Here is what's happening at SAWDF

~~ Events, Activities and Calls to Action ~~

Contested Case Hearing in Austin, October 21-22, 8:30 a.m.. ~~~ see Home page and below for more information ~~

Here are excerpts from our email ---we hope to have a NEWS blog up later this evening ~~

 

Friends and Supporters,

 

Just so you know, SAWDF will post a blog later tonight on our "NEWS" page at www.simsborowaterdefensefund.org about Andy Wier's brilliant testimony on Friday for the landowner parties represented by Don Grissom and Charles Carver, aka the "Brown Landowners" (that's us!).

 

Andy brought down the house, literally! At the end of his testimony, right in the middle of the hearing, the ALJ asked an unprecedented question at that juncture of a contested case hearing --- with a clear message intended for LCRA, we believe, she asked "Have you all thought about asking for mediation at SOAH?" Usually, the opportunity for mediation might be mentioned at the beginning or end of a hearing.

 

We took that to mean that LCRA needs to rethink how the judges are hearing the parties' evidence that the "Emperor Has No Clothes" when it comes to LCRA's case for 25,000 acre-feet/year of water.

 

Andy was followed by Keith Copeland, one of our two expert witnesses (George Rice will testify tomorrow).

 

Keith did a great job of matter of factly -- and effectively ---resisting attempts by LCRA to show that his views were too simplistic and not expert enough --- Keith was actually making it very clear to the ALJs that LCRA hasn't done the work to support this permit, thus reinforcing Andy's testimony.

 

I will leave the rest for the blog ---

 

The hearing is MOVING TO AUSTIN on MONDAY AND TUESDAY, commencing at 8:30 a.m. BOTH days

 

 SOAH Headquarters

Hearing Room: 406

William P. Clements building

300 W. 15th Street, Austin, TX 78701

 

A recently retired state employee elaborated to us that the area is difficult because of construction affecting traffic and parking. We don't expect you to make the trip but if you want to ---here's some further thoughts on parking:

 

• Public garage at 16^th and Guadalupe is closest, but may be limited. (Entrance may be around the corner on San Antonio.)
•  If you want to walk a good ways, the state public parking garage at 12^th and San Jacinto is usually free.
•  Closer, but still a good walk, is public garage (UT) at 15 and Trinity. 
• The AT&T conference center at  19^th and University has pricey parking.
• Bullock State History museum might be a good possibility, too.* 

 

*We did some research on the Bob Bullock Museum parking because it is $10 per day, with no extra after-hours parking fees.

 

Go here for a pdf and helpful map for the area:

https://www.thestoryoftexas.com/upload/images/Bullock-Museum-Parking.pdf

 

Also note that the Capitol Complex parking is a possibility too. Garage A and F between San Jacinto and Trinity (on that map, WPC is the acronym for SOAH building.)

https://tspb.texas.gov/plan/maps/doc/capitol_complex_parking_map.pdf