WEBVTT 00:00:11.769 --> 00:00:14.946 Good morning. This meeting of the Texas 00:00:14.958 --> 00:00:17.812 Water Development Board is hereby called to order. 00:00:17.812 --> 00:00:20.934 The time is now 10:35 AM. For the record, my 00:00:20.946 --> 00:00:24.080 name is Peter Lake, and with me today at the 00:00:24.080 --> 00:00:28.702 dais are Kathleen Jackson and Brooke Paup. Todd, first item, please. 00:00:28.727 --> 00:00:30.309 Public hearing to receive 00:00:30.309 --> 00:00:33.503 comments from interested persons on the proposed 00:00:33.515 --> 00:00:36.590 repeal and proposed new Subchapter D, starting 00:00:36.590 --> 00:00:40.301 at 31 TAC Section 363.401, relating to the 00:00:40.313 --> 00:00:44.210 establishment of flood financial assistance, 00:00:44.210 --> 00:00:48.160 the proposed Flood Intended Use Plan, the 00:00:48.172 --> 00:00:52.040 proposed new 31 TAC Chapters 361 and 362 00:00:52.040 --> 00:00:54.919 related to regional and state flood planning, and 00:00:54.931 --> 00:00:57.590 the proposed flood planning region boundaries 00:00:57.590 --> 00:01:00.672 to implement new regional flood planning. We 00:01:00.684 --> 00:01:03.641 will be calling individuals who would like 00:01:03.641 --> 00:01:06.028 to comment on these proposals to the podium 00:01:06.040 --> 00:01:08.549 shortly. We will take up all of your comments 00:01:08.549 --> 00:01:11.077 on all of the topics at one time, and then 00:01:11.089 --> 00:01:13.570 I will call the next speaker. Staff would 00:01:13.570 --> 00:01:16.767 appreciate it if you would make clear as to 00:01:16.779 --> 00:01:20.280 when you're shifting from one topic to another. 00:01:20.280 --> 00:01:23.028 Please confine your presentations to four 00:01:23.040 --> 00:01:25.799 minutes so that we can hear from everyone 00:01:25.799 --> 00:01:28.580 that wishes to speak. If you would like to 00:01:28.592 --> 00:01:31.450 make comments and haven't already submitted 00:01:31.450 --> 00:01:34.840 a sign in card, we have prepared sign-in cards 00:01:34.852 --> 00:01:38.109 that are ready to be filled out by those who 00:01:38.109 --> 00:01:41.353 wish to speak. Please go out to the front 00:01:41.365 --> 00:01:44.079 and sign in, please, and just hand 00:01:44.079 --> 00:01:47.699 your card to the staff at the table. Please be 00:01:47.711 --> 00:01:51.420 advised that we will not be answering questions 00:01:51.420 --> 00:01:54.098 during the comment period. Staff will remain 00:01:54.110 --> 00:01:56.740 here in this room after the public hearing, 00:01:56.740 --> 00:01:59.148 and we will attempt answer any questions you 00:01:59.160 --> 00:02:01.579 have at that time. The public hearing is now 00:02:01.579 --> 00:02:08.476 open. Kathleen Ligon is here from staff to present. 00:02:08.501 --> 00:02:13.251 Good Morning, Chairman Lake, Director 00:02:13.250 --> 00:02:15.679 Jackson, Director Paup. For the record, I'm Kathleen 00:02:15.691 --> 00:02:17.810 Ligon of the Executive Administrator's staff. 00:02:17.810 --> 00:02:19.873 The purpose of this public hearing is to invite 00:02:19.885 --> 00:02:21.700 oral comments on rules and other items to 00:02:21.700 --> 00:02:24.163 implement new state flood financial assistance 00:02:24.175 --> 00:02:26.650 and flood planning programs at the Texas Water 00:02:26.650 --> 00:02:28.923 Developed Board as directed by the 86th Texas 00:02:28.935 --> 00:02:31.220 Legislature. This includes rules to implement 00:02:31.220 --> 00:02:34.043 Senate Bill 7 and 8, including flood financial 00:02:34.055 --> 00:02:36.950 assistance rules and flood financial assistance 00:02:36.950 --> 00:02:39.491 intended use plan as proposed, regional and state 00:02:39.503 --> 00:02:41.750 planning rules, and proposed flood planning 00:02:41.750 --> 00:02:44.036 regions. These items were developed after an 00:02:44.048 --> 00:02:46.500 extensive effort by TWDB to seek pre-rulemaking 00:02:46.500 --> 00:02:51.780 feedback from stakeholders this past summer. Written comments on the proposed 00:02:51.780 --> 00:02:54.146 regional and state planning rules and flood 00:02:54.158 --> 00:02:56.590 planning regions will be accepted until 5 PM 00:02:56.590 --> 00:02:58.880 on February 3rd. We will be reviewing all written and 00:02:58.892 --> 00:03:00.980 oral comments received and we will be finalizing 00:03:00.980 --> 00:03:03.707 all items by early spring this year. We're also 00:03:03.719 --> 00:03:06.230 planning on hosting several flood financial 00:03:06.230 --> 00:03:10.910 assistance workshops in the next couple of months, and we would appreciate input 00:03:10.910 --> 00:03:13.245 on a survey that we've left out for everyone. 00:03:13.257 --> 00:03:15.400 And we'll also be emailing that out soon. 00:03:15.400 --> 00:03:18.289 So if anyone has not signed up for updates 00:03:18.301 --> 00:03:20.730 on our website, they can go to TWDB 00:03:20.730 --> 00:03:22.460 website and sign up for updates. And they can 00:03:22.472 --> 00:03:24.290 get that survey when it's rolled out. By email. 00:03:24.290 --> 00:03:26.708 Thank you. 00:03:26.733 --> 00:03:30.335 Thank you, Kathleen. Questions 00:03:30.347 --> 00:03:33.961 or comments before we begin the public comment? 00:03:33.960 --> 00:03:38.677 We do have a couple of distinguished 00:03:38.689 --> 00:03:42.630 guests that I would like to recognize first. 00:03:42.630 --> 00:03:45.293 Fisher Reynolds, from the Governor's office, is 00:03:45.305 --> 00:03:47.980 here. AndBrayden Kennedy from Senator Creighton 00:03:47.980 --> 00:03:54.588 office is here. With that, we will take our first commenter, Chairman Phelan. 00:03:54.613 --> 00:03:56.791 I feel comfortable 00:03:56.790 --> 00:04:00.933 we can wave that four minute rule on the first speaker. 00:04:00.958 --> 00:04:01.868 What's that? 00:04:01.893 --> 00:04:02.930 I feel comfortable 00:04:02.930 --> 00:04:07.759 we can waive that four minute speaking time for the first speaker. 00:04:07.784 --> 00:04:09.230 I have a, I have to 00:04:09.242 --> 00:04:10.930 chair committee, I don't know, in about 20 00:04:10.930 --> 00:04:14.272 minutes, so I'll be brief as possible. First 00:04:14.284 --> 00:04:17.190 of all, thank you so much for all your 00:04:17.190 --> 00:04:19.516 work here. One of the best things about being a 00:04:19.528 --> 00:04:21.720 legislator, you create work for other people 00:04:21.720 --> 00:04:25.041 and then you kinda walk away. But I do feel 00:04:25.053 --> 00:04:28.689 like that when we, from our very first meeting, 00:04:28.689 --> 00:04:31.105 when, you know, we started discussing this, 00:04:31.117 --> 00:04:33.710 this has been a great relationship between the 00:04:33.710 --> 00:04:35.223 Legislature and the Board and your staff. 00:04:35.235 --> 00:04:36.759 Your staff's been amazing throughout this 00:04:36.759 --> 00:04:40.299 entire process, and I hope both Senate Bill 7 00:04:40.311 --> 00:04:43.940 and Senate Bill 8, I think they are monumental 00:04:43.940 --> 00:04:45.662 legislation. It's only taking a couple 100 00:04:45.674 --> 00:04:47.529 years for the state of Texas to get involved, 00:04:47.529 --> 00:04:50.093 this deep, with with flood mitigation, and 00:04:50.105 --> 00:04:52.681 I think that's really got the attention of 00:04:52.681 --> 00:04:55.378 the entire country. I really do think so. I 00:04:55.390 --> 00:04:58.099 think your work shows that I'm a very proud 00:04:58.099 --> 00:05:00.523 dad today. I like to think. You know, when you 00:05:00.535 --> 00:05:02.919 run for Legislature, you know, you talk about 00:05:02.919 --> 00:05:05.085 I'm gonna lower taxes, and I'm, you know, gonna 00:05:05.097 --> 00:05:07.139 do this and I'm gonna do that. And you never 00:05:07.139 --> 00:05:09.611 think, I'm getting a flood mitigation. It's not 00:05:09.623 --> 00:05:12.210 really that, is not really what, you know, you're 00:05:12.210 --> 00:05:15.403 knocking on doors for about, but it's such a 00:05:15.415 --> 00:05:18.620 huge issue back in my district. I mean, I've 00:05:18.620 --> 00:05:21.494 now have two of the top five most intense rain 00:05:21.506 --> 00:05:24.270 activities in the history of this country in 00:05:24.270 --> 00:05:26.848 House District 21. And we're still dealing with 00:05:26.860 --> 00:05:29.449 the effects of that. Kathleen, you know, you're 00:05:29.449 --> 00:05:32.453 from the area, you get it. But this flood, 00:05:32.465 --> 00:05:35.410 this flood issue and the flood mitigation 00:05:35.410 --> 00:05:38.348 and the state flood plan. It's a statewide 00:05:38.360 --> 00:05:41.379 issue. And I enjoyed going around the state 00:05:41.379 --> 00:05:43.506 working on Prop 8. My wife told me That's 00:05:43.518 --> 00:05:45.759 the first and last constitutional amendment 00:05:45.759 --> 00:05:49.154 you will ever work on.Aand it took a lot 00:05:49.166 --> 00:05:52.740 of time and effort, but it was bipartisan. 00:05:52.740 --> 00:05:55.276 It was East Texas. It was South Texas. It was 00:05:55.288 --> 00:05:57.559 West Texas. It was the major urban areas 00:05:57.559 --> 00:06:00.028 of the state. Everyone had buy in on on the 00:06:00.040 --> 00:06:02.690 issue and very proud that, you know, it passed 00:06:02.690 --> 00:06:05.259 with nearly 80% even though they had opposition. 00:06:05.271 --> 00:06:07.220 I will say that Orange County that I 00:06:07.220 --> 00:06:09.093 represent had the highest turn, the highest 00:06:09.105 --> 00:06:11.289 approval rate in the state of Texas, only followed 00:06:11.289 --> 00:06:14.773 by Jefferson County. I'm just curious about 00:06:14.785 --> 00:06:18.599 those 9% in Orange County, and 9.2% who like to 00:06:18.599 --> 00:06:21.742 be flooded out? I wanna meet those folks and 00:06:21.754 --> 00:06:24.909 say, you enjoy that, you enjoy this process? 00:06:24.909 --> 00:06:27.313 But this is, it's a work in progress. You 00:06:27.325 --> 00:06:29.740 have done a great job the rules this far, 00:06:29.740 --> 00:06:32.615 and I appreciate your willingness to listen 00:06:32.627 --> 00:06:35.580 to the public and the stakeholders. And like 00:06:35.580 --> 00:06:37.705 I tell individuals, this isn't the end, this 00:06:37.717 --> 00:06:39.949 is just the beginning. We've got a long way to 00:06:39.949 --> 00:06:42.539 go, with flood mitigation and flood planning, 00:06:42.551 --> 00:06:45.380 and, you know, the state flood plan, it only took 00:06:45.380 --> 00:06:48.337 us 50, 60 years before we actually funded 00:06:48.349 --> 00:06:51.389 it. And it only took us about 200 years to 00:06:51.389 --> 00:06:53.689 really get this involved in flood mitigation. 00:06:53.701 --> 00:06:55.360 And it's all because of the work 00:06:55.360 --> 00:06:57.859 that the Board is done, your staff has done 00:06:57.871 --> 00:07:00.439 and I want to keep working with you all, and 00:07:00.439 --> 00:07:03.177 I appreciate the dialogue. With that, I will go 00:07:03.189 --> 00:07:05.939 back to the Capitol and talk about electricity. 00:07:05.939 --> 00:07:08.022 So thank you all so much for having me. Appreciate you. 00:07:08.047 --> 00:07:08.716 Thank you. 00:07:08.741 --> 00:07:09.807 Thank you. 00:07:09.832 --> 00:07:12.500 Next up, we have 00:07:12.500 --> 00:07:22.550 Commissioner David Fuentes from Hidalgo County Commissioner Precinct Number 1. 00:07:22.575 --> 00:07:25.900 Good morning, 00:07:25.900 --> 00:07:27.978 Chairman Lake and Members Jackson and Paup. 00:07:27.990 --> 00:07:30.080 Thank you for having us here. And thank you 00:07:30.080 --> 00:07:32.416 for hosting this. We were very, very thankful 00:07:32.428 --> 00:07:34.879 to Representative Phelan as well for sponsoring 00:07:34.879 --> 00:07:37.382 this bill initially and getting us involved 00:07:37.394 --> 00:07:39.509 because this type of bill is exactly 00:07:39.509 --> 00:07:42.307 what Hidalgo County needs. I am here on behalf 00:07:42.319 --> 00:07:44.889 of Hidalgo County. I do have the authority 00:07:44.889 --> 00:07:47.695 under our resolution that I'm able to speak 00:07:47.707 --> 00:07:50.589 on behalf of our area. As you know, our area 00:07:50.589 --> 00:07:53.717 is the 7th largest county in the state of Texas. 00:07:53.729 --> 00:07:56.869 And aside from Hurricane Harvey, we have endured 00:07:56.869 --> 00:08:00.197 probably one of the most significant storm 00:08:00.209 --> 00:08:03.160 events to ever hit Texas. We had over 00:08:03.160 --> 00:08:05.929 34 inches of rain fall in less than two days 00:08:05.941 --> 00:08:08.599 in our area, and up to this point, we have 00:08:08.599 --> 00:08:11.676 received zero federal assistance and zero state 00:08:11.688 --> 00:08:14.520 assistance with respect to flood mitigation 00:08:14.520 --> 00:08:16.768 or disaster recovery. So for us, it's really 00:08:16.780 --> 00:08:18.990 important that we continue to represent our 00:08:18.990 --> 00:08:21.132 area and advocate for things that we think 00:08:21.144 --> 00:08:23.399 are necessary. And we're very, very thankful 00:08:23.399 --> 00:08:26.362 to the Governor, too, obviously the Water 00:08:26.374 --> 00:08:29.349 Development Board and the legislators who 00:08:29.349 --> 00:08:32.578 put this before the voters. And very proudly, 00:08:32.590 --> 00:08:35.409 we supported this Proposition 8. We may 00:08:35.409 --> 00:08:38.099 be the only county in the state of Texas that 00:08:38.111 --> 00:08:40.930 had Spanish advertisements on the radio because 00:08:40.930 --> 00:08:42.841 we wanted all of our representatives and all 00:08:42.853 --> 00:08:44.690 of our constituents to go out and actually 00:08:44.690 --> 00:08:49.395 vote for this. And we did have an 80-20 representation 00:08:49.407 --> 00:08:53.181 in the positive for this proposition. Every 00:08:53.181 --> 00:08:55.808 time that we came, we, our area missed Hurricane 00:08:55.820 --> 00:08:57.920 Harvey by just a smidge. It was headed 00:08:57.920 --> 00:09:00.579 straight to our Hidalgo county area on the southern 00:09:00.591 --> 00:09:02.800 coastal part of Texas, and it turned north 00:09:02.800 --> 00:09:05.225 at the last minute, ended up devastating Houston. 00:09:05.237 --> 00:09:07.430 We were one of the few coastal counties that 00:09:07.430 --> 00:09:09.776 was not affected by Hurricane Harvey, and 00:09:09.788 --> 00:09:12.090 as such, we have been left out of the, a 00:09:12.090 --> 00:09:14.498 lot of the allocations for disaster recovery 00:09:14.510 --> 00:09:16.930 with respect to that. One of the things that 00:09:16.930 --> 00:09:20.677 that is important is that, when, right after 00:09:20.689 --> 00:09:24.030 that event, we came to the to the state 00:09:24.030 --> 00:09:25.574 capitol and we knocked on the Governor's door, 00:09:25.586 --> 00:09:27.241 Lieutenant Governor's door, the Water Development 00:09:27.241 --> 00:09:29.662 Board, Texas Department of Emergency Management, 00:09:29.674 --> 00:09:31.810 every single entity that we possibly could 00:09:31.810 --> 00:09:34.179 and asked them to assist us with trying to put 00:09:34.191 --> 00:09:36.420 in preventative mitigation projects because 00:09:36.420 --> 00:09:38.913 we knew it was just a matter of time before our 00:09:38.925 --> 00:09:41.170 area was going to be impacted again. Every 00:09:41.170 --> 00:09:43.426 single time that we came here, they kept promising 00:09:43.438 --> 00:09:45.350 that they would look at something and that 00:09:45.350 --> 00:09:49.020 something was coming around the corner. Representative 00:09:49.032 --> 00:09:51.910 Phelan's bill obviously carried the torch. 00:09:51.910 --> 00:09:54.438 And during the legislative session, everybody 00:09:54.450 --> 00:09:56.770 that we talked to said, don't worry, that 00:09:56.770 --> 00:09:58.907 proposition is going to be the answer for 00:09:58.919 --> 00:10:01.170 you guys. So we would just like to ask that 00:10:01.170 --> 00:10:03.316 you consider our comments that we have 00:10:03.328 --> 00:10:05.940 submitted and memorialized through the Texas 00:10:05.940 --> 00:10:08.533 Water Development Board, and one just one very 00:10:08.545 --> 00:10:11.040 quick thing, I know my time is almost up, is 00:10:11.040 --> 00:10:13.917 that we would request that a reimbursement mechanism 00:10:13.929 --> 00:10:16.600 be created for the applicants whose applications 00:10:16.600 --> 00:10:19.472 are approved and who have the ability to move 00:10:19.484 --> 00:10:22.180 forward with the construction. We passed a 00:10:22.180 --> 00:10:25.507 $180 million bond to get 32 projects completed. 00:10:25.519 --> 00:10:28.440 Our voters voted in favor of that. And we 00:10:28.440 --> 00:10:30.492 would like for the ability to use that money 00:10:30.504 --> 00:10:32.660 as our start up money, and then, be reimbursed 00:10:32.660 --> 00:10:34.788 by the Water Development Board monies so 00:10:34.800 --> 00:10:36.940 as to not stop construction. We feel it's 00:10:36.940 --> 00:10:38.897 really important to try to put these projects 00:10:38.909 --> 00:10:40.750 in the ground so that the devastation that 00:10:40.750 --> 00:10:42.889 we incurred and we experienced will not happen 00:10:42.901 --> 00:10:45.190 again, or at least as much as we can prevent with 00:10:45.190 --> 00:10:47.475 our drainage projects that are already 00:10:47.487 --> 00:10:50.268 approved. Thank you very much for your time. 00:10:50.293 --> 00:10:51.961 Thank you. And thank 00:10:51.960 --> 00:10:53.725 for being here. 00:10:53.750 --> 00:10:56.540 Next we have Raul Sesin, 00:10:56.552 --> 00:10:59.020 General manager of the Hidalgo County 00:10:59.020 --> 00:11:02.536 Drainage District Number One. 00:11:02.561 --> 00:11:09.810 Good morning, Chairman Lake, Director Paup, Director Jackson. 00:11:09.810 --> 00:11:12.784 Thank you for having us today.Ffirst of all, I'd 00:11:12.796 --> 00:11:15.660 just like thank the governor, the Legislature, 00:11:15.660 --> 00:11:18.401 and the Water Development Board and the staff for 00:11:18.413 --> 00:11:21.111 the hard work and development this Proposition 8 00:11:21.111 --> 00:11:25.620 and where we are right now. Just to echo what Commissioner said. You know, our 00:11:25.620 --> 00:11:27.981 area was one of the areas that could have 00:11:27.993 --> 00:11:30.480 been hit by Hurricane Harvey. So we've been 00:11:30.480 --> 00:11:33.817 developing projects based on our bond issuance 00:11:33.829 --> 00:11:37.250 that we've done here recently, the $190 million 00:11:37.250 --> 00:11:39.725 bond. Just give you a little history, and 00:11:39.737 --> 00:11:42.580 Director Jackson, you've been down to our area. 00:11:42.580 --> 00:11:45.639 Director Paup as well. You know, the drainage 00:11:45.651 --> 00:11:48.990 district is the drainage district for the Hidalgo 00:11:48.990 --> 00:11:52.086 County. We are the one that serves the whole 00:11:52.098 --> 00:11:54.930 county. So, we manage the major drainage 00:11:54.930 --> 00:11:58.198 water courses for our area. And doing so, 00:11:58.210 --> 00:12:01.490 we have the responsibility to manage, not 00:12:01.490 --> 00:12:03.450 just urban development that comes through, 00:12:03.462 --> 00:12:05.480 but also the rural development, which a lot 00:12:05.480 --> 00:12:08.548 of times is difficult for them to apply for 00:12:08.560 --> 00:12:11.780 these type of programs. So, having said that, 00:12:11.780 --> 00:12:15.616 just echo what Commissioner Fuentes just 00:12:15.628 --> 00:12:19.570 mentioned, the reimbursement option would 00:12:19.570 --> 00:12:22.665 be a great approach to allow us to develop these 00:12:22.677 --> 00:12:25.340 projects that are desperately needed now. 00:12:25.340 --> 00:12:27.747 We have been working diligently since the 00:12:27.759 --> 00:12:30.350 storms came in with the local funds and with 00:12:30.350 --> 00:12:32.681 the bond monies to develop these projects. 00:12:32.693 --> 00:12:35.090 And we were able to get some type of system 00:12:35.090 --> 00:12:37.327 set up where we meet all the criteria and able 00:12:37.339 --> 00:12:39.540 to get reimbursed for our efforts. We can get 00:12:39.540 --> 00:12:41.843 these projects in the ground and impact area 00:12:41.855 --> 00:12:44.170 that is desperately needed. So we definitely 00:12:44.170 --> 00:12:46.843 would like for the Board to consider that 00:12:46.855 --> 00:12:49.731 that aspect of it. Another item that we like 00:12:49.731 --> 00:12:51.842 for the Board to consider is the increase in 00:12:51.854 --> 00:12:53.930 percentage of grants available for entities 00:12:53.930 --> 00:12:57.068 located in low income areas, and our areas, 00:12:57.080 --> 00:13:00.230 I mentioned, the drainage district services 00:13:00.230 --> 00:13:02.903 the whole county and the rural areas. Some of 00:13:02.915 --> 00:13:05.600 the communities that we service, we basically 00:13:05.600 --> 00:13:07.388 are the drainage for them. Some of the bigger 00:13:07.400 --> 00:13:09.240 cities have their own systems, but the smaller 00:13:09.240 --> 00:13:11.855 cities do not. So we have to manage those 00:13:11.867 --> 00:13:14.620 those facilities, and the drainage district 00:13:14.620 --> 00:13:17.140 can only incur long term debt via bond issuance, 00:13:17.152 --> 00:13:19.270 which we have now, but in the future may 00:13:19.270 --> 00:13:21.968 not have that. So with the grant based program, 00:13:21.980 --> 00:13:24.520 it will allow us to utilize funding in those 00:13:24.520 --> 00:13:26.930 areas where those smaller communities have 00:13:26.942 --> 00:13:29.420 challenges to be able to repay, because the 00:13:29.420 --> 00:13:31.826 tax base and so forth, and will allow us to 00:13:31.838 --> 00:13:34.420 develop these projects where these communities 00:13:34.420 --> 00:13:41.830 have had repetitive flooding in the past. So we ask that the grant portion, 00:13:41.830 --> 00:13:45.570 or increasing the grand portion of the program, 00:13:45.582 --> 00:13:49.100 be considered in those low income areas. The 00:13:49.100 --> 00:13:51.121 last item that we'd like to talk about would be 00:13:51.133 --> 00:13:53.590 establishing a fund to assist also those communities that 00:13:53.590 --> 00:13:56.462 may have trouble coming up with the startup 00:13:56.474 --> 00:13:59.490 money or the money to develop the application 00:13:59.490 --> 00:14:02.422 process to come in and be able to compete for 00:14:02.434 --> 00:14:05.250 these these projects. Some of these smaller 00:14:05.250 --> 00:14:07.570 communities may have challenges in coming up 00:14:07.582 --> 00:14:09.810 with start money, settingup, maybe, a flat 00:14:09.810 --> 00:14:12.459 fee or something that will allow the smaller 00:14:12.471 --> 00:14:15.310 communities to be able to put packages together 00:14:15.310 --> 00:14:17.883 to be able to submit for the programs 00:14:17.895 --> 00:14:20.900 would be something that we would like the 00:14:20.900 --> 00:14:23.516 Board to consider as well. We have submitted 00:14:23.528 --> 00:14:25.980 our comments in writing. We believe these 00:14:25.980 --> 00:14:29.369 comments will help implement what Proposition 00:14:29.381 --> 00:14:32.190 8 is intended to do, which is service 00:14:32.190 --> 00:14:35.492 our area in the state of Texas and the people. 00:14:35.504 --> 00:14:38.960 So we greatly appreciate your leadership, again, 00:14:38.960 --> 00:14:42.793 the Board and the staff in addressing this this 00:14:42.805 --> 00:14:46.410 region-wide and statewide issue of flooding. 00:14:46.410 --> 00:14:49.767 So thank you very much for your time. 00:14:49.792 --> 00:14:51.124 Thank you. 00:14:51.149 --> 00:14:55.120 Next is Jose M. Landeros, Director of Planning 00:14:55.120 --> 00:14:59.853 and Development, El Paso County. 00:15:04.111 --> 00:15:07.100 Good morning. Good morning, Chairman Lake and members 00:15:07.100 --> 00:15:09.159 of the Board. And my name is a Jose Landeros, 00:15:09.171 --> 00:15:11.061 and I have the privilege of serving as the 00:15:11.061 --> 00:15:12.927 Director of Planning and Development for El 00:15:12.939 --> 00:15:14.860 Paso County. During this morning's comments, 00:15:14.860 --> 00:15:16.841 I'd like to offer additional context to the 00:15:16.853 --> 00:15:18.800 comments that our agency submitted earlier 00:15:18.800 --> 00:15:21.538 this month and also speak briefly on the proposed 00:15:21.550 --> 00:15:23.970 rules related to stakeholder engagement and 00:15:23.970 --> 00:15:26.546 involvement, whereby multiple agencies exist 00:15:26.558 --> 00:15:29.260 within the same watershed. On the first topic, 00:15:29.260 --> 00:15:31.545 there are various proposed rules that speak 00:15:31.557 --> 00:15:33.750 to the idea that projects which originate 00:15:33.750 --> 00:15:35.993 in communities with higher concentrations of 00:15:36.005 --> 00:15:38.210 poverty or limited resources should receive 00:15:38.210 --> 00:15:40.371 additional consideration from the Board. The 00:15:40.383 --> 00:15:42.460 county offered various comments to broadly 00:15:42.460 --> 00:15:44.696 speak to the point that the use of various 00:15:44.708 --> 00:15:47.270 census or economic indicators such as population 00:15:47.270 --> 00:15:49.759 or income levels for an entire jurisdiction 00:15:49.771 --> 00:15:52.500 would likely prevent a large number of agencies 00:15:52.500 --> 00:15:54.985 from securing grant funding through the program. 00:15:54.997 --> 00:15:57.240 In lieu of developing new specific criteria 00:15:57.240 --> 00:15:59.670 for this program, the county recommends that 00:15:59.682 --> 00:16:02.070 the Board build on the excellent success of 00:16:02.070 --> 00:16:04.067 the framework of similar assistance programs 00:16:04.079 --> 00:16:06.490 administered by the Board, including the Economically 00:16:06.490 --> 00:16:10.560 Ddistressed Areas Program. EDAP has helped serve the needs of various 00:16:10.560 --> 00:16:16.800 rural areas, as well as in nearly over 1800 colonias along the US-Mexico 00:16:16.800 --> 00:16:19.206 border, 20% of which are located in El Paso 00:16:19.218 --> 00:16:21.910 County. These guidelines ensure that the program 00:16:21.910 --> 00:16:24.283 is familiar to most agencies and could be 00:16:24.295 --> 00:16:26.850 implemented with minimal developmental costs 00:16:26.850 --> 00:16:29.597 or delays, thereby allowing agencies used to break 00:16:29.609 --> 00:16:31.990 ground on projects sooner and making a more 00:16:31.990 --> 00:16:34.899 efficient and effective use of state and local 00:16:34.911 --> 00:16:37.770 resources. And the second topic, benefit cost 00:16:37.770 --> 00:16:40.484 analysis, there are several validated models 00:16:40.496 --> 00:16:43.161 to develop a benefit cost analysis for BCA, 00:16:43.161 --> 00:16:46.015 including the method offered by the Texas section 00:16:46.027 --> 00:16:48.550 of the American Society of Civil Engineers. 00:16:48.550 --> 00:16:51.469 While the county concurs with the general methods 00:16:51.481 --> 00:16:54.060 recommended by the ASCE, it also recommends 00:16:54.060 --> 00:16:56.907 creating a threshold requirement for triggering 00:16:56.919 --> 00:16:59.600 such a costly analysis. Larger projects with 00:16:59.600 --> 00:17:02.796 more environmental impacts warrant more deliberate 00:17:02.808 --> 00:17:05.449 analysis. However, smaller projects aimed 00:17:05.449 --> 00:17:07.922 at increasing the capacity of the basin or 00:17:07.934 --> 00:17:10.650 providing new culverts for low water crossings 00:17:10.650 --> 00:17:13.316 should not be subject to such requirements. The 00:17:13.328 --> 00:17:15.839 proposed plan highlights the need to provide 00:17:15.839 --> 00:17:18.379 additional considerations for economically 00:17:18.391 --> 00:17:21.180 vulnerable communities, including rural areas. 00:17:21.180 --> 00:17:26.040 However, requiring such a cumbersome BCA would create a significant burden 00:17:26.040 --> 00:17:28.526 to these same agencies with limited resources. 00:17:28.538 --> 00:17:30.610 The county suggests the Board consider 00:17:30.610 --> 00:17:32.895 adopting a threshold which triggers the 00:17:32.907 --> 00:17:35.910 requirement of an expensive BCA. Based on further 00:17:35.910 --> 00:17:38.004 stakeholder input or once project 00:17:38.016 --> 00:17:40.760 information sheets have been submitted to 00:17:40.760 --> 00:17:43.361 the Board by agencies. The BCA should not 00:17:43.373 --> 00:17:45.800 be utilized as a barrier of entry into 00:17:45.800 --> 00:17:49.008 this funding opportunity. In terms of the 00:17:49.020 --> 00:17:52.470 stakeholder engagement, the county generally 00:17:52.470 --> 00:17:54.752 concurs with the recommendations made by the 00:17:54.764 --> 00:17:57.160 Texas Water Conservation Alliance on expanding 00:17:57.160 --> 00:18:01.308 TAC Section 363.406. There is a need to introduce 00:18:01.320 --> 00:18:04.980 language into the proposed rules that allow 00:18:04.980 --> 00:18:07.431 for lead agencies to not be stalled due to a 00:18:07.443 --> 00:18:10.070 individual political subdivisions unwillingness 00:18:10.070 --> 00:18:14.850 to meaningfuly participate or engage in an effort to mitigate some of 00:18:14.850 --> 00:18:18.103 these critical flood hazards that may be present. 00:18:18.115 --> 00:18:21.380 The county recognizes the importance of proactive 00:18:21.380 --> 00:18:24.623 partnerships that rely on both mutual financial 00:18:24.635 --> 00:18:27.550 and logistical support. And in fact, we're 00:18:27.550 --> 00:18:29.999 in the process of updating a 2010 stormwater 00:18:30.011 --> 00:18:32.800 master plan that was funded locally in partnership 00:18:32.800 --> 00:18:34.811 with the Texas Water Development Board. I 00:18:34.823 --> 00:18:36.990 thank you for the opportunity to offer these 00:18:36.990 --> 00:18:39.228 comments and recommendations to the proposed 00:18:39.240 --> 00:18:41.490 rules in the Flood Intended Use Plan as well 00:18:41.490 --> 00:18:43.798 as for the tremendous outreach efforts made 00:18:43.810 --> 00:18:46.130 by you all and your staff here at the Board 00:18:46.130 --> 00:18:48.799 over the past few months to engage stakeholders 00:18:48.811 --> 00:18:51.380 across the state. On behalf of El Paso County 00:18:51.380 --> 00:18:53.453 Commissioners Court, thank you for this opportunity 00:18:53.465 --> 00:18:55.350 this morning, and we hope to continue to build 00:18:55.350 --> 00:18:57.550 in the partnership and transformative work 00:18:57.562 --> 00:18:59.980 done by you and your staff here at Texas Water 00:18:59.980 --> 00:19:01.468 Development Board. Thank you. 00:19:01.493 --> 00:19:02.186 Thanks, Jose. 00:19:03.618 --> 00:19:07.740 Next we have Mark Gleason, Planning and Zoning Commission, 00:19:07.740 --> 00:19:11.218 San Marcos. 00:19:18.643 --> 00:19:20.102 Thank you, Mr Chairman and 00:19:20.114 --> 00:19:21.551 Board members for the opportunity to come 00:19:21.650 --> 00:19:23.544 and speak today. Yes. My name's Mark Gleason, 00:19:23.556 --> 00:19:25.380 I'm planning and zoning commissioner in San 00:19:25.380 --> 00:19:28.269 Marcos, and I was a flood victim and a survivor 00:19:28.281 --> 00:19:30.820 of the flood events of 2015. I would also 00:19:30.820 --> 00:19:34.325 want to thank Mr Chairman Phelan and my representative, 00:19:34.337 --> 00:19:37.100 Erin Zwinger, who did a great job of really 00:19:37.100 --> 00:19:39.516 pushing for Prop 8 to get passed. You did a 00:19:39.528 --> 00:19:41.900 really good job of doing a workshop in our 00:19:41.900 --> 00:19:44.018 community that really gave the community a 00:19:44.030 --> 00:19:46.260 sense of what they were trying to accomplish 00:19:46.260 --> 00:19:48.730 on Prop 8 passing. I'm really excited about 00:19:48.742 --> 00:19:50.830 this opportunity. I think it's gonna 00:19:50.830 --> 00:19:53.320 be money well spent. I think the Legislature 00:19:53.332 --> 00:19:55.890 did a great job of giving guidelines of where 00:19:55.890 --> 00:19:58.368 this money should go. I think it's time to look 00:19:58.380 --> 00:20:00.610 at flooding as a regional approach instead 00:20:00.610 --> 00:20:03.673 of sending money to certain entities. I don't 00:20:03.685 --> 00:20:06.559 think it's best, the money is not the best 00:20:06.559 --> 00:20:09.078 spent if it's not looked at on a whole regional 00:20:09.090 --> 00:20:11.410 approach. I'm extremely excited about this. 00:20:11.410 --> 00:20:14.047 I hope you guys really push for this money to 00:20:14.059 --> 00:20:16.650 be looked at for everyone, to help everyone, 00:20:16.650 --> 00:20:19.905 not just individual communities and members, 00:20:19.917 --> 00:20:22.530 but to fix a lot of large problems. 00:20:22.530 --> 00:20:25.230 And thank you for your time. And I really appreciate it. Thank you. 00:20:25.255 --> 00:20:27.950 Thank you for being here. 00:20:27.975 --> 00:20:30.681 Next, we have Laurie Moyer, 00:20:30.693 --> 00:20:33.410 from the Director of Engineering and Capital 00:20:33.410 --> 00:20:36.901 Improvement, City of San Marcos. 00:20:36.926 --> 00:20:43.120 Good morning. Thank you for this opportunity to provide 00:20:43.120 --> 00:20:46.245 these comments. The city of San Marcos has been 00:20:46.257 --> 00:20:49.720 awarded multiple projects from the Water Development 00:20:49.720 --> 00:20:52.653 Board using the Clean Water SRF fund. And 00:20:52.665 --> 00:20:55.820 these projects have allowed us to expand our 00:20:55.820 --> 00:20:58.755 reclaimed water system to reduce potable water 00:20:58.767 --> 00:21:01.400 use. We've been able to purchase property 00:21:01.400 --> 00:21:03.815 for non-point source protection on the San 00:21:03.827 --> 00:21:06.480 Marcos River, and a project underway right now 00:21:06.480 --> 00:21:09.414 is the funding allowed us to begin design and 00:21:09.426 --> 00:21:12.180 land acquisition to protect our wastewater 00:21:12.180 --> 00:21:15.210 treatment plant site and the surrounding neighborhood, 00:21:15.222 --> 00:21:17.710 which Mr Mark Gleason just spoke about, from 00:21:17.710 --> 00:21:20.851 flooding and the associated pollution that 00:21:20.863 --> 00:21:23.870 comes from that event. One of the things 00:21:23.870 --> 00:21:27.688 that has made the clean water program so valuable 00:21:27.700 --> 00:21:31.070 to us is the fact that we can apply for and 00:21:31.070 --> 00:21:34.949 be considered for loan forgiveness as a disadvantaged 00:21:34.961 --> 00:21:38.780 community. My comments to you today are specifically 00:21:38.780 --> 00:21:42.183 geared around the ability for the city to 00:21:42.195 --> 00:21:45.610 seek that same eligibility under this new 00:21:45.610 --> 00:21:49.740 flood program. So looking first at the rules, and 00:21:49.752 --> 00:21:53.480 again, I'm an engineer. I'm not an attorney. 00:21:53.480 --> 00:21:57.419 The proposed wording and section 363.403, use of 00:21:57.431 --> 00:22:01.220 funds, seems like there's a lot of flexibility 00:22:01.220 --> 00:22:04.585 in how the staff and the Board can interpret the 00:22:04.597 --> 00:22:07.630 use of grants. But it does not specifically 00:22:07.630 --> 00:22:10.248 say that grants are available for all the 00:22:10.260 --> 00:22:12.890 various uses that are listed. When I look 00:22:12.890 --> 00:22:16.319 at the Flood Intended Use Plan, I find it 00:22:16.331 --> 00:22:20.100 unclear in some of the language. For example, 00:22:20.100 --> 00:22:23.095 in categories 1 and 3, 1 being the planning 00:22:23.107 --> 00:22:25.840 and design and 3 being the construction 00:22:25.840 --> 00:22:30.387 activities, there's language that refers to a 00:22:30.399 --> 00:22:34.660 50% grant eligibility for entities outside 00:22:34.660 --> 00:22:40.535 an MSA. Or a 75% grant if area median household 00:22:40.547 --> 00:22:45.820 income, AMHI, is less than or equal to 75% 00:22:45.820 --> 00:22:50.448 of the statewide HMHI. This is unclear on 00:22:50.460 --> 00:22:54.990 whether the 75% grant is available to an 00:22:54.990 --> 00:23:02.870 applicant within an MSA. Or is it only available to applicants outside an MSA 00:23:02.870 --> 00:23:06.513 if they meet the 75% threshold? Why is this 00:23:06.525 --> 00:23:10.180 important to us? In the case of San Marcos, 00:23:10.180 --> 00:23:13.855 we're within the Austin-Round Rock MSA. The 00:23:13.867 --> 00:23:17.890 AMHI for our MSA exceeds the states by $20,000. 00:23:17.890 --> 00:23:21.985 However, the city of San Marcos meets the 00:23:21.997 --> 00:23:26.300 75% threshold of the state, and we are only 00:23:26.300 --> 00:23:29.574 55% of our MSA. So like other comments, we 00:23:29.586 --> 00:23:32.720 want to be sure that we're not looked at 00:23:32.720 --> 00:23:36.508 as the MSA, but can apply individually as a 00:23:36.520 --> 00:23:40.320 community. Under the IUP for Category five, 00:23:40.320 --> 00:23:42.527 which is activities associated with flood 00:23:42.539 --> 00:23:44.810 warning, crossing barriers, et cetera. The 00:23:44.810 --> 00:23:48.208 language in the IUP seems inconsistent. It 00:23:48.220 --> 00:23:51.710 states that grants up to 100% are available 00:23:51.710 --> 00:23:55.660 for entities outside an MSA, but only 50% 00:23:55.672 --> 00:23:59.540 for entities inside an MSA. Even if they 00:23:59.540 --> 00:24:03.319 both meet the 75% threshold. So again, I'm not 00:24:03.331 --> 00:24:06.880 sure why we would be considered differently 00:24:06.880 --> 00:24:09.083 just because of the location of the project 00:24:09.095 --> 00:24:11.309 or the entity applying for funds. Thank you 00:24:11.309 --> 00:24:14.063 very much for this opportunity to comment. 00:24:14.075 --> 00:24:16.970 And we appreciate very much the ability that 00:24:16.970 --> 00:24:18.966 you've given our community to move forward 00:24:18.978 --> 00:24:21.080 on some very important projects. And we look 00:24:21.080 --> 00:24:23.288 to continue that. 00:24:23.313 --> 00:24:25.669 Thank you for being here. 00:24:25.694 --> 00:24:29.910 Next, we have Laura Patino from the Houston 00:24:29.910 --> 00:24:34.905 Recovery Office for the city of Houston. 00:24:34.930 --> 00:24:41.241 Good morning, Mr Chairman, Board members. Thank 00:24:41.241 --> 00:24:44.369 you for the opportunity to provide a public 00:24:44.381 --> 00:24:47.520 comment today on a very important work that 00:24:47.520 --> 00:24:50.916 will accomplish great things for all of Texas 00:24:50.928 --> 00:24:54.040 in the region and flood mitigation. Today 00:24:54.040 --> 00:24:56.893 I'd like to expand on comments that were 00:24:56.905 --> 00:25:00.190 submitted earlier by Mayor Sylvester Turner on 00:25:00.190 --> 00:25:02.423 the Flood Intended Use Plan. And so as 00:25:02.435 --> 00:25:05.270 currently written, the intended use plan seems 00:25:05.270 --> 00:25:07.656 to exclude the city of Houston from various 00:25:07.668 --> 00:25:10.120 important categories and limiting the city's 00:25:10.120 --> 00:25:12.898 eligibility and opportunity to participate 00:25:12.910 --> 00:25:15.830 in the various financial assistance programs 00:25:15.830 --> 00:25:18.798 that will help produce flooding in the areas 00:25:18.810 --> 00:25:21.790 that have the highest risk and also have the 00:25:21.790 --> 00:25:24.383 highest vulnerability. In the previous 00:25:24.395 --> 00:25:27.549 letter, it was requested that the Board look 00:25:27.549 --> 00:25:30.158 at applicant eligibility, look at the 00:25:30.170 --> 00:25:33.640 memorandums of understanding, minimum standards 00:25:33.640 --> 00:25:36.845 and a privatization criteria, and today, I'd 00:25:36.857 --> 00:25:39.860 like to focus on the latter specifically. 00:25:39.860 --> 00:25:42.817 So while prioritizing funding for load amount 00:25:42.829 --> 00:25:45.540 income communities is essential, the need 00:25:45.540 --> 00:25:48.529 for assistance should also be determined by the 00:25:48.541 --> 00:25:51.480 risk of flooding, specifically for repetitive, 00:25:51.480 --> 00:25:54.270 extreme flood events. Currently, the criteria 00:25:54.282 --> 00:25:56.840 exclude the city of Houston, which has an 00:25:56.840 --> 00:26:00.988 annual media household income above 75%. It's 00:26:01.000 --> 00:26:04.799 actually 85%. And Houston has experienced 00:26:04.799 --> 00:26:08.010 six major flood events, all federally declared 00:26:08.022 --> 00:26:10.970 disasters in less than five years. So this 00:26:10.970 --> 00:26:14.378 could be accomplished by removing the AMHI 00:26:14.390 --> 00:26:17.809 income requirement for categories 1, 3, and 00:26:17.809 --> 00:26:20.667 5, as well as including a prioritization 00:26:20.679 --> 00:26:23.620 criterion that awards points to political 00:26:23.620 --> 00:26:26.914 subdivisions that have experienced disaster declarations 00:26:26.926 --> 00:26:29.710 specifically related to flooding, repetetively. 00:26:29.710 --> 00:26:38.250 The plan, also as currently written, precludes areas and MSAs, like Houston, 00:26:38.250 --> 00:26:41.474 from specifically accessing grant funding, 00:26:41.486 --> 00:26:44.120 limiting only to loans for various 00:26:44.120 --> 00:26:46.898 categories. And so all applicants should be 00:26:46.910 --> 00:26:49.510 allowed to seek grant funding first, and 00:26:49.510 --> 00:26:52.297 then be allowed to have the opportunity for 00:26:52.309 --> 00:26:54.980 a low interest loan if grant applications 00:26:54.980 --> 00:26:57.373 are unsuccessful. And so it seems that this 00:26:57.385 --> 00:26:59.790 issue must be addressed in the rules or the 00:26:59.790 --> 00:27:02.033 statutory language to ensure the areas with 00:27:02.045 --> 00:27:04.299 the highest population and the largest risk 00:27:04.299 --> 00:27:11.430 to life from property are included. The city also proposes the following changes 00:27:11.430 --> 00:27:14.456 to the point system. First, the point system 00:27:14.468 --> 00:27:17.370 gives preference to projects falling under 00:27:17.370 --> 00:27:20.657 categories two and five, and many communities 00:27:20.669 --> 00:27:24.040 have been plagued by recurring disasters, like 00:27:24.040 --> 00:27:27.383 Houston, are expected to receive specific 00:27:27.395 --> 00:27:30.910 funding for implementation, in other words, 00:27:30.910 --> 00:27:33.434 construction projects. And so the points of 00:27:33.446 --> 00:27:36.040 for priority projects under Category two and 00:27:36.040 --> 00:27:39.276 five should be proportional to ensure that 00:27:39.288 --> 00:27:42.460 all projects are evaluated based on their 00:27:42.460 --> 00:27:45.752 full potential to mitigate risk. Large 00:27:45.764 --> 00:27:49.590 construction projects seem to be penalized 00:27:49.590 --> 00:27:52.808 under the criterion that looks at estimated 00:27:52.820 --> 00:27:56.490 completion date. Some of these large construction 00:27:56.490 --> 00:27:59.847 projects are complex in nature and cannot 00:27:59.859 --> 00:28:03.309 be completed within a 36-month time frame. 00:28:03.309 --> 00:28:05.520 And finally, innovation. Flood mitigation 00:28:05.532 --> 00:28:07.860 should not just be limited to water supply, 00:28:07.860 --> 00:28:11.378 but should also be sure also incorporate other 00:28:11.390 --> 00:28:14.620 innovative solutions like integrated storm 00:28:14.620 --> 00:28:17.324 water management principles and nature-based 00:28:17.336 --> 00:28:19.870 solutions as well. These changes are only 00:28:19.870 --> 00:28:23.124 a summary, but I have submitted an extensive 00:28:23.136 --> 00:28:26.330 list with comments on the proposed changes, 00:28:26.330 --> 00:28:30.066 and it is also submitted and posted online. 00:28:30.078 --> 00:28:33.230 So the city welcomes the opportunity 00:28:33.230 --> 00:28:36.400 to meet and discuss on continue the partnerships 00:28:36.412 --> 00:28:39.140 with the Board to ensure that those areas 00:28:39.140 --> 00:28:45.068 with the highest risk of flooding have access to the program. Thank you. 00:28:45.093 --> 00:28:47.044 Thank you. 00:28:47.654 --> 00:28:53.996 Next, we have Wes Birdwell 00:28:54.008 --> 00:29:00.940 from the Texas Floodplain Managers Association. 00:29:00.940 --> 00:29:04.227 Morning, Chairman Lake, Director Jackson 00:29:04.239 --> 00:29:07.480 and Paup. Appreciate y'all's time this morning. My name 00:29:07.480 --> 00:29:09.771 is Wes Birdwell, I'm the deputy executive director 00:29:09.783 --> 00:29:11.950 of the Texas Floodplain Management Association. 00:29:11.950 --> 00:29:15.109 TFMA is about 3000 floodplain managers and 00:29:15.121 --> 00:29:18.440 flood engineers from just representing about 00:29:18.440 --> 00:29:21.336 every community in Texas. Thank you for the 00:29:21.348 --> 00:29:24.190 opportunity to comment today and thank you 00:29:24.190 --> 00:29:27.064 and your staff for this excellent start to 00:29:27.076 --> 00:29:29.961 begin to identify flood risk in Texas. Due 00:29:29.961 --> 00:29:32.934 to its location or topography, Texas is subject 00:29:32.946 --> 00:29:35.620 to severe and catastrophic floods. Many of 00:29:35.620 --> 00:29:38.006 our communities have suffered from flooding 00:29:38.018 --> 00:29:40.470 over the last few years, and many lives have 00:29:40.470 --> 00:29:43.124 been lost. Flood risk comes in many forms. 00:29:43.136 --> 00:29:45.740 Building too close to the water, building 00:29:45.740 --> 00:29:48.600 too close to the ground, living near a dam 00:29:48.612 --> 00:29:51.550 or too near an embankment that traps water. 00:29:51.550 --> 00:29:53.714 The Texas Legislature and the federal government 00:29:53.726 --> 00:29:55.990 have done their job to bring Texas the opportunity 00:29:55.990 --> 00:29:58.874 to study its flood risk and begin to mitigate 00:29:58.886 --> 00:30:01.970 that risk. We have the money and the technology. 00:30:01.970 --> 00:30:04.558 All we need is the right people and enough time. 00:30:04.570 --> 00:30:06.799 Let's take the time we need to accurately 00:30:06.799 --> 00:30:09.921 identify flood risk in every Texas community. 00:30:09.933 --> 00:30:12.930 Let's develop accurate flood risk models of 00:30:12.930 --> 00:30:15.785 our rivers and streams, arroyos and ?????. 00:30:15.797 --> 00:30:18.730 And let's include every dam, every levy and 00:30:18.730 --> 00:30:20.910 every highway and canal embankment, every 00:30:20.922 --> 00:30:23.270 railroad track and every storm water system. 00:30:23.270 --> 00:30:25.898 And then let's objectively work together to 00:30:25.910 --> 00:30:28.430 mitigate the amount of flood risk that is 00:30:28.430 --> 00:30:31.715 affordable and safe and have the will then to 00:30:31.727 --> 00:30:35.240 mitigate the remaining risk using non-structural 00:30:35.240 --> 00:30:38.194 methods. And let's understand what we need 00:30:38.206 --> 00:30:41.310 to do to help Texas continue to develop with 00:30:41.310 --> 00:30:43.831 flood resilience in mind. Thank you again for 00:30:43.843 --> 00:30:46.320 your time and all your work. And please know 00:30:46.320 --> 00:30:48.861 the good folks at TF may want to stand shoulder 00:30:48.873 --> 00:30:51.320 to shoulder with a Board as we plan and grow. 00:30:51.320 --> 00:30:53.182 Thank you for this time today. 00:30:53.207 --> 00:30:53.989 Thanks, Wes. 00:30:55.136 --> 00:30:56.391 Next, we have 00:30:56.415 --> 00:31:06.700 Ken Kramer from the Sierra Club. 00:31:06.700 --> 00:31:08.992 Thank you. Good morning. For the record, 00:31:09.004 --> 00:31:11.140 I'm Ken Kramer, representing the Lone Star chapter 00:31:11.140 --> 00:31:13.509 of the Sierra Club. I want to express our 00:31:13.521 --> 00:31:16.470 appreciation to the Water Development Board for the 00:31:16.470 --> 00:31:19.615 hard work of both the Board members and the 00:31:19.627 --> 00:31:23.000 staff in implementing a very ambitious process 00:31:23.000 --> 00:31:26.239 for putting into effect the flood related 00:31:26.251 --> 00:31:28.960 legislation from the last session. 00:31:28.960 --> 00:31:32.703 We, sa Sierra Club, have been part of a 00:31:32.715 --> 00:31:37.240 coalition of groups known as the Texas Living 00:31:37.240 --> 00:31:40.050 Waters project for quite some time. And we've 00:31:40.062 --> 00:31:43.190 submitted joint comments to the Board representing 00:31:43.190 --> 00:31:46.041 the views of Sierra Club, National Wildlife Federation, 00:31:46.053 --> 00:31:48.559 Galveston Bay Foundation, Hill Country Alliance, 00:31:48.559 --> 00:31:51.084 and we have representatives from each group here 00:31:51.096 --> 00:31:53.530 today to cover certain aspects of the comments 00:31:53.530 --> 00:31:56.459 that we've made. I appreciate the time you've 00:31:56.471 --> 00:31:59.220 taken individually to look at our comments 00:31:59.220 --> 00:32:03.357 and give them serious consideration. I do 00:32:03.369 --> 00:32:07.419 want to point out at the outset that we, 00:32:07.419 --> 00:32:10.042 as organizations involved in water for many 00:32:10.054 --> 00:32:12.630 years, having covered many different water 00:32:12.630 --> 00:32:15.765 issues, feel that you have a historic opportunity 00:32:15.777 --> 00:32:18.610 with the implementation of the flood related 00:32:18.610 --> 00:32:21.725 legislation to take a more comprehensive and 00:32:21.737 --> 00:32:25.490 potentially integrative approach to water management. 00:32:25.490 --> 00:32:28.629 Using the flood projects in a way and supporting 00:32:28.641 --> 00:32:31.600 the flood projects in a way that can actually 00:32:31.600 --> 00:32:34.328 have multiple benefits for the state and one 00:32:34.340 --> 00:32:37.140 of our speakers will cover that specifically. 00:32:37.140 --> 00:32:40.413 I just want to touch on a couple aspects of 00:32:40.425 --> 00:32:43.860 one of the themes in our comments, especially 00:32:43.860 --> 00:32:46.872 as relates to the flood planning rules which 00:32:46.884 --> 00:32:50.110 have not been addressed us so far this morning. 00:32:50.110 --> 00:32:53.090 We believe that it's very important that the Texas 00:32:53.102 --> 00:32:55.860 Water Development Board support and facilitate 00:32:55.860 --> 00:32:59.867 a broad and diverse representation in the flood 00:32:59.879 --> 00:33:03.730 planning process and encourage and facilitate 00:33:03.730 --> 00:33:07.013 active public participation in that process as 00:33:07.025 --> 00:33:10.180 well as in the other aspects of implementing 00:33:10.180 --> 00:33:13.827 the flood legislation. One of things that we 00:33:13.839 --> 00:33:17.580 propose specifically is that in the formation 00:33:17.580 --> 00:33:21.106 of the regional planning groups for the flood 00:33:21.118 --> 00:33:24.580 program that we expand the interest that are 00:33:24.580 --> 00:33:27.281 specifically named on these groups, where 00:33:27.293 --> 00:33:30.330 that's appropriate, in order to make sure that 00:33:30.330 --> 00:33:32.813 we capture all that knowledge and experience 00:33:32.825 --> 00:33:35.320 of other interests that are not specifically 00:33:35.320 --> 00:33:37.968 named in the legislation thus far. We believe that 00:33:37.980 --> 00:33:40.380 the Water Development Board has the authority 00:33:40.380 --> 00:33:43.687 under Senate Bill 8 to establish initial regional 00:33:43.699 --> 00:33:47.150 planning groups that incorporate more than just the 00:33:47.150 --> 00:33:49.633 interests that are named in the legislation. 00:33:49.645 --> 00:33:52.250 And we've specifically mentioned, for example, 00:33:52.250 --> 00:33:55.853 Land trust, people who are actually in terms of 00:33:55.865 --> 00:33:59.330 fisheries management, people who are academic 00:33:59.330 --> 00:34:02.644 flood experts, and people who are involved 00:34:02.656 --> 00:34:06.060 in low income housing advocacy. Because all 00:34:06.060 --> 00:34:09.031 these are aspects of trying to deal with 00:34:09.043 --> 00:34:12.099 mitigation flood risk reduction and flood 00:34:12.099 --> 00:34:15.321 management as a whole, and we need the perspective, 00:34:15.333 --> 00:34:18.069 all those interests. We've been involved in 00:34:18.069 --> 00:34:20.916 the regional water supply planning process 00:34:20.928 --> 00:34:23.919 for a number of years, and we see that where 00:34:23.919 --> 00:34:27.195 you have a broader diversity of interest on the 00:34:27.207 --> 00:34:30.290 planning groups and involved in the process, 00:34:30.290 --> 00:34:32.958 you get a better product, you have a broader 00:34:32.970 --> 00:34:35.530 perspective, and you potentially have more 00:34:35.530 --> 00:34:39.018 buy in from the communities involved in that 00:34:39.030 --> 00:34:42.530 region. We think that it's important because 00:34:42.530 --> 00:34:46.004 this is a very critical program that the Water 00:34:46.016 --> 00:34:50.169 Development Board in implement flood legislation helped 00:34:50.169 --> 00:34:53.493 build a constituency for further flood state 00:34:53.505 --> 00:34:56.840 financial assistance and more money over the 00:34:56.840 --> 00:35:00.175 years for flood planning. You know, the Legislature 00:35:00.187 --> 00:35:02.890 was very generous in giving money to this 00:35:02.890 --> 00:35:06.264 program in this initial start, but that was not 00:35:06.276 --> 00:35:09.310 enough money to cover all the flood issues 00:35:09.310 --> 00:35:12.458 in the state. So since I've gotten the flood 00:35:12.470 --> 00:35:15.911 warning signal now, I'll end my comments, but we 00:35:15.911 --> 00:35:19.287 appreciate your consideration of all of our comments, thank you. 00:35:19.312 --> 00:35:20.412 Thank you, Ken. 00:35:20.437 --> 00:35:22.420 Next we have 00:35:22.420 --> 00:35:25.616 Catherine Romans from the Hill Country Alliance. 00:35:34.641 --> 00:35:38.310 Good morning, Chairman Lake, Director Jackson, 00:35:38.310 --> 00:35:40.694 Director Paup. Thank you so much for having 00:35:40.706 --> 00:35:43.210 us and opening up this opportunity to provide 00:35:43.210 --> 00:35:45.762 comment. I'm gonna echo the comments that 00:35:45.774 --> 00:35:48.460 have already been stated. We're so grateful 00:35:48.460 --> 00:35:51.278 for not only the opportunity today, but all of 00:35:51.290 --> 00:35:54.060 the points along the way that you've included 00:35:54.060 --> 00:35:56.568 stakeholder engagement. So thank you. My name 00:35:56.580 --> 00:35:59.210 is Catherine Romans. I'm the executive director 00:35:59.210 --> 00:36:02.111 of the Hill Country Alliance. As Ken just 00:36:02.123 --> 00:36:05.590 mentioned, we are part of the Texas Living Waters 00:36:05.590 --> 00:36:08.003 project. And we, the Hill Country Alliance, 00:36:08.015 --> 00:36:10.440 work across the 17 county region of Central 00:36:10.440 --> 00:36:13.961 Texas from here in Austin, down to San Antonio 00:36:13.973 --> 00:36:16.980 and west to Uvalde and Junction. It's a 00:36:16.980 --> 00:36:20.659 region that is very aware of both the risks 00:36:20.671 --> 00:36:24.530 of catastrophic flooding as well as prolonged 00:36:24.530 --> 00:36:28.120 droughts. I'm really here to emphasize the 00:36:28.132 --> 00:36:31.650 need to focus on non-structural solutions 00:36:31.650 --> 00:36:35.971 as a part of this incredible opportunity to address 00:36:35.983 --> 00:36:39.650 some of those real risks posed by flooding. 00:36:39.650 --> 00:36:42.626 Non structural solutions should be an important 00:36:42.638 --> 00:36:45.750 part of the flood infrastructure fund assistance. 00:36:45.750 --> 00:36:48.888 HCA and our Texas Living Waters partners are 00:36:48.900 --> 00:36:51.910 really encouraged by the work that you all 00:36:51.910 --> 00:36:55.068 have committed to, as well as the staff, to 00:36:55.080 --> 00:36:58.250 endorse those non-structural solutions. But 00:36:58.250 --> 00:37:00.759 we believe that more can be done to really 00:37:00.771 --> 00:37:03.410 ensure that non-structural projects are part 00:37:03.410 --> 00:37:06.393 of those funding packages. We believe that 00:37:06.405 --> 00:37:09.400 this can be achieved by accounting for the 00:37:09.400 --> 00:37:12.288 co-benefits associated with non-structural 00:37:12.300 --> 00:37:15.470 projects. That sort of accounting acknowledges 00:37:15.470 --> 00:37:18.521 that non-structural projects can provide many 00:37:18.533 --> 00:37:21.330 more benefits for communities in addition 00:37:21.330 --> 00:37:24.943 to reducing storm water runoff and protecting 00:37:24.955 --> 00:37:28.580 lives and property. Those co-benefits include 00:37:28.580 --> 00:37:32.553 economic benefits to communities, lower energy 00:37:32.565 --> 00:37:36.550 bills thanks to green roofs and an urban green 00:37:36.550 --> 00:37:39.151 infrastructure, lower water treatment costs 00:37:39.163 --> 00:37:41.480 when it comes to natural ????? systems 00:37:41.480 --> 00:37:44.519 functioning to slow, spread, and sink storm 00:37:44.531 --> 00:37:47.720 water. They include social benefits, creating 00:37:47.720 --> 00:37:50.875 recreational areas that are places for communities 00:37:50.887 --> 00:37:53.930 to gather around, and they include environmental 00:37:53.930 --> 00:37:57.373 and health benefits. So in order to better account 00:37:57.385 --> 00:38:00.230 for those co-benefits that non-structural 00:38:00.230 --> 00:38:03.172 solutions offer, we recommend two key changes 00:38:03.184 --> 00:38:06.010 to the Flood Intended Use Plan. First. As a 00:38:06.010 --> 00:38:08.508 minimum standard, applicants for construction 00:38:08.520 --> 00:38:11.140 funds should be required to provide an analysis 00:38:11.140 --> 00:38:14.632 of whether their project provides additional 00:38:14.644 --> 00:38:17.680 benefits beyond those flood mitigation 00:38:17.680 --> 00:38:20.299 benefits, including water quality protection, 00:38:20.311 --> 00:38:23.000 habitat maintenance or enhancement, and public 00:38:23.000 --> 00:38:26.739 recreation. Second, two changes to the selection 00:38:26.751 --> 00:38:30.349 criteria can better account for non-structural 00:38:30.349 --> 00:38:33.442 project co-benefits. We recommend including 00:38:33.454 --> 00:38:36.770 groundwater recharge as a water supply benefit 00:38:36.770 --> 00:38:40.165 in the selection criteria and providing an 00:38:40.177 --> 00:38:43.900 additional selection criteria for construction 00:38:43.900 --> 00:38:47.375 projects providing selection points for multiple 00:38:47.387 --> 00:38:50.660 benefits for water quality, wildlife habitat, 00:38:50.660 --> 00:38:53.324 and public recreation. Finally, I just want 00:38:53.336 --> 00:38:55.890 to point out a few key changes that could 00:38:55.890 --> 00:38:58.808 be made to the regional and state flood planning 00:38:58.820 --> 00:39:01.690 rules in order to account for those co-benefits 00:39:01.690 --> 00:39:04.897 of non-structural projects. First, the regional 00:39:04.909 --> 00:39:08.060 flood planning groups could require quantified 00:39:08.060 --> 00:39:11.481 reporting of the estimates of co-benefits. And 00:39:11.493 --> 00:39:14.560 second, the Texas Water Development Board 00:39:14.560 --> 00:39:16.997 should require the regional plan flood 00:39:17.009 --> 00:39:19.910 planning groups to include a description of 00:39:19.910 --> 00:39:23.013 any anticipated contributions to groundwater 00:39:23.025 --> 00:39:26.070 recharge that the flood management projects 00:39:26.070 --> 00:39:28.846 can include. Thank you so much for the opportunity 00:39:28.858 --> 00:39:31.099 to be here and for all the work that you 00:39:31.099 --> 00:39:35.150 and your staff are committed to on this important project for Texas. 00:39:35.175 --> 00:39:36.500 Thank you. 00:39:38.300 --> 00:39:41.320 Next, we have Michael Choates, National Wildlife Federation. 00:39:47.845 --> 00:39:51.900 Good morning. My name is Michael 00:39:51.900 --> 00:39:54.770 Choate. I'm the director of Texas Water Programs 00:39:54.782 --> 00:39:57.370 for the National Wildlife Federation, which 00:39:57.370 --> 00:40:00.302 is a member organization of the Texas Living 00:40:00.314 --> 00:40:03.650 Waters Project. First off, we sincerely appreciate 00:40:03.650 --> 00:40:06.273 how open and collaborative this process has 00:40:06.285 --> 00:40:09.040 been, and we thank you for that. Texas Living 00:40:09.040 --> 00:40:11.408 Waters Project is a collaborative coalition 00:40:11.420 --> 00:40:13.800 effort to improve the management and use of 00:40:13.800 --> 00:40:16.715 water, including mitigating and adapting to 00:40:16.727 --> 00:40:19.520 flooding, to ensure that people, wildlife 00:40:19.520 --> 00:40:22.438 and habitat are resilient and that there is 00:40:22.450 --> 00:40:25.580 sufficient fresh water for every living thing. 00:40:25.580 --> 00:40:27.898 Natural disasters such as hurricanes and extreme 00:40:27.910 --> 00:40:30.430 flooding do not adhere to jurisdictional boundaries. 00:40:30.430 --> 00:40:32.879 However, history shows that socially vulnerable 00:40:32.891 --> 00:40:35.250 communities, often low income and communities 00:40:35.250 --> 00:40:38.313 of color, are left behind in the disaster 00:40:38.325 --> 00:40:41.400 recovery mitigation adaptation processes. 00:40:41.400 --> 00:40:44.041 That is why it is critical the Board gives 00:40:44.053 --> 00:40:46.520 due consideration to how to award flood 00:40:46.520 --> 00:40:51.690 infrastructure funds and develop the state flood plan in an equitable 00:40:51.690 --> 00:40:54.551 manner, a manner that adequately addresses the 00:40:54.563 --> 00:40:57.130 flood risks and mitigation needs of every 00:40:57.130 --> 00:40:59.758 Texan, especially the most socially vulnerable. 00:40:59.770 --> 00:41:02.080 In Texas, there has been progress on this 00:41:02.080 --> 00:41:04.849 front. Last summer, Harris County adopted the 00:41:04.861 --> 00:41:07.339 Social Vulnerability Index as one of the 00:41:07.339 --> 00:41:10.471 criteria to be used in prioritizing a significant 00:41:10.483 --> 00:41:13.250 portion of the 241 flood projects funded by 00:41:13.250 --> 00:41:16.258 a $2.5 billion flood bond package approved 00:41:16.270 --> 00:41:19.220 by county voters. The Board is recognized 00:41:19.220 --> 00:41:22.305 the value of the SVI, along with average median 00:41:22.317 --> 00:41:25.220 household income, in the criteria the agency 00:41:25.220 --> 00:41:28.457 proposes to use to rank the projects in the 00:41:28.469 --> 00:41:31.570 draft Flood IUP for Fiscal Year 2020. NWF 00:41:31.570 --> 00:41:36.440 is encouraged that the Board is recognized the importance of including 00:41:36.440 --> 00:41:39.236 SVI into the priority criteria for projects. 00:41:39.248 --> 00:41:41.869 And it is our hope that SVI will be given 00:41:41.869 --> 00:41:44.466 more weight when determining the priority 00:41:44.478 --> 00:41:47.460 score. For example, under the current criteria, 00:41:47.460 --> 00:41:49.882 under the current scoring criteria, all projects 00:41:49.894 --> 00:41:51.980 of water supply benefits or projects that 00:41:51.980 --> 00:41:54.759 benefit a rural community will still outweigh 00:41:54.771 --> 00:41:57.380 a project that claims SV status due to the 00:41:57.380 --> 00:41:59.810 0 to 1 SV multiplier. While there is value in 00:41:59.822 --> 00:42:02.210 both of these types of projects, they should 00:42:02.210 --> 00:42:05.044 not be automatically given priority over SV community 00:42:05.056 --> 00:42:07.480 projects. Another issue that has historically 00:42:07.480 --> 00:42:10.128 disadvantaged low income communities of 00:42:10.140 --> 00:42:13.210 color are buyouts. While buyouts present an 00:42:13.210 --> 00:42:15.851 opportunity to remove families from the floodplain 00:42:15.863 --> 00:42:18.100 and reduce their flood risk, they can also 00:42:18.100 --> 00:42:20.735 impose damage to the economic, social and 00:42:20.747 --> 00:42:23.520 cultural lives of the people who are bought 00:42:23.520 --> 00:42:25.814 out. How the Board scores property acquisitions 00:42:25.826 --> 00:42:27.940 and buyout should be amended to ensure this 00:42:27.940 --> 00:42:30.455 complex flood mitigation strategy is deployed 00:42:30.467 --> 00:42:32.830 equitably. Priority points should not only 00:42:32.830 --> 00:42:35.045 be awarded on a benefit cost analysis, but 00:42:35.057 --> 00:42:37.440 should include the following criteria. Number 00:42:37.440 --> 00:42:40.022 of people no longer residing in a floodplain. 00:42:40.034 --> 00:42:42.740 Inclusion of a plan to prevent future expansion 00:42:42.740 --> 00:42:45.131 of the impacted floodplain as a result of 00:42:45.143 --> 00:42:47.890 upstream or adjacent land development. A public 00:42:47.890 --> 00:42:50.389 education and outreach component of the project 00:42:50.401 --> 00:42:52.599 to residents remaining in the floodplain. 00:42:52.599 --> 00:42:54.944 Further, a focus on what happens to residents 00:42:54.956 --> 00:42:57.210 after their properties have been bought out 00:42:57.210 --> 00:42:59.229 is key. Applicants applying for funds for 00:42:59.241 --> 00:43:01.320 acquisitions should be required to involve 00:43:01.320 --> 00:43:04.759 residents and communities in the buyout process. 00:43:04.771 --> 00:43:07.589 Likewise, applicants should be required 00:43:07.589 --> 00:43:09.518 to provide residents offers at a fair price 00:43:09.530 --> 00:43:11.470 that allows them to purchase a similar home 00:43:11.470 --> 00:43:14.695 and-or demonstrate coordination of buyouts 00:43:14.707 --> 00:43:18.020 with affordable housing. In creation of the 00:43:18.020 --> 00:43:20.588 regional flood planning groups, it is imperative 00:43:20.600 --> 00:43:23.180 that each planning group, designate a committee, 00:43:23.180 --> 00:43:26.113 subcommittee, or subgroup to consider the special 00:43:26.125 --> 00:43:28.599 flood risks impacting socially vulnerable 00:43:28.599 --> 00:43:30.540 communities within the flood planning region, 00:43:30.552 --> 00:43:32.420 and that this committee membership includes 00:43:32.420 --> 00:43:34.771 representatives of these communities. This 00:43:34.783 --> 00:43:37.200 would ensure the most vulnerable groups get 00:43:37.200 --> 00:43:39.838 due consideration in the flood planning 00:43:39.850 --> 00:43:43.180 process. We further urge that language is added 00:43:43.180 --> 00:43:45.538 to require documentation of any efforts to 00:43:45.550 --> 00:43:47.920 solicit input from vulnerable communities. 00:43:47.920 --> 00:43:50.976 We respectfully request that these be codified 00:43:50.988 --> 00:43:53.990 in the rules and not merely left as guidance. 00:43:53.990 --> 00:43:56.314 Input from the public is vital in these planning 00:43:56.326 --> 00:43:58.710 processes, and we commend the Board for including 00:43:58.710 --> 00:44:00.987 it. Therefore, we recommend the same additions to 00:44:00.999 --> 00:44:03.150 the flood mitigation and floodplain management 00:44:03.150 --> 00:44:06.028 goals with the specific addition of input on 00:44:06.040 --> 00:44:08.930 the risks from the most socially vulnerable. 00:44:08.930 --> 00:44:11.308 Under the general considerations for development 00:44:11.320 --> 00:44:13.710 of regional flood plans, we respectfully request 00:44:13.710 --> 00:44:16.100 the addition of sources, such as SVI, for each 00:44:16.112 --> 00:44:18.310 county, partially or completely within the 00:44:18.310 --> 00:44:20.962 flood planning region, and for each census 00:44:20.974 --> 00:44:23.390 tract generally prone to flood, review 00:44:23.390 --> 00:44:25.235 at this level will make sure pockets with 00:44:25.247 --> 00:44:27.060 high SVI scores within generally wealthy 00:44:27.060 --> 00:44:29.360 communities are captured. I know that's a 00:44:29.372 --> 00:44:31.849 lot, but I would like to thank the Board for 00:44:31.849 --> 00:44:34.760 all of their hard work on this. This is truly 00:44:34.772 --> 00:44:37.250 historic moment and we look forward to 00:44:37.250 --> 00:44:39.152 continuing any conversations necessary in order 00:44:39.164 --> 00:44:40.839 to make sure the most socially vulnerable 00:44:40.839 --> 00:44:43.668 in Texas are taken care of thank you. 00:44:43.693 --> 00:44:44.611 Thank you. 00:44:44.636 --> 00:44:47.930 Next we have Danielle Gerson from the Galveston 00:44:47.930 --> 00:44:51.303 Bay Foundation. 00:44:56.728 --> 00:44:58.962 Good morning, Mr Chairman 00:44:58.974 --> 00:45:01.321 and Board Members. My name is Danielle Gerson, 00:45:01.420 --> 00:45:03.359 and I am a water policy and outreach specialist 00:45:03.371 --> 00:45:05.160 for Galveston Bay Foundation, and I work as 00:45:05.160 --> 00:45:07.646 a member of the Texas Living Waters Project. 00:45:07.658 --> 00:45:10.490 Excuse me. I appreciate the opportunity to provide 00:45:10.490 --> 00:45:14.405 these comments. Since 2015, the Houston-Galveston area 00:45:14.417 --> 00:45:18.130 has experienced four 500 year floods. The continued 00:45:18.130 --> 00:45:20.992 warming of the atmosphere and oceans will 00:45:21.004 --> 00:45:23.810 only lead to more similar events of size 00:45:23.810 --> 00:45:26.526 and scope. Indeed, many of the past metrics we 00:45:26.538 --> 00:45:29.150 used to inform policy and prepare for floods 00:45:29.150 --> 00:45:32.039 are now outdated. The new flood legislation 00:45:32.051 --> 00:45:34.820 represents a great opportunity to set new 00:45:34.820 --> 00:45:37.235 standards for effective and innovated flood 00:45:37.247 --> 00:45:40.060 mitigation policy in our state. It is increasingly 00:45:40.060 --> 00:45:42.956 apparent that such efforts must include 00:45:42.968 --> 00:45:46.920 non-structural solutions such as land conservation, 00:45:46.920 --> 00:45:49.132 preservation, restoration of wetlands, and 00:45:49.144 --> 00:45:51.420 buyouts to move vulnerable communities from 00:45:51.420 --> 00:45:53.606 floodplains when necessary. G B F and the 00:45:53.618 --> 00:45:55.920 Texas Living Waters project supports and is 00:45:55.920 --> 00:45:58.712 encouraged by the Texas Water Development Board's 00:45:58.724 --> 00:46:01.359 endorsement of non-structural flood mitigation 00:46:01.359 --> 00:46:04.417 solutions in the both the intended use plan 00:46:04.429 --> 00:46:07.359 and in the rules implementing SB 7, SB 8. 00:46:07.359 --> 00:46:09.807 However, more must be done to ensure that 00:46:09.819 --> 00:46:12.220 non-structural projects are prioritized, 00:46:12.220 --> 00:46:15.387 both for the use of FIF funds and in the state 00:46:15.399 --> 00:46:18.240 and regional flood planning plans. Excuse 00:46:18.240 --> 00:46:20.315 me. We believe that non-structural solution 00:46:20.327 --> 00:46:22.320 should be prioritized under the new flood 00:46:22.320 --> 00:46:24.796 legislation. For the following reasons. First, 00:46:24.808 --> 00:46:27.560 non-structural solutions are cost effective. A 2007 00:46:27.560 --> 00:46:31.248 EPA study found that that non-structural 00:46:31.260 --> 00:46:35.230 projects cost less than structural projects 00:46:35.230 --> 00:46:38.116 for 11 out of 10 different types of projects when 00:46:38.128 --> 00:46:40.911 compared to the equivalent great infrastructure 00:46:40.911 --> 00:46:44.044 projects. Examples of savings associated with 00:46:44.056 --> 00:46:47.680 non-structural projects include those from equipment 00:46:47.680 --> 00:46:50.066 and installation costs, reduced repair and 00:46:50.078 --> 00:46:52.420 operation and maintenance costs. Further, 00:46:52.420 --> 00:46:55.060 great infrastructure projects are often extremely 00:46:55.072 --> 00:46:57.300 costly and risk becoming obsolete quicker 00:46:57.300 --> 00:47:00.068 than intended. One stark example of this is 00:47:00.080 --> 00:47:02.859 the case of New Orleans, which invested $14 00:47:02.859 --> 00:47:06.670 billion in levees, pumps and gates after Hurricane 00:47:06.682 --> 00:47:09.830 Katrina, and this is now expected to fall 00:47:09.830 --> 00:47:12.494 short of its intended degree of protection as 00:47:12.506 --> 00:47:15.240 soon as 2023. Second, non-structural solutions 00:47:15.240 --> 00:47:17.937 act as a compliment to traditional great infrastructure 00:47:17.949 --> 00:47:19.980 projects. We support a hybrid approach to 00:47:19.980 --> 00:47:25.940 flood management where the green and gray can work together to compliment one 00:47:25.940 --> 00:47:28.232 another. Third, non-structural solutions are 00:47:28.244 --> 00:47:30.600 not associated with the same risks associated 00:47:30.600 --> 00:47:33.960 with great infrastructure. As previously noted 00:47:33.972 --> 00:47:37.560 projects like channelization, and different great 00:47:37.560 --> 00:47:39.338 infrastructure projects are intended to move 00:47:39.350 --> 00:47:41.260 water quickly from properties and neighborhoods 00:47:41.260 --> 00:47:44.607 to downstream areas, which can result in flooding 00:47:44.619 --> 00:47:47.440 downstream. There are also other residual 00:47:47.440 --> 00:47:50.919 effects associated with reservoirs and dams. Fourth, 00:47:50.931 --> 00:47:53.829 non-structural projects provide communities 00:47:53.829 --> 00:47:56.247 a mild life with many benefits year round, 00:47:56.259 --> 00:47:58.349 which my colleague Katherine already 00:47:58.349 --> 00:48:01.035 discussed. Because of these benefits associate with 00:48:01.047 --> 00:48:03.589 non-structural solutions, there is an increasing 00:48:03.589 --> 00:48:08.750 need to overcome default preferences for structural projects. We believe that the 00:48:08.750 --> 00:48:11.308 Flood Intended Use Plan could be amended to 00:48:11.320 --> 00:48:13.890 overcome some of these default preferences. 00:48:13.890 --> 00:48:19.970 For example, we recommend that projects that don't incorporate non-structural 00:48:19.970 --> 00:48:21.986 features must provide an analysis that shows 00:48:21.998 --> 00:48:23.980 reasonable non-structural alternatives were 00:48:23.980 --> 00:48:26.303 explored and evaluated. Further, we believe 00:48:26.315 --> 00:48:28.650 that changes to be made in the regional and 00:48:28.650 --> 00:48:30.718 state flood planning rules in order to adequately 00:48:30.730 --> 00:48:32.810 consider, evaluate, and prioritize non-structural 00:48:32.810 --> 00:48:35.687 projects. I have three quick recommendations. 00:48:35.699 --> 00:48:38.839 First, include additional categories for existing 00:48:38.839 --> 00:48:41.452 major flood infrastructure to adequately represent 00:48:41.464 --> 00:48:43.780 the non-structural infrastructure that works 00:48:43.780 --> 00:48:46.625 to absorb slow and slow run off. Such additional 00:48:46.637 --> 00:48:49.610 features could improve prairies, prairie potholes, 00:48:49.610 --> 00:48:51.789 substantial undeveloped land areas, barrier 00:48:51.801 --> 00:48:54.240 islands, etcetera. Second, potentially infusable 00:48:54.240 --> 00:48:57.203 flood mitigation strategies and flood management 00:48:57.215 --> 00:49:00.250 projects should include a projection of estimated 00:49:00.250 --> 00:49:02.762 life span of the strategies of projects. All 00:49:02.774 --> 00:49:05.130 these comments are included in our public 00:49:05.130 --> 00:49:07.403 comments. Thank you for your time. 00:49:07.428 --> 00:49:08.205 Thank you. 00:49:08.230 --> 00:49:11.480 Next we have Anna Ferrel Sherman from Environment Texas. 00:49:23.038 --> 00:49:29.023 Hello. Good morning. I'm Anna 00:49:29.035 --> 00:49:35.711 Ferell Sherman, the clean water associate with Environment 00:49:28.410 --> 00:49:31.165 Texas. And first, I would like to thank you for 00:49:31.177 --> 00:49:33.829 your work on these flood planning guidelines. 00:49:33.829 --> 00:49:36.682 These flood plans are going to help keep Texans 00:49:36.694 --> 00:49:39.320 safe. I'd like to especially call attention 00:49:39.320 --> 00:49:42.211 to your emphasis on nature-based features and 00:49:42.223 --> 00:49:45.000 multi-use opportunities for flood projects. 00:49:45.000 --> 00:49:47.393 I know from Director Paup, who I would like 00:49:47.405 --> 00:49:49.700 to think again for attending our workshop 00:49:49.700 --> 00:49:52.217 on nature-based infrastructure earlier this 00:49:52.229 --> 00:49:54.930 month, that the Board is aware of how valuable 00:49:54.930 --> 00:49:57.646 nature-based solutions are. Rain gardens, green 00:49:57.658 --> 00:50:00.330 roofs, the conservation restoration of natural 00:50:00.330 --> 00:50:03.042 spaces and other nature-based features allow 00:50:03.054 --> 00:50:06.020 water to soak into the ground instead of flowing 00:50:06.020 --> 00:50:09.531 directly into waterways which can flood communities 00:50:09.543 --> 00:50:12.660 downstream. And at the same time as providing 00:50:12.660 --> 00:50:15.805 these flood mitigation benefits, these features 00:50:15.817 --> 00:50:18.710 provide opportunities to recharge aquifers, 00:50:18.710 --> 00:50:21.582 protect water quality, prevent erosion and 00:50:21.594 --> 00:50:24.410 also reduce wear and tear on the concrete 00:50:24.410 --> 00:50:27.856 pipe systems that we rely on in flood emergencies. 00:50:27.868 --> 00:50:30.920 So because of these benefits, it's essential 00:50:30.920 --> 00:50:33.794 that the Water Development Board proactively 00:50:33.806 --> 00:50:36.500 support nature-based solutions, and we're 00:50:36.500 --> 00:50:39.355 happy to see that they're part of the flood 00:50:39.367 --> 00:50:42.430 planning rules. There're two additional things 00:50:42.430 --> 00:50:45.287 that the Water Development Board could do to 00:50:45.299 --> 00:50:48.359 help make sure that nature-based infrastructure 00:50:48.359 --> 00:50:51.707 is used to keep Texan safe. First, in the 00:50:51.719 --> 00:50:55.079 flood financial system's rules, the Board 00:50:55.079 --> 00:50:58.163 could dedicate at least 20% of the funds to 00:50:58.175 --> 00:51:01.200 green projects. This follows the precedent 00:51:01.200 --> 00:51:03.871 set by the State Water Implementation Fund for 00:51:03.883 --> 00:51:06.280 Texas and the Clean Water State Revolving 00:51:06.280 --> 00:51:09.216 Fund and would guarantee that nature-based 00:51:09.228 --> 00:51:12.450 projects received funding through the program. 00:51:12.450 --> 00:51:15.920 The second thing would be that as the state 00:51:15.932 --> 00:51:19.730 conducts regional and state wide flood planning 00:51:19.730 --> 00:51:22.716 to include nature-based solutions in that 00:51:22.728 --> 00:51:25.440 planning. The Texas Water Development 00:51:25.440 --> 00:51:27.984 Board should support a statewide nature-based 00:51:27.996 --> 00:51:30.329 infrastructure study. A similar study was 00:51:30.329 --> 00:51:33.735 proposed by the Texas House Bill 1059, last 00:51:33.747 --> 00:51:37.320 session, and would help to ensure that nature 00:51:37.320 --> 00:51:40.292 based solutions are part of how Texas plans 00:51:40.304 --> 00:51:43.220 to deal with floods. So these two changes, 00:51:43.220 --> 00:51:46.299 setting aside 20% of the flood infrastructure fund 00:51:46.311 --> 00:51:49.099 for green projects and conducting a statewide 00:51:49.099 --> 00:51:51.493 study on nature-based infrastructure, would 00:51:51.505 --> 00:51:53.910 help provide the blueprint and the funds to 00:51:53.910 --> 00:51:56.267 make sure that nature-based solutions 00:51:56.279 --> 00:51:59.033 help keep Texan safe. Thank you very much 00:51:59.058 --> 00:52:00.741 Thank you. 00:52:00.740 --> 00:52:04.323 Next we have Mike Kelly from the City of Austin. 00:52:13.148 --> 00:52:15.260 Good morning, Chair, Members of the 00:52:15.260 --> 00:52:17.807 Board. Thank you for providing the opportunity 00:52:17.819 --> 00:52:20.160 to offer comments on the rules for the new 00:52:20.160 --> 00:52:23.086 flood financial assistance program. And for the 00:52:23.098 --> 00:52:25.730 record, my name is Mike Kelly. I represent 00:52:25.730 --> 00:52:28.089 the city of Austin's Watershed Protection 00:52:28.101 --> 00:52:30.810 Department, we're the city storm water utility, 00:52:30.810 --> 00:52:34.055 and I'm currently serving as the interim assistant 00:52:34.067 --> 00:52:36.750 director. We have submitted more detailed 00:52:36.750 --> 00:52:39.557 written comments, and today we're here to 00:52:39.569 --> 00:52:42.590 express support for the financial assistance 00:52:42.590 --> 00:52:44.917 program and also to express appreciation to 00:52:44.929 --> 00:52:47.109 the Governor, the State Legislature, and 00:52:47.109 --> 00:52:49.797 the Texas Water Development Board for having 00:52:49.809 --> 00:52:52.570 the foresight to prioritize flood preparation 00:52:52.570 --> 00:52:55.303 in Texas. As Texans, we're all vulnerable 00:52:55.315 --> 00:52:58.190 to the increasing frequency and severity of 00:52:58.190 --> 00:53:00.518 flooding, and we appreciate the leadership 00:53:00.530 --> 00:53:02.870 of the state in helping communities across 00:53:02.870 --> 00:53:05.893 Texas. We look forward to working with our 00:53:05.905 --> 00:53:09.010 regional partners here in Flash Flood Alley 00:53:09.010 --> 00:53:11.523 to address watershed flooding that crosses 00:53:11.535 --> 00:53:14.060 municipal and county boundaries. On behalf 00:53:14.060 --> 00:53:16.360 of the city of Austin, we fully support the flood 00:53:16.372 --> 00:53:18.360 financial assistance planning and planning 00:53:18.360 --> 00:53:23.010 programs and look forward to working with the Water Development Board staff 00:53:23.010 --> 00:53:26.334 upon publication of the rules. Thank you for your time. 00:53:26.359 --> 00:53:28.722 Thank you for being here. 00:53:28.747 --> 00:53:33.148 Next, we have Don Corona, Orange County Drainage District. 00:53:41.173 --> 00:53:44.959 Good morning, Chairman. Directors 00:53:44.960 --> 00:53:47.909 Jackson and Paup. Thank you all very much for 00:53:47.921 --> 00:53:51.010 this opportunity. On behalf of all of us. After 00:53:51.010 --> 00:53:54.088 the written comment period, the opportunity to 00:53:54.100 --> 00:53:57.190 appear here personally is greatly appreciated. 00:53:57.190 --> 00:53:59.822 I'm the general manager of the Orange County 00:53:59.834 --> 00:54:02.420 Drainage District. I'm from the county that 00:54:02.420 --> 00:54:08.329 Chairman Phelan noted overwhelmingly supported the proposition. I don't know 00:54:08.329 --> 00:54:12.251 any of folks who did not vote for it, as slim 00:54:12.263 --> 00:54:15.940 as they are. We have been devastated, both 00:54:15.940 --> 00:54:20.290 Harvey and Imelda. Our residents are absolutely 00:54:20.302 --> 00:54:24.300 shell shocked and are waiting for that next 00:54:24.300 --> 00:54:27.365 historic rain event to occur, that they just 00:54:27.377 --> 00:54:30.180 simply don't know when it's gonna be and 00:54:30.180 --> 00:54:39.260 nor do we. It's imperative that we engage in major infrastructure projects, 00:54:39.260 --> 00:54:42.128 and yet we have to have the funding to do 00:54:42.140 --> 00:54:45.020 so and not just loans, but but also grant 00:54:45.020 --> 00:54:47.790 opportunities. We've submitted written 00:54:47.802 --> 00:54:50.950 comments, and we would greatly appreciate 00:54:50.950 --> 00:54:53.620 the Board taking into consideration our detailed 00:54:53.632 --> 00:54:56.040 comments. I just wanna highlight just a few 00:54:56.040 --> 00:54:59.588 a few points. Orange County is a rural county 00:54:59.600 --> 00:55:03.160 we have a population of, and I'm using Orange 00:55:03.160 --> 00:55:06.083 County as an example to probably many others 00:55:06.095 --> 00:55:09.160 that this applies to. But we have a population 00:55:09.160 --> 00:55:11.914 of not much more than 80,000. Our largest 00:55:11.926 --> 00:55:14.890 city is less than 20,000. Our second largest 00:55:14.890 --> 00:55:18.482 city is less than 10,000 and yet under the draft 00:55:18.494 --> 00:55:21.950 rules is currently noted, we're not considered 00:55:21.950 --> 00:55:25.688 to be a rural county, so we would respectfully 00:55:25.700 --> 00:55:29.290 request a consideration of that, of changing 00:55:29.290 --> 00:55:32.894 the definition of a rural county. Also, Orange 00:55:32.906 --> 00:55:36.829 County is in the Beaumont-Port Arthur Metropolitan 00:55:36.829 --> 00:55:42.760 Statistical Area. That's a mark against us. 00:55:42.772 --> 00:55:48.579 And also, we do not meet the less than 75% 00:55:48.579 --> 00:55:52.829 threshold of the annual medium household income. 00:55:52.841 --> 00:55:56.320 So, in effect, across the board, Orange 00:55:56.320 --> 00:55:59.908 County is generally largely excluded from 00:55:59.920 --> 00:56:03.520 grant opportunities under the draft rules 00:56:03.520 --> 00:56:10.520 as currently noted. And I won't go through all the details of the 00:56:10.520 --> 00:56:13.517 written submission comments. I would just 00:56:13.529 --> 00:56:16.610 ask that the Board consider those. Lastly, 00:56:16.610 --> 00:56:19.681 moving onto Senate Bill 8 in terms of the 00:56:19.693 --> 00:56:22.849 composition of the regional flood planning 00:56:22.849 --> 00:56:27.294 group members. Drainage districts in Orange 00:56:27.306 --> 00:56:31.560 County, we have, we are the entity who is 00:56:31.560 --> 00:56:34.903 largely responsible for drainage and control 00:56:34.915 --> 00:56:38.420 of floods. And we would request that the Board 00:56:38.420 --> 00:56:41.998 consider identifying drainage districts as a 00:56:42.010 --> 00:56:45.520 representative entity on the regional flood 00:56:45.520 --> 00:56:48.650 planning group, as opposed to simply being 00:56:48.662 --> 00:56:51.730 subsumed within the larger group of water 00:56:51.730 --> 00:56:53.587 districts. And with that, I just want to 00:56:53.599 --> 00:56:55.650 close by saying thank you all for everything 00:56:55.650 --> 00:56:58.750 y'all are doing. Y'all are the the sunshine that 00:56:58.762 --> 00:57:01.620 is there. The Water Development Board is it. 00:57:01.620 --> 00:57:04.774 And we appreciate everything that you're doing. Thank you. 00:57:04.799 --> 00:57:06.199 Thank you, Don. 00:57:06.224 --> 00:57:07.599 Next, we have 00:57:07.600 --> 00:57:10.296 Ned Munoz from the Texas Association of Builders. 00:57:23.415 --> 00:57:25.415 Thank you. Ned Munoz with the Texas 00:57:25.440 --> 00:57:27.836 Association of Builders. Certainly appreciate 00:57:27.848 --> 00:57:30.099 the opportunity to be here before you all. 00:57:30.099 --> 00:57:33.957 What I want to talk about today is Chapter 00:57:33.969 --> 00:57:37.930 360, the proposed Chapters 361 and 362 that 00:57:37.930 --> 00:57:40.813 is implementing Senate Bill 8. But I do want 00:57:40.825 --> 00:57:43.720 to obviously thank Chairman Phelan, Chairman 00:57:43.720 --> 00:57:45.785 Creighton, Chairman Perry, and Chairman Larson, 00:57:45.797 --> 00:57:47.701 as well as the Water Development Board, for 00:57:47.701 --> 00:57:50.249 all the work that has been done. We were big 00:57:50.261 --> 00:57:52.650 supporters of SB 7 and SB 8. We certainly 00:57:52.650 --> 00:57:56.354 appreciate the rules. And as we all know, Texas 00:57:56.366 --> 00:57:59.540 has a proclivity for for severe weather, 00:57:59.540 --> 00:58:02.377 flooding, hurricanes and so forth. So we appreciate 00:58:02.389 --> 00:58:04.800 the need for flood mitigation and recognize 00:58:04.800 --> 00:58:08.240 the importance of that. I want to make just 00:58:08.252 --> 00:58:11.390 two comments today. The first is on the 00:58:11.390 --> 00:58:13.343 representation. We certainly appreciate both 00:58:13.355 --> 00:58:15.319 the bill and the rules allowing for industry 00:58:15.319 --> 00:58:17.175 and small business. Obviously, as part of 00:58:17.187 --> 00:58:19.099 that, I think it's very important that the 00:58:19.099 --> 00:58:21.751 residential building and development community 00:58:21.763 --> 00:58:24.200 be well represented there. Texas leads the 00:58:24.200 --> 00:58:27.480 nation in housing starts, yet again, for the 00:58:27.492 --> 00:58:30.710 umpteenth straight year. It's a big part of 00:58:30.710 --> 00:58:32.796 the economy here in Texas, provides a lot of 00:58:32.808 --> 00:58:34.859 jobs and economic development, so it's very 00:58:34.859 --> 00:58:41.070 important that residential building and development be a part of that. And on 00:58:41.070 --> 00:58:47.077 the second aspect, I do, you know, we recognize 00:58:47.089 --> 00:58:52.230 the importance of the non-infrastructure 00:58:52.230 --> 00:58:55.888 aspects of flood development so forth. But 00:58:55.900 --> 00:58:59.400 it's important to note that SB 8 did not 00:58:59.400 --> 00:59:03.663 provide any new or extended land use powers 00:59:03.675 --> 00:59:07.950 to entities. Nor did it give those land use 00:59:07.950 --> 00:59:12.125 powers to the state. And the concern that we 00:59:12.137 --> 00:59:16.230 have is in section 361.35A4. And it appears 00:59:16.230 --> 00:59:19.313 that the original flood planning groups may 00:59:19.325 --> 00:59:22.420 adopt land use or other standards that each 00:59:22.420 --> 00:59:26.212 regional entity would then need to adopt and 00:59:26.224 --> 00:59:29.690 enforce in order for certain strategies 00:59:29.690 --> 00:59:31.950 and valuations and projects to be including in 00:59:31.962 --> 00:59:34.089 that plan, and the concern we have there is 00:59:34.089 --> 00:59:37.915 that those could include land use powers and 00:59:37.927 --> 00:59:41.510 other powers that are either precluded by 00:59:41.510 --> 00:59:43.776 the state from entities having or given to 00:59:43.788 --> 00:59:45.960 the states that entities currently don't 00:59:45.960 --> 00:59:47.708 have. I think it's an easy fix. I think it's 00:59:47.720 --> 00:59:49.440 just a matter of putting something in there 00:59:49.440 --> 00:59:52.853 that they could, they may adopt those 00:59:52.865 --> 00:59:57.030 powers that are currently given and allowed 00:59:57.030 --> 00:59:59.578 by those entities. I think it's an easy fix, 00:59:59.590 --> 01:00:02.150 but it is important because while a lot goes 01:00:02.150 --> 01:00:05.800 into the price of a home, you know, market forces 01:00:05.812 --> 01:00:09.400 that can't be controlled, what can be controlled 01:00:09.400 --> 01:00:11.243 is regulations, and that's something that 01:00:11.255 --> 01:00:13.109 is important to us. Housing affordability 01:00:13.109 --> 01:00:15.343 is huge to us. We want to make sure that as 01:00:15.355 --> 01:00:17.550 people come to this state, we can continue 01:00:17.550 --> 01:00:20.093 to house them. Workforce housing, first time 01:00:20.105 --> 01:00:22.490 home buyers and the first time move up is 01:00:22.490 --> 01:00:25.311 in the most demand and in shortest supply because 01:00:25.323 --> 01:00:27.930 of rising home prices. So it's very important 01:00:27.930 --> 01:00:30.795 to keep that in mind. Again, I think it's an 01:00:30.807 --> 01:00:33.940 easy fix, but we certainly appreciate everything 01:00:33.940 --> 01:00:36.230 here. We will provide written comments by 01:00:36.242 --> 01:00:38.599 Monday at five, flushing that out a little 01:00:38.599 --> 01:00:40.567 more, but did want to just bring that to 01:00:40.579 --> 01:00:42.800 y'all's attention. We again really appreciate 01:00:42.800 --> 01:00:44.966 all the work that has been done by the Legislature 01:00:44.978 --> 01:00:46.900 and by the Board and look forward to working 01:00:46.900 --> 01:00:49.672 with you. Thank you very much. 01:00:49.697 --> 01:00:50.873 Thanks, Ned. 01:00:52.629 --> 01:01:01.829 Next we have Michael Booth. Mike Booth? 01:01:01.829 --> 01:01:07.123 Oh, I'm sorry. Well, that means that I have no 01:01:07.135 --> 01:01:12.440 more cards from anybody that wishes to address 01:01:12.440 --> 01:01:14.273 the Board at this time. 01:01:14.298 --> 01:01:17.022 If any remaining member of 01:01:17.034 --> 01:01:19.771 the public would like to address the Board, 01:01:19.770 --> 01:01:27.500 now would be the time. If not, before we conclude this item, I do want to thank 01:01:27.500 --> 01:01:30.896 everybody who is here today for the time and 01:01:30.908 --> 01:01:34.089 effort that they put into their comments. 01:01:34.089 --> 01:01:36.784 The contributions. As you all know, this is 01:01:36.796 --> 01:01:39.380 an unprecedented effort, and we're really 01:01:39.380 --> 01:01:43.538 starting from scratch here. It's tremendous 01:01:43.550 --> 01:01:47.530 for us to hear that staff has done such a 01:01:47.530 --> 01:01:49.904 good job. We will continue to be an open book 01:01:49.916 --> 01:01:52.250 and continue to welcome input throughout the 01:01:52.250 --> 01:01:55.050 development of these programs. And of 01:01:55.062 --> 01:01:58.329 course, I want to thank the staff for all 01:01:58.329 --> 01:02:03.010 of the hard work. This has been a heavy lift. Y'all have done a tremendous 01:02:03.010 --> 01:02:06.520 job with very, very challenging new initiative. 01:02:06.532 --> 01:02:09.760 I know it's not easy, but thank you for all 01:02:09.760 --> 01:02:13.178 that you put into it on. Finally, I want to thank 01:02:13.190 --> 01:02:16.140 Chairman Phelan, Chairman Larson, Chairman 01:02:16.140 --> 01:02:19.581 Creighton, and Chairman Perry for their leadership 01:02:19.593 --> 01:02:22.640 at the Legislature. As chairman Phelan said, 01:02:22.640 --> 01:02:25.948 this really is a landmark legislation that 01:02:25.960 --> 01:02:29.589 will make a measurable difference in the lives 01:02:29.589 --> 01:02:33.625 of Texans. And, finally, I want thank Governor Abbot 01:02:33.637 --> 01:02:37.380 for his leadership as well. Any other questions? 01:02:37.380 --> 01:02:48.579 Comments? No formal action required on that item. The Board will not meet 01:02:48.579 --> 01:02:52.623 in closed session today. This Texas Water Development 01:02:52.635 --> 01:02:55.940 Board meeting is hereby adjourned. The time 01:02:55.940 --> 01:03:00.020 is 11:38 AM.