HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING

COMMITTEE:   Natural Resources 

TIME & DATE: 9:30 AM, Tuesday, April 26, 2016 

PLACE:       Brownsville, Texas (please see below) 
CHAIR:       Rep. Jim Keffer 

The hearing will be held at:

Brownsville City Hall

2nd Floor-Commission Chambers

1001 E. Elizabeth St.

Brownsville, TX 78520

The Committee will address the following topics and interim charges:

Water Quality

Interim Charge 9: Conduct legislative oversight and monitoring of the agencies and programs under the committee’s jurisdiction and the implementation of relevant legislation passed by the 84th Legislature. In conducting this oversight, the committee should:

a. consider any reforms to state agencies to make them more responsive to Texas taxpayers and citizens;

b. identify issues regarding the agency or its governance that may be appropriate to investigate, improve, remedy, or eliminate;

c. determine whether an agency is operating in a transparent and efficient manner;

d. identify opportunities to streamline programs and services while maintaining the mission of the agency and its programs.

Desalination

Interim Charge 4: Evaluate the progress of seawater desalination projects near the Texas coast as a means of increasing water supplies and reducing strain on existing supplies, building on the work of the Joint Interim Committee to Study Water Desalination (83rd session). Examine the viability of the use of public-private partnerships and of methods by which the state might facilitate such a project.

Interim Charge 5: Monitor the use of funds made available to Texas in relation to the 2010 Deepwater Horizon oil spill. Consider approaches to maximize the benefit of these funds for the long-term stability of the coastal economy and ecosystems.

The Committee will hear invited and public testimony.

NOTICE OF ASSISTANCE AT PUBLIC MEETINGS

Persons with disabilities who plan to attend this meeting and who may need assistance, such as a sign language interpreter, are requested to contact Stacey Nicchio at (512) 463-0850, 72 hours prior to the meeting so that appropriate arrangements can be made.