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Take Action Suggestions! -- call your legislators

It's hard for rural residents to get to the Legislature, but lighting up their phones and telling legislators what we want is a great tool ~~ here are our suggestions for how to get it done.

This is a handout you can give your neighbors and friends too!

We urge your immediate engagement of state legislators – your State Representative and State Senator.

We must act now to protect the most valuable asset and resource in Bastrop, Lee, Milam and Burleson counties – the groundwater below us.

Make some calls, come to our events here and bring others and donate to the non-profit SAWDF here. Thank you!

Suggestions for your phone calls needed right away!

“I am calling to ask _________ (the name of your State Rep or State Senator) to reject over-reliance on groundwater in central Texas and at the Legislature. I expect my legislator to know that groundwater is a precious resource, and no aquifer has a 'limitless' supply of water.

I strongly support the efforts of the Simsboro Aquifer Water Defense Fund to oppose legislation that promotes using someone’s else groundwater to make money from growth and development, rather than satisfy a real demand for water.

I want to know what ____________ (insert the name of your Representative or Senator) is doing to help SAWDF get these bills amended to better protect our rural communities and our property rights. Thank you.”

If the person who answers your call wants details on the legislation, offer to have SAWDF send their amendments and a knowledgeable representative to visit their office. Here are the bills we currently want amended:

Rep. Lyle Larson’s HB 726

Sen. Kirk Watson’s SB 606

Rep. Trent Ashby’s HB 1066

Note: Get the name of the person you spoke to, and please report your findings to us.

Below are some officials who may represent you. Visit this link for more: http://fyi.capitol.texas.gov/

Bastrop County: Rep. John Cyrier (512) 463-0682, Sen. Kirk Watson (512) 463-0114

Lee County: Rep. Cyrier (512) 463-0682, Sen. Lois Kolkhorst (512) 463-0118

Burleson County: Rep. Ben Leman (512) 463-0600, Sen. Kolkhorst (512) 463-0118

Milam County: Rep. Terry Wilson (512) 463-0309, Sen. Charles Schwertner (512) 463-0105

Here is some additional information:

Bastrop, Lee, Milam and Burleson counties sit over the most sought after groundwater in Texas, the Simsboro formation of the Carrizo-Wilcox Aquifer east of the “growth corridor” (IH-35). Private water marketers have demanded (and received) “mega-permits” for water, far beyond the ability of the aquifer to recharge.

We are seeking a real solution, to protect rural property owners who do NOT want to sell their groundwater and to protect us all from depletion of our aquifers. We must – and we are – forming our own alliances among rural landowners and residents; conservationists, wildlife advocates and environmentalists.

SAWDF opposes the mass movement of groundwater for real estate development in areas which fail to use their own sources of water supply first. Water marketers work to convince distant municipalities that the Simsboro is a virtually limitless supply and that their needs take priority over rural communities –“out of sight, out of mind”. The Vista Ridge project in Burleson County and the proposed LCRA project in Bastrop County are prime examples of unnecessary, ill-planned projects.

SAWDF opposes legislation that, unless amended, will continue to prioritize groundwater at the risk of the self-inflicted, catastrophic consequences California is experiencing from over-pumping its aquifers --lowered groundwater levels, degradation of water quality, land subsidence, and depletion of interconnected surface water.

Simsboro Aquifer Water Defense Fund

1290 CR B * Lexington, TX 78947

512-461-3179 * www.StopWaterGrabs.org * email: info@SimsboroWaterDefenseFund.org

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