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Gregg County OKs legal services, appoints judge to regional groundwater district talks
Summary
Commissioners approved a professional-services agreement with Select Law Group PLLC to assist on formation of a regional groundwater conservation district and appointed the county judge to a multi-county joint committee to pursue the district; county officials said the district would be fee-based and target large commercial pumpers, not domestic wells.
The Gregg County Commissioners Court on July 14 approved a professional services agreement with Select Law Group PLLC to begin work on creating a regional groundwater conservation district and appointed the county judge to represent the county on a multi-county joint committee.
The agreement and appointment followed a presentation explaining that much of northeast Texas currently lacks a groundwater conservation district, leaving valuable aquifers such as the Carrizo-Wilcox vulnerable to large export projects. The courts speaker introducing the item said the plan under discussion would likely cover about 15 counties and would be designed to keep per-county costs low by spreading administrative expenses across participating counties.
Brian, a representative asked to explain the proposal, said the regional effort would focus on commercial well owners and public water systems. "This is going to be fee based. It will not be tax based," Brian said, adding that domestic and livestock wells would generally be excluded from permitting and fee requirements described in the presentation.
Commissioners asked about membership and representation; the presenter said about 10 of the roughly 15 counties had already approved participation and appointed representatives to a joint committee working with the legislative delegation to pursue enabling legislation. The court voted to approve the professional services agreement and to appoint the county judge as the countys representative on the multi-county committee; the motions were carried by voice vote.
The presentation cited ongoing and planned export projects that tap the Carrizo-Wilcox aquifer and described the proposed district as a tool to regulate drilling and operations in the region under state law. The county judge and commissioners said they preferred a fee-based structure so that private well owners and small domestic users would not face the permitting regime aimed at large pumpers.
Next steps include working with the Select Law Group to draft proposed statutory language and coordinate with neighboring counties and state legislative sponsors. The court did not set a timeline for filing or for the committees next meeting at the time of the vote.
