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.
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.
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).
Thursday, April 5 - Friday, April 6, 2018
Annenberg Presidential Conference Center
1002 George Bush Drive West
College Station, Texas 77843
Fee before March 9, 2018 | Fee as of March 9, 2018 | |
One Day | $100 | $150 |
Two Days | $150 | $200 |
Conference Registration Cancellation/Refund Policy:
Cancellation before March 9: 90% refund
Cancellation before March 30: 50% refund
Cancellation after March 30: no refund
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 RegistrationTime | 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 |
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 |
Cliff A. Skiles, Jr., DVM