The Texas Water Development Board (TWDB) has published its 2011-2012 Strategic Plan. According to TWDB projections, the number of people living in Texas will reach 33 million by 2030 and nearly 46 million by 2060. Most growth is expected to occur in the Rio Grande region and in large urban areas surrounding Dallas–Fort Worth, Houston, San Antonio, and Austin.
According to the strategic plan, the state’s budgetary shortfalls for 2011 and beyond will adversely impact the TWDB. One of the agency’s most urgent challenges is to keep pace with the growing water demands of a population that is expected to double by 2060.
The plan also highlighted dilemmas the TWDB will need to reconcile as, “both the Executive and Legislative branches of the federal government—through a sweeping array of pending legislation, proposed executive orders, and agency rulemaking—have embarked upon a path that, left unchecked, will dramatically alter the way water resources planning and development are conducted.”
Furthermore, it was pointed out that, “this direction shifts critical decision making from the local and state level to the federal level. The momentum in Washington, D.C., toward such policy directives will result in an erosion of state and local primacy over water resources planning and management and will severely constrain the planning and implementation successes achieved in Texas. Increased federal requirements and control over water planning and development will greatly complicate and lengthen the process of securing federal permits for many water-related projects sought by local interests, rendering some vital projects simply unviable.”
The TWDB noted that as a result, statutory revisions may be recommended to the 82nd Legislature so that Legal Services may better serve the agency in enforcing loan agreements and bond covenants and obligations.
Project Finance staff are also implementing a “readiness to proceed” factor in rating of mainstream SRF projects for FY 2010 and FY 2011. A project is ready to proceed to construction if it has all required permits, environmental clearances, land acquisitions, plans, and specifications, and meets other federal requirements. Ready-to-proceed projects can be started and completed quickly.
The complete plan with more details can be found be visiting: http://www.twdb.state.tx.us/publications/reports/Administrative%20Reports/StratPlan2011_2015.pdf