The Texas Water Development Board met on December 15 to take up several items. The board approved financial assistance totaling $totaling $22,689,845 for water and flood projects.

The full agenda can be found here and an archive of this hearing can be found here.

 

This report is intended to give you an overview and highlight the discussions on the various topics taken up. It is not a verbatim transcript of the discussions but is based upon what was audible or understandable to the observer and the desire to get details out as quickly as possible with few errors or omissions.

 

Item 1: Discussion regarding outreach efforts and activities by the Board.

  • Peyton – Notes Senate Confirmation is upcoming during the legislative session, has been meeting with Senators in anticipation of those discussions
  • Peyton – made a trip to Laredo for a ground breaking ceremony, met with City of El Paso Water Utilities and heard about their projects, attended SWIFT, etc legislative hearings, and spoke with several panelist for flood panel at Water for Texas Conference
  • Paup – thanks the agency staff, presented at Texas Assoc of Builders, met with UT Permian Basin, Environmental Ladies who lunch, spoke at women for Texas Public Service Leadership summit, attended SWIFT, etc legislative hearings and spoke, met with Environmental Defense Fund

 

Item 2: Consider approving the 88th Session Legislative Priorities Report for the Texas Water Development Board. (Claire Boyer) Board Agenda #02 Document

  • Refined during strategic planning process and appropriations request process which are:
    • Provide specific statutory authority
    • Flood Statutory Updates
    • TexMesonet Statutory Authority
    • Texas Natural Resources Information System Modernization
    • Texas Open Meetings Act Virtual Allowance
    • MOU Statutory Update
    • Water Planning Notice Statutory Revision
  • Peyton and Paup – share appreciation for staff and report
  • Item approved

 

Item 3: Consider adopting a rule review plan for the Texas Water Development Board related to its rules contained in 31 Texas Administrative Code, Part 10. (Alexis Lorick) Board Agenda #03 Document

  • The Executive Administrator recommends the adoption of a proposed rule review schedule for Agency rules in Title 31, Part 10
  • The following chapters of rules for the first quarter of calendar year 2023:
    • Title 31, Part 10, Chapter 353, Introductory Provisions
    • Title 31, Part 10, Chapter 354, Memoranda of Understanding
    • Title 31, Part 10, Chapter 380, Alternative Dispute Resolution
  • Item approved

 

Item 4: Briefing and discussion of the timeline for the 2023 funding cycle of the SWIFT program. (William Alfaro) Board Agenda #04 Document

  • The TWDB will open the solicitation period for the 2023 Funding Cycle on December 15,v2022
  • Abridged applications will be due on February 1, 2023.
  • All financial commitments are expected to close by December 2023
  • Peyton – mentions uncertainties of future in cost of supplies, appreciates getting this moving
  • Paup – in 9 cycles almost $10b in commitments, successful program

 

Item 5: Consider approving the Project Priority List that will be incorporated into the Intended Use Plan for the Economically Distressed Areas Program. (William Alfaro) Board Agenda #05 Document

  • 23 abridged applications are considered eligible for funding under EDAP and have been prioritized, as shown in Attachment 1, for a total EDAP-eligible amount of $290,101,416.
  • Peyton – thanks staff for work on assisting with applications
  • Paup – thrilled with 2019 vote on approving proposition, glad this is moving forward
  • Item approved

 

Item 6: Consider authorizing the Executive Administrator to approve the rate schedule for the Hydrographic Survey Program. (Mindy Conyers) Board Agenda #06 Document

  • Since the inception of the program, over 190 reservoir surveys have been conducted, providing crucial information on reservoir storage capacity and the rate of loss of capacity due to sediment deposition.
  • The Executive Administrator recommends approval of the Hydrographic Survey Program’s proposed rate schedule until a subsequent review is deemed necessary or the two-year

required review period has elapsed.

  • Current rate scheduled was recommended
  • Peyton – effectively serving 95% of water storage capacity in the state, surprised this is not mandatory thing to do
  • Paup – providing an excellent value, have done 190 of these surveys
  • Item approved

 

Item 7: Consider approving a plan to prioritize improvements to the project review process. (Jessica Peña) Board Agenda #07 Document

  • Report detailed at Dec 7 work session, included tasks for greater efficiencies and timelines
  • Recommends approving the plan
  • Peyton – appreciates adopting continuous improvement process, addressing how to handle additional responsibilities in efficient and thorough way
  • Paup – roadmap for continuous improvement, thanks staff
  • Item approved

 

Item 8: Consider approving by resolution a request from the City of Lexington (Lee County) for $2,454,100 in financial assistance consisting of $1,765,000 in financing and $689,100 in principal forgiveness from the Drinking Water State Revolving Fund for planning, acquisition, design, and construction of a water system improvements project. (Tom Barnett) Board Agenda #08 Document

  • Peyton and Paup – affirmed project
  • Peyton – confirmed there would not be a rate increase on the residents, highlights cost savings being provided
  • Item approved

 

Item 9: Consider approving by resolution a request from the City of Daisetta (Liberty County) for $2,310,000 in financial assistance consisting of $980,000 in financing and $1,310,280 in principal forgiveness from the Drinking Water State Revolving Fund for planning, acquisition, design, and construction of a water system improvements project. (Nancy Richards) Board Agenda #09 Document

  • Peyton – type of city this program is designed to serve
  • Paup – tremendous financial package put together by staff
  • Cindy Birchfield, Citizen – thank you, package receiving is incredible, over 50% of city is low income and wanted to touch on EDAP application
    • Epitome of what the EDAP program is for, they were deemed ineligible due to model subdivision rules
    • Would like them to set up something in the future to help flag circumstances like this, no opportunity to correct application
    • Paup – will continue to work with city to try to get them in other programs
    • Peyton – sympathetic to concerns on application process, notes EDAP is over prescribed
  • Item approved

 

Item 10: Consider approving by resolution a request from the Harris County Flood Control District (Harris County) for $10,525,745 in grant from the Flood Infrastructure Fund for construction of a flood mitigation. (Nancy Richards) Board Agenda #10 Document

  • Peyton – area that needs these funds dramatically, remove certain structures from flood plain, etc is exactly what these funds are made for
  • Paup – removing homes from flood plain is a big deal
  • Item approved

 

Item 11: Consider approving by resolution a request from the City of San Marcos (Hays County) for $1,600,000 in financial assistance consisting of $1,120,000 in financing and $480,000 in grant from the Flood Infrastructure Fund for design and construction of a drainage improvements project. (Dain Larsen) Board Agenda #11 Document & Item 12: Consider approving by resolution a request from the City of San Marcos (Hays County) for $5,800,000 in financial assistance consisting of $4,060,000 in financing and $1,740,000 in grant from the Flood Infrastructure Fund for design and construction of a drainage improvements project. (Dain Larsen) Board Agenda #12 Document

  • Item 11 and 12 taken together
  • Peyton – intersection of storm water and transportation infrastructure, need to address here but also need to be mindful of in future for city planners and developers
  • Paup – doing exactly what this was intended to do, save lives and property
  • Item(s) approved

 

Item 13: Consider amending by resolution previously adopted Texas Water Development Board Resolution No. 22-048, to modify the City of Dilley’s Clean Water State Revolving Fund commitment to extend the commitment period. (Dain Larsen) Board Agenda #13 Document

  • Peyton – commends city and agency for working with city to right size project scope
  • Item approved

 

Item 14: Consider amending by resolution the previously adopted Texas Water Development Board Resolution No. 20-023 to modify the City of Huntington Clean Water State Revolving Fund project scope to include acquisition. (Bill Blaik) Board Agenda #14 Document

  • Item approved

 

Item 15: Public Comment & Item 16: Executive Session

  • No one signed up for public comment
  • Paup – notes L’Oreal Stepney will be joining the board
  • No closed session

 

Meeting adjourned

The next currently scheduled meeting of the Texas Water Development Board will be January 19, 2023