Rethinking Texas Water Policy

April 5-6, 2018

The Bush School of Government & Public Service
Texas A&M University

This two-day conference on Rethinking Texas Water Policy will feature educational presentations on groundwater and surface water policy by government, industry, and academic experts.

Conference Objectives

Before assessing substantive regulatory change, one must understand all the issues relating to water policy—the legal, scientific, economic, and political complexities. Therefore, Rethinking Texas Water Policy is organized around these four complexities, with Day One focused on groundwater and Day Two focused on surface water and also on how groundwater and surface water can be better utilized conjunctively.

Given that the themes are educational, the speakers represent a balanced mix of academics and practitioners with the goal of involving key water policy legislators and their staffs.

Event Details

Conference Participants

Legislators, legislative staff, industry representatives, government representatives, faculty, graduate and undergraduate students, and interested members of the general public.

The State Bar has approved this Program for MCLE Credit of 9.0 Hours (0.0 Ethics).

Dates

Thursday, April 5 - Friday, April 6, 2018

Location

Annenberg Presidential Conference Center
1002 George Bush Drive West
College Station, Texas 77843

Registration

	Fee before March 9, 2018	Fee as of March 9, 2018
One Day	$100	$150
Two Days	$150	$200

Lunches are included both days.

Register

Conference Registration Cancellation/Refund Policy:
Cancellation before March 9: 90% refund
Cancellation before March 30: 50% refund
Cancellation after March 30: no refund

Student Registration

A limited number of full scholarships are available for students and post-docs who apply before March 9, 2018. Awards will be announced in mid-March.

Bush School Student Registration TAMU Student Registration

Hotel Information

Cavalry Court: Group code RTWP379, Reserve at www.cavalrycourt.com or 866-842-0100, $139/night
The George: Group code RTWP946, Reserve at www.thegeorgetexas.com or 844-599-3871, $129/night
Prices are likely to increase after the March 9, 2018 deadline.

Conference Schedule

Thursday, April 5, 2018
Understanding the Complexities of Groundwater

Time	Topic	Panelists
7:30-8:45 a.m.	Registration/Continental Breakfast
9:00-9:30 a.m.	Welcome/Introduction & Charge to the Conferees	Dr. James Griffin, Professor of Economics & Public Policy, Bush School, Texas A&M University John Sharp, Chancellor, Texas A&M University System
9:30-10:45 a.m.	Understanding the Legal Complexities	Moderator: Ed McCarthy, Attorney, McCarthy & McCarthy, LLP James Blacklock, Justice, Texas Supreme Court Craig T. Enoch, former Justice, Texas Supreme Court Jan P. Patterson, Justice in Residence, Baylor Law School and former Justice, Texas 3rd Court of Appeals
10:45-10:55 a.m.	Break
10:55 a.m.-12:15 p.m.	Understanding the Science: Texas’ Major Aquifers & Hydrologic Characteristics	Moderator: Dr. John Tracy, Director, Texas Water Resources Institute, Texas A&M University Larry French, Director, Groundwater Resources, Texas Water Development Board Bob Harden, President, Harden Hydrology & Engineering Greg Stanton, Associate Director for Science (Groundwater and Geophysics), Texas Water Science Center
12:15-1:15 p.m.	Lunch – Texas Water History	Dr. Charles Porter, Visiting Professor, St. Edward’s University
1:15-2:25 p.m.	Understanding the Economics	Moderator: Carlos Rubinstein, former Chairman of the Texas Water Development Board and former Commissioner of the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality Dr. James Griffin, Professor of Economics & Public Policy, Bush School, Texas A&M University Dr. Ryan Williams, Associate Professor, Department of Agricultural & Applied Economics, Texas Tech University
2:25-2:35 p.m.	Break
2:35-3:45 p.m.	Limitations on Sharing the Resource	Moderator: Marc Rodriguez, Government Relations Consultant, Offices of Marc A. Rodriguez John Durand, President & COO, WaterBridge Resources LLC and Chair, Water Subcommittee, Texas Alliance of Energy Producers Jon Hockenyos, President, TXP, Inc. Kathleen Jackson, Texas Water Development Board Sarah Rountree Schlessinger, Executive Director, Texas Alliance of Groundwater Districts
3:45-3:55 p.m.	Break
3:55-5:05 p.m.	Understanding the Political Constraints	Moderator: Dr. Ron Kaiser, Professor, Water Law & Management, Texas A&M University Sen. Buster Brown, former Texas State Senator and former Chair of Senate Natural Resources Committee Rep. Tracy King, Member, Texas House Natural Resources Committee Rep. Four Price, Member, Texas House Natural Resources Committee
5:05-6:00 p.m.	Reception

Friday, April 6, 2018
Understanding the Complexities of Surface Water

Time	Topic	Panelists
7:45-8:45 a.m.	Registration/Continental Breakfast
9:00-9:20 a.m.	Welcome/Introduction Perspectives from the Governor’s Office	Dr. Lori Taylor, Director, Mosbacher Institute for Trade Economics and Public Policy, Professor of Economics & Public Policy, Bush School, Texas A&M University Sen. Tommy Williams, Senior Advisor for Fiscal Matters, Office of the Governor, and former Texas State Senator
9:20-10:35 a.m.	Understanding the Legal Complexities	Moderator: Dr. Todd Votteler, Editor-in-Chief, Texas Water Journal and former Director, Guadalupe-Blanco River Trust Toby Baker, Commissioner, Texas Commission on Environmental Quality Doug Caroom, Partner, Bickerstaff Heath Delgado Acosta LLP Kevin Ward, General Manager, Trinity River Authority of Texas
10:35-10:45 a.m.	Break
10:45 a.m.-12:00 p.m.	Understanding the Science	Moderator: Dr. Robert Brandes, Robert J. Brandes Consulting Dr. William Espey, Director, Water Resources, LJA Engineering, Inc. Dr. Larry McKinney, Executive Director, Harte Research Institute for Gulf of Mexico Studies, Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi Dr. Ralph Wurbs, Senior Professor, Zachry Department of Civil Engineering, Texas A&M University
12:00-1:00 p.m.	Lunch – Legal Impediments to Conjunctive Water Use: Experience from other States	Dr. Burke Griggs, Associate Professor of Law, Washburn University School of Law
1:00-2:20 p.m.	Understanding The Economics	Moderator: Gabe Collins, Baker Institute, Rice University Sharlene Leurig, Project Director, Texas Environmental Flows Initiative, Meadows Center for Water and the Environment, Texas State University Carlos Rubinstein, former Chairman of the Texas Water Development Board and former Commissioner of the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality Maria Vaca, 2017 Bush School Graduate and Capstone Participant, Surface Water Regulation in Texas: Problems and Solutions
2:20-2:35 p.m.	Break
2:35-4:00	Understanding the Politics	Moderator: Toby Baker, Commissioner, Texas Commission on Environmental Quality Rep. Poncho Nevárez, , Member, Texas House Natural Resources Committee Rep. Dade Phelan, Vice Chair, Texas House Natural Resources Committee
4:00-4:20	Closing Perspective – Where we go from here?	Glenn Hegar, Comptroller, State of Texas

Conference Topics

Day One: Understanding the Complexities of Groundwater

Understanding the Legal Complexities:

Vestiges of the Rule of Capture
The Day Decision & takings lawsuits
Correlative rights and the future impact of oil and gas law

Understanding the Science:

Texas’ major aquifers and their hydrogeologic characteristics
The physics of aquifer drawdown and the relationship between declining artesian pressure and remaining aquifer storage
Issues of subsidence and incursion of lower quality water

Understanding the Economics: