARFA), came to ask for these modest amendments in the bill to prevent the rules from being changed midstream, and to guarantee what Gov. Abbott’s veto in 2017 of the very same bill asked for — a public process. And despite claims that the bill is for the benefit of groundwater districts, the Post Oak Savannah Groundwater Conservation District, which permitted Vista Ridge years ago, sent this letter opposing it! HB 1066 provides that export permits must be extended without a public hearing in order to match up to the permittee’s operating permit.  For Vista Ridge, that would mean a 10-year extension – which Vista Ridge has been asking happen immediately .  Texas Legislature Online’s description of 1066 is: “Relating to extensions of an expired permit for the transfer of groundwater from a groundwater conservation district.”  Follow this link for more: TLO on HB 1066 LIV volunteer representative, James Murphy, Esq., a self-described 30-year Texas water bureaucrat, lambasted the “consultants” (lobbyists) at SAWS pushing for a handout to the private partners of Vista Ridge through HB 1066. Murphy’s 3-minute testimony is well worth reading here . Here’s but one choice Murphy quote: The harsh reality is that planning for environmentally sustainable sources of regional water supply has taken a back seat to the need of private investors for a source of long-term tax and ratepayer backed revenue to add to their portfolios. The Conservation Amendment (to the Texas Constitution) is ignored and buried while Austin based consultants, many of whom I’ve known personally for decades, have hijacked the State Water Plan and replaced with a plan predicated on diverting fresh groundwater from rural and agricultural uses employing as many separate well fields and pipelines as local municipalities can be persuaded to pay for. HERE’S WHAT YOU CAN DO TODAY — by THIS Friday, March 8!!! Don’t get screwed! Make your calls, y’all! Find your reps here . Call your state rep and state senator no later than 5 pm Friday! Ask them to file these two groundwater reform bills; The Sustainable Groundwater Development Act and The LCRA Reform bill. Visit our new Water Bills 2019 page here . Ask your legislators to reach Natural Resource Committee Chairman, Rep. Lyle Larson, to urge amendments to HB 1066 already suggested at the hearing by McGeary and Murphy. Watch the video of 35-minutes of testimony here starting at 1:24:27 . LIV San Antonio Board Member, Ellen Berky, helped continue the spanking for SAWS ratepayers. Stan Mitchell of San Antonio Making Bureaucracies Accountable (SAMBA) was allowed to submit this testimony and back up information into the record, though not allowed to speak. BTW, first termer, Rep. Ramos (D-Dallas) asked great questions. Thanks to you all who came, watched and are catching up today on the Our Land, Our Water, Our Democracy Lobby Day yesterday! Make those calls, y’all. Gridzilla is no conspiracy, she’s just a cartoon to make our point about water grabbing lobbyists, public and private. #GovGregAbbott #SanAntonioWaterSystem #watergrabs #SAWS #Californiawatermodel

Thank you, Mark Cuban, shark for democracy, who retweeted Texans for Voter Choice’s tweet about Our Land, Our Water , Our Democracy Lobby Day tomorrow (Tuesday, March 5th) to 7.7 million Americans! Cuban, a business shark for democracy, provided a stark contrast to industry testimony at the eminent domain hearing today. Start watching at about 2 hours and 24 minutes and you’ll see. We hope to SEE you tomorrow (Tues., Mar. 5), but if you cannot make it, it’s being streamed from 9:30 to 11:30 am from our Facebook page here . We’ll be visiting legislators OR calling their offices to ask them to support all that we lay out in this nifty little flier. Meanwhile, we will be saving the videos of presentations at the Lobby Day for you to watch later so you can take action anytime this week. Please do! See ya! #MarkCuban

As luck would have it, our friend, Judith McGeary of Farm and Ranch Freedom Alliance, just gave us all one more reason to be in Austin this Tuesday at the LIV 2019 Lobby Day this Tuesday, March 5th ! HB 1066 and HB 726 help usher the California Water Model (Gridzilla) — mass movement of groundwater for real estate development — and they’re up for an early hearing this Tuesday. Hearing notice here . On Tuesday, the House Natural Resources Committee will hold a hearing on a bill, HB 1066, that would allow Vista Ridge (for our readers, aka the “San Antone Hose” — see 17″ video here ) to apply for a 10-year extension to its transport permit immediately – before any pumping even begins – and to get the extension without any public hearing. The same provision is included in a larger groundwater regulation bill, HB 726, that is being heard the same day, Don’t let our land, our water and our democracy get caught in the legislative sausage grinder. PLEASE TAKE ACTION: Call your State Representative and Senator. Find them here . Ask them to protect Texas groundwater — no California Water Model — and to oppose HB 1600 and SB 800 (the companion bill in the Senate). and HB 726. Then, tell them you’re asking them to do something positive for groundwater, the aquifers and landowners — ask them all to sponsor the Sustainable Groundwater Development Act and legislati Don’t let Gridzilla bring the California Water Model to Texas. on to keep LCRA out of groundwater. When you call in, ask to speak with a staffer that deals with water issues. If you get their attention, LIV will send a representative to meet with legislator’s staffers on any of the above. Report back to us — come to our Lobby Day! Special note for the Simsboro counties! For Milam County, that’s Rep. Terry Wilson (512-463-0309) and Senator Charles Schwertner (512-463-0105). For Burleson County, that’s Rep. Ben Leman (512-463- 0600) and Sen. Lois Kolkhorst (512-463-0118). For Bastrop County, that’s Rep. John Cyrier (512-463–0682) and Sen. Kirk Watson (512-463-0114. For Lee County, that’s Rep. Cyrier and Sen. Kolkhorst. The call can be very short, just a couple of minutes. Introduce yourself, mention that you are a constituent, let them know the House bills are up for a hearing on Tuesday, and ask them to oppose the bill. It can be that simple. If you want to add your reasons, focus on: It doesn’t make sense to extend permits before pumping has even begun, since we don’t really know the impacts on the desired future conditions. The bills block public participation – which is why the Governor vetoed this approach last session. MORE DETAILED INSTRUCTIONS: Come to the Capitol on Tuesday morning and register in opposition to the bill.  This is much easier than it sounds and really has an impact!  The hearing starts at 10:30 am “or upon adjournment”.  In practical terms, that means you could come register to testify anytime between 9:30 am and noon (and possibly later, but that gets iffy). You just come to the Capitol, park, and enter the building.  If you have an Ipad, you can register on that once you are connected to the Capitol’s public wireless network. Otherwise, take the elevators down to floor E1.  Go down the main hall, and then turn down one of the side halls on your left. Where there used to be pay phones, you’ll see little kiosks.  Just follow the instructions to register.  Make sure the kiosk says it’s for House Witness Registration (not the Senate, which is in the hallways on the other side). Committee: Natural Resources Bill: HB 1066 by Ashby  (go back through the process to also register against HB 726 by Larson) Position: AGAINST.   You can see more instructions and a video on how to register at https://mytxlegis.capitol.texas.gov//hwrspublic/about.aspx You can choose whether or not you want to testify. If you want to stay and speak, great – plan what you want to say in 2-3 minutes.  If not, you can simply register your opposition. Your name and opposition will be listed in the official record, and we promise you, legislators truly do look at that list when they are considering how to vote on a bill. Then, come on over to our Lobby Day at the Reagan Building — go outside and look just to the north of the Capitol. We’re in Room 140. Got questions? Give us a call or reply to this message. #Gridzilla #groundwater #JudithMcGeary #Simsboro