Photo: ©albradenphoto.com
By Cyrus Reed
Lobbyists at the Texas Capitol know the secret – If it ain’t in the budget, it ain’t gonna happen. We know it too. The fate of environment, water, and parks and wildlife budgets may soon be sealed, and the agencies that support critical programs in these areas are at risk of getting their funding chopped.
Though there are many committees in the Texas Legislature that cover air, water, and parks and wildlife, the Senate Committee on Finance and the House Committee on Appropriations are the ones that hold the purse strings. They are currently marking up the section of the budget that covers the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ), the Texas Water Development Board (TWDB), and the Texas Department of Parks and Wildlife (TPWD).
Tell them Texans care about our parks, clean air programs, and water management.
Specifically, the budget committees should:
- Fund the Texas Emissions Reduction Plan (TERP) the full amount (~$200 million) that is collected for it through fees.
- Fund the Low-Income Vehicle Repair and Replacement or “Drive-A-Clean Machine” program the full $40 million per year that is collected for it.
- Use the full amount of the sporting goods sales tax for state parks operations.
- Ensure at least $15.5 million for grants for maintenance and development of local parks.
- Establish a $6.5 million fund for acquisition and development of new parklands.
- Fund Water Resources Data (including groundwater monitoring) a minimum of $5 million per year.
- Fund groundwater Technical Assistance programs a minimum of $5 million per year.
There is only one bill the Texas Legislature needs to pass – the budget bill. Make your voice heard before it’s too late!