Q&A with Representative Lyle Larson and former Senator J.E. "Buster" Brown Representative Lyle Larson represents Texas House District 122 1. As the Chairman of the House Natural Resources Committee, he is the state’s leader on water policy issues in the Texas House. Former Senator J.E. “Buster” Brown posed these questions to Chairman Larson, and what follows is a very interesting conversation. Brown: First of all, tell us about yourself — where you live, what you do for a living and about your prior public service.
forward the discussion on setting Desired Future Conditions, groundwater-surface water interaction, and other issues as well.
Larson: I was born and raised on a farm in San Antonio, and currently live in northern Bexar County just outside the city limits. Directly after graduating from Texas A&M University, I worked first for Nalco Chemical Company and subsequently for Johnson & Johnson, distributing surgical equipment. For the last 30 years, I've owned and operated a small business that sells identification card manufacturing equipment, and owned and operated a business that puts on farming, ranching, and hunting expos. At age 30 I was elected to San Antonio City Council, where I served two terms and got my feet wet in water policy during the Edwards Aquifer wars of the 1990s. I then served as a Bexar County Commissioner for 12 years, before being elected to the Texas House in 2010
Brown: Rural areas of Texas continue to provide food and fiber for Texas and, in some cases, the world. How does Texas’ future water supply guarantee that continued production?
Brown: In general, what do you see as the major water issues for the upcoming Session? Larson: If drought conditions persist into March, there could be real interest in advancing legislation to ensure the availability of water supplies. Based on the proceedings at the Public Utility Commission (PUC) over the past 24 months and deliberations within the water industry, reforming the process by which wholesale water rates are challenged and undermined at the PUC merits additional direction by the Legislature. Understanding there are diverse opinions on this issue, we need to make sure that contracts are not invalidated by state agencies where large water projects and the state's credit rating are at stake. We also look forward to moving Footnote:
1.Texas House District 122 is located in Bexar County. 8
Quench — 2020 - Issue 6
Larson: It's critical that we continue to grow food and fiber as close as possible to the population centers as we can. The balancing of water needs in the rural areas with the growing demand in urban areas is critical for the growth and sustainability of Texas and the country as a whole. Bottom line: we can’t cannibalize all the water for the urban areas at the expense of the rural areas because it would be counter to the entire state's interests and the global food supply. Brown: Do you see any “new” water sources on the horizon for Texas? Larson: There are several ways to add "new" water to the state's inventory: through enhanced science and regulatory reform that puts more of the state's existing groundwater and surface water resources on the table for development, through technological advancements that allow for the reuse of previously unusable water, or through importing water from outside the state's boundaries from the Gulf of Mexico or a neighboring state. With the growth projection for the state, the development of "new" non-traditional water sources like seawater desal, oilfield water, and interstate water sales are inevitable and simply a matter of time. As with any project, this will be based on demand, the cost of the developed water relative to the next cheapest source, leadership by a local
