Texas House Considers Amendment on Marvin Nichols

TEXAS HOUSE CONSIDERS AMENDMENT ON MARVIN NICHOLS RESERVOIR

Rep. Gary VanDeaver Introduced Amendment to
Study Feasibility of Reservoir by 2025

AUSTIN (April 18, 2023) – Today, the Texas House of Representatives considered an amendment offered by State Rep. Gary VanDeaver to review the Marvin Nichols Reservoir. The House took up HB 1565, commonly known as the “Texas Water Development Board Sunset Bill”. The Sunset Commission’s report on the Board found it has an inefficient review process and outdated policies. The bill aims to identify opportunities to increase the Board’s efficiency and project review processes.

State Representative Gary VanDeaver offered an amendment to the bill saying: “This amendment was actually part of original language that was laid out … but was removed in the committee substitute. It is specific to my district and to the Marvin Nichols Reservoir. The amendment asks for a feasibility review of the Marvin Nichols Reservoir by the Texas Water Development Board Executive Administrator by 2025. Roughly 66,000 of private land would be used to build this reservoir, but at least an additional 130,000 acres of land [would be] taken out of production and out of private hands. This would make the proposed Marvin Nichols Reservoir one of the most expensive public works projects and one of the largest land grabs by eminent domain in Texas history.”

While the amendment was tabled by legislators in favor of advancing the bill without any amendments, this is a vital step in raising awareness of the devastating impacts the Marvin Nichols Reservoir would have on the land, wildlife, economy, and people of Northeast Texas.

“We are grateful for Rep. VanDeaver’s leadership on this issue,” said Janice Bezanson, Preserve Northeast Texas Steering Committee. “For more than two decades the people in Northeast Texas have lived with the threat of Marvin Nichols looming over them. Today’s effort in the Texas Legislature confirms that this reservoir is by no means a done deal, but rather it confirms that Marvin Nichols is an inefficient, outdated proposal that warrants removal from the State Water Plan.”

Video from the House Floor can be viewed here.

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THOUSANDS OF TEXANS CONDEMN MARVIN NICHOLS RESERVOIR, SO WHY IS IT STILL IN THE STATE WATER PLAN?

stop-marvin-nichols

THOUSANDS OF TEXANS CONDEMN MARVIN NICHOLS RESERVOIR, SO WHY IS IT STILL IN THE STATE WATER PLAN?

Building Reservoirs Is An Outdated Solution To Solving State Water Problems

  

NORTHEAST TEXAS (September 26, 2022) — More than 2,000 Texans have expressed their opposition to the proposed Marvin Nichols Reservoir by signing a petition which condemns the water project and states, “The proposed Marvin Nichols Reservoir would rob Northeast Texas of land, valuable jobs, and precious water, devastating the region’s economic vitality, heritage farmlands, and natural resources. I stand in opposition to this project and call on policymakers to put a stop to this costly, unnecessary and damaging project.”

The petition was created by the grassroots organization, Preserve Northeast Texas, a growing group of landowners, business owners, community leaders, conservationists, and elected officials who have banded together to voice their opposition to one of the biggest transfers of private land to public in modern history. The full list of petitioners pushing back against Marvin Nichols Reservoir can be found at www.PreserveNortheastTexas.org.

“Texas is growing, and water is a vital resource necessary for life and commerce,” said Bill Ward, President of Ward Timber Company. “That’s why the DFW Metroplex must do more to conserve and reuse this precious resource, rather than use eminent domain to take away the homes and heritage lands of fellow Texans. Reservoirs like the proposed Marvin Nichols project are an outdated solution to meet our water needs.”

The Marvin Nichols Reservoir is the costliest project in the Texas State Water Plan, estimated at $4.4 billion and growing. The reservoir would flood 66,000 of acres of hardwood forest, farms and ranches, and irreplaceable wetlands. An estimated 130,000 additional acres would also be removed from private land ownership for environmental mitigation. This means an estimated 200,000 acres of Texas land would be taken out of production. The Marvin Nichols Reservoir has been controversial for decades,  yet the target date for construction completion on this project was moved forward in the State Water Plan last summer from 2070 to 2050.

To sign the petition or learn more about the proposed reservoir and how to stop it, visit: www.PreserveNortheastTexas.org. The group can also be found on Facebook and Instagram at @PreserveNortheastTexas and Twitter @NoMarvinNichols.

The Preserve Northeast Texas Steering Committee includes:

Cass County Judge Travis Ransom, Bill Ward, Jim Thompson, Max Shumake, Shirley Shumake, Linda Price, Richard LeTourneau, Cynthia Gwinn, Gary Cheatwood, and Janice Bezanson.

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