September 30, 2009
LCRA Encourages Residents to “Stay Involved” Regarding Transmission Line Planning
The LCRA met with the Mason County Commissioners’ Court on Monday morning, then returned that afternoon for an open house with the City. Both meetings drew large crowds, and lots of questions, as Mason residents expressed their concern about the possibility of high voltage transmission lines being built through the county. Read full Mason County News article here.
September 24, 2009
Intensity of drought surpasses previous droughts
Despite scattered rainfall, the Colorado River basin remains in a severe drought that is affecting water supply, LCRA staff told the Board of Directors this week. As a result, LCRA is considering whether to take additional drought management actions. Read full LCRA media release here.
PUC Moves to Protect Texas Hill Country Region
Today, the Public Utility Commission (PUC) took a monumental step to protect the Texas Hill Country region from the effects of ill-planned energy sprawl. With the support of the Clear View Alliance (CVA) and its network of like-minded organizations and individuals, the PUC granted the LCRA’s motion to extend the deadline for filing the proposed routes for the high-voltage transmission lines slated to be built in the region. The delay will give the LCRA time to study a broader area that includes an existing 138 kV transmission line right-of-way and the I-10 corridor. Read full media release here.
LCRA gets more time to study power line routes
Hill Country landowners cheered Thursday’s vote by the state’s Public Utility Commission to give the Lower Colorado River Authority more time to study potential routes for high-voltage power lines planned there and in West Texas. Read full SA Express article here.
Neiman: No do-overs for Hill Country
Wind energy is renewable. The Texas Hill Country is not. The Lower Colorado River Authority’s Transmission Services Corp., charged with building high-voltage transmission lines through the environmentally sensitive region, has heard that message loud and clear. Read full Statesman.com article here.
September 21, 2009
Tell CAMPO how you would prefer Central Texas to invest in the regional transportation system.
CAMPO announces People, Planning and Preparing for the Future: Your 25 Year Transportation Plan – 3 Concepts. Get involved, take CAMPO’s 3 Concepts survey here.
September 18, 2009
Energy ‘Sprawl’ and the Green Economy
Secretary of the Interior Ken Salazar recently announced plans to cover 1,000 square miles of land in Nevada, Arizona, California, Colorado, New Mexico and Utah with solar collectors to generate electricity. He’s also talking about generating 20% of our electricity from wind. This would require building about 186,000 50-story wind turbines that would cover an area the size of West Virginia—not to mention 19,000 new miles of high-voltage transmission lines. Read full Wall Street Journal article here.
September 17, 2009
LCRA asks PUC for time to look at other routes for wind power transmission lines
Hoping to study alternative routes for transmission lines that would carry wind power from West Texas to the central part of the state, the Lower Colorado River Authority asked the Public Utility Commission on Wednesday for more time before filing more information on the lines. Read full Statesman.com article here.
Army, warbler making peace
The Nature Conservancy and Fort Sam Houston were poised to announce today a five-year agreement to bolster Camp Bullis by finding and purchasing land to set aside as habitat for an endangered songbird. Read full SA Express article here.
September 16, 2009
County, City Both Pass Resolutions Concerning LCRA Transmission Line
The Mason County Commissioners’ Court had a three hour meeting on Monday, and the Mason City Commission was only fifteen minutes shorter. A topic that took up much of the discussion at both meetings was the possible routing of an LCRA transmission line through Mason County, skirting the city before heading south to Kendal County. Read full Mason County News article here.
September 15, 2009
Fall Hill Country Expo set for Oct. 1 in Mason
The Texas AgriLife Extension Service’s office in Mason County will conduct their Fall Hill Country Expo October 1st. Dr. Judon Fambrough, senior lecturer and attorney with the Real Estate Center at Texas A&M University at College Station, is the scheduled keynote speaker for the afternoon session. He is set to speak on emerging issues facing the Texas Hill Country including emminent domain, power line easements and landowner liability. Read full media release here.
September 14, 2009
Come join us for the 10th Annual Renewable Energy Roundup and Green Living Fair!
September 25 – 27, in historic Fredericksburg, Texas. You can see the latest in eco-friendly technologies. Learn how to save and create your own energy. Attend informative talks by the experts. Visit with our vendors to see contemporary green living and sustainability practices. Come test drive the next generation in personal transportation. It’s fun, environmentally friendly, and a great place to learn how you can make a difference! HCA will be exhibiting, if you would like to participate and volunteer in our booth, please contact HCA (link). Details about the festival here.
2010 Texas’ Most Endangered Places
Preservation Texas has issued a call for nominations for its 2010 list of Texas’ Most Endangered Places and is asking Texans to help identify threatened historic resources by submitting nominations. Two wonderful Hill Country Treasure made the list last year, Hamilton Pool Road and Scenic Loop-Boerne Stage Corridor. If you’re thinking about submitting a nomination in the Hill Country, please contact HCA We have volunteers who can help and advise you. Details from Preservation Texas here.
Critical dates are fast approaching in the rush for the PUC to run massive power lines through the Hill Country
Routes are being determined now, landowners can participate in the process. LCRA will submit applications which will include preferred routes on October 7th and October 28th. Click here for details from SOS Hill Country. More on this issue here.
September 13, 2009
PGA resort fights for another tax break
Four years after the city granted a famously controversial tax deal to the PGA Tour golf resort, the owner is fighting for lower property taxes by claiming the site’s two golf courses provide a wildlife refuge for birds and deer. Read full Express-News article here.
September 11, 2009
Edwards Aquifer Recovery Implementation Program
Senator Glenn Hegar addressed the stakeholders of the Edwards Aquifer Recovery Implementation Program (EARIP) Thursday, to stress the significance of the work beginning this fall on the technical and policy decisions required for the development of the EARIP Habitat Conservation Plan. Read full media release here.
Aquifer District Adopts Additional Rules to Protect Groundwater
The Barton Springs/Edwards Aquifer Conservation District has changed its rules to manage more equitably its groundwater resources and to respond more effectively to severe and prolonged droughts. At its Board meeting last night, the District’s Board of Directors approved a sweeping set of rule changes to accomplish those objectives. Read full media release here.
September 9, 2009
A new drought focused non-profit has recently been formed
The Texas Drought Project will bring together experts in farming, ranching, hydrology, civil engineering, climatology, conservation and environmental science to present forums in key regions most affected by drought in Texas. Click here to learn more.
September 8, 2009
Town Hall Meeting debate over City of Austin’s Water Treatment Plan 4
Water Treatment Plan 4, is a City of Austin project to pump, treat and pipe water from Lake Travis – ultimately producing 300 million gallons of water a day. There will be a Town Hall style meeting 6:00pm Thursday, September 17th at St. Edward’s University to debate this issue. Participate and learn the facts, does this make good economic and environmental sense? Learn more about this issue here.
September 4, 2009
FLOW on over to Wimberley September 11-13 For Love Of Water
This water event is unique in bringing together the heart and soul of water to ease the fears brought on by drought, dried up rivers and springs and dusty wells. The speakers present information you need to be aware of and practical actions you can take, collectively and individually, to improve the water cycle, to catch the raindrops where they fall, to reduce waste and to collaborate with others to insure our water resource is sustainable far into the future. Learn more here.
Drought drying Barton Springs
The most severe drought in the nation is drying up one of Austin’s most treasured natural resources, the spring-fed Barton Creek Pool where more than 400,000 visitors from around the world flock each year. Read full SA Express story here.