PUBLIC HEARING PLANNED FOR BRAZOS REGION G WATER PLANNING GROUP 2021 INITIALLY PREPARED PLAN
May 1, 2020 -- A public hearing is scheduled for Wednesday, June 3, 2020, at 10 a.m., to take comment on the Initially Prepared Brazos G Regional Water Plan for 2021.
The purpose of the hearing is to receive oral and/or written comments regarding the content of the 2021 Brazos Region G Initially Prepared Plan that, once accepted, will become part of the 2022 State Water Plan. Though no action will be taken at this hearing, all members of the public are encouraged to attend to voice their endorsement or concern for projects and programs included in the plan.
HOW TO PARTICIPATE IN THE PUBLIC HEARING
In response to the COVID-19 situation, Governor Abbott issued a disaster declaration on March 13, 2020, which was followed up on March 16, 2020 with a limited approval to temporarily suspend specific open meetings laws in order to allow governmental bodies to conduct public meetings by telephone or video conference. As authorized by such declaration/approval the location and method of the public hearing will be contingent upon the status of these or any other declarations/approvals that may be in effect on June 3rd. Accordingly, Brazos G intends to hold the June 3, 2020 public hearing as follows:
1) If approval to hold public meetings by teleconference is still in effect, the Brazos G IPP Public Hearing will be held by teleconference through the Skype conferencing system at 10 a.m. on June 3, 2020. The teleconference can be accessed from any telephone at:
Toll-free number: 469-206-8623
Conference ID: 519584607
2) If approval to hold public meetings by teleconference is no longer in effect, the Brazos G IPP Public Hearing will be held at 10:00 a.m. on June 3, 2020 at the Brazos River Authority Central Office, 4600 Cobbs Drive, Waco, Texas 76710.
3) If approval is provided to hold public meetings both in-person and by teleconference, the Brazos G IPP Public Hearing will take place at the Brazos River Authority Central Office, 4600 Cobbs Drive, Waco, Texas 76710 at 10:00 a.m. on June 3, 2020 and will also be accessible through the Skype conferencing system, which can be accessed from any telephone at:
Toll-free number: 469-206-8623
Conference ID: 519584607
A copy of the Initially Prepared Plan for 2021 is available for viewing on the Brazos G Water Planning Group website at www.brazosgwater.org.
Copies of the plan can be viewed at the county clerk’s office and at a depository library in each county within the Brazos G planning area including Bell, Bosque, Brazos, Burleson, Callahan, Comanche, Coryell, Eastland, Erath, Falls, Fisher, Grimes, Hamilton, Haskell, Hill, Hood, Johnson, Jones, Kent, Knox, Lampasas, Lee, Limestone, McLennan, Milam, Nolan, Palo Pinto, Robertson, Shackleford, Somervell, Stephens, Stonewall, Taylor, Throckmorton, Washington, Williamson, and Young counties. A printed copy is also available for viewing at the Brazos River Authority office, 4600 Cobbs Drive, Waco, Texas 76710, during regular business hours.
Written comments regarding the initially prepared plan will be accepted from May 4, 2020, to August 2, 2020, at 5 p.m. via email at Stephen.hamlin@brazos.org or can be mailed to:
Brazos River Authority, c/o Stephen Hamlin, P.O. Box 7555, Waco, TX 76714-7555
Questions or requests for additional information should be directed to Stephen Hamlin at (254) 761-3172 or by e-mail at Stephen.hamlin@brazos.org. The Brazos River Authority is the administrative agency for the Brazos G Regional Water Planning Group.
Brazos G and Texas Water Planning
Brazos G is one of 16 regional water planning areas established by the Texas Water Development Board to develop a regional water plan that will be incorporated into the final State Water Plan. Brazos G was formed in 1998 to develop a comprehensive regional water plan for its 37-county planning area, which extends generally along the Brazos River from Kent, Stonewall and Knox Counties in the northwest to Washington and Lee Counties in the southeast.
Brazos G selected the Brazos River Authority as the political subdivision charged with day-to-day administration and HDR Engineering, Inc. as the lead consulting firm. The regional water plans provide for the orderly development, management, and conservation of water resources, and include drought preparation and response. The goal of the planning process is to assure that sufficient water will be available at a reasonable cost to ensure public health, safety and welfare, further economic development and protect agricultural and natural resources.
The 2022 State Water Plan will become part of the 11th state water plan and the fifth state water plan based on the regional water planning process. In addition to incorporating the regional water plans, the state plan serves as a guide to state water policy and includes legislative recommendations that the TWDB believes are needed and desirable to facilitate voluntary water transfers. The plan also identifies river and stream segments of unique ecological value and sites of unique value for the construction of reservoirs that the TWDB recommends for protection. For additional information, go to http://www.twdb.texas.gov/waterplanning/swp/index.asp