Issue Position: Environment

Issue Position

Investing in Renewable Energy

Texas has a tremendous opportunity to lead the country in both fighting climate change and creating green jobs. (Jobs in solar alone increased 34% from 2015 to 2016.) To get there, the state's renewable energy portfolio standards need to be more diversified with increased investment in solar and wind power. Texas passed a Renewable Energy Portfolio Standard in 1999 that encouraged investment, but after the state met that goal in 2005, the standard has not been updated. I will fight to update the standard so that Texas renewables do not lose their momentum. I will also work to establish net metering guidelines for energy providers so that property owners can make wise decisions about investing in renewable energy.

Conserving Water

Water resources in Texas are likely to become more scarce as climate change exacerbates the pressures of development. I will fight to give our groundwater conservation districts the tools they need to protect our water, and I will work to replace the outdated "Rule of Capture" with either the "Rule of Reasonable Use" or state-owned groundwater.

Water resources within House District 45 are also under threat. I will file a bill my first session to give the Hays Trinity Groundwater Conservation District its full authority under Chapter 36 of the Texas Water Code. Right now, they are hamstrung by an inability to raise funds and therefore defend themselves if faced with a legal challenge. They are effectively toothless, and this is unacceptable for a water district that is responsible for our protecting and maintaining our local aquifer. I will introduce a bill to give the HTGCD that authority my first session in the legislature.

I will also support programs to encourage increased water conservation and reuse. Other water conservation initiatives that I'll pursue include: phasing in heightened standards for gray water reclamation and rainwater collection in new construction; incentivizing the retrofitting of existing homes for gray water use and rainwater collection; removing barriers to purple pipe use for municipal wastewater treatment plants (which would also encourage municipalities and developments to not seek a discharge permit); and giving counties more tools to direct development in relation to water use planning and water conservation standards.

Protecting Open Space

The rapid growth and development in Central Texas is threatening open space here in th Hill Country. We need additional public parklands to conserve wildlife habitat, provide recreation opportunities, and protect local character. I will work with our Congressional representatives to secure federal Land and Water Conservation Fund and Pittman-Robertson dollars to expand our state and local park systems to better serve our growing population and prevent the loss of open space.

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