Governor Abbott prioritizes water security and power supply in his legislative agenda, calling for significant investments in both areas during the upcoming Texas legislative session.
Texas Governor Greg Abbott announced on Sunday his legislative priorities for the year, declaring several items as 'emergency items' for the upcoming session of the Texas Legislature. He designated 'property tax relief' as an emergency item, despite simultaneously advocating for billions in new state spending. Addressing a critical issue impacting every Texan, Abbott acknowledged the state's dwindling water resources, stating, “Some of our water supplies are drying up.
” This concern has been raised by conservationists for years, as Texas faces increasing aridity. Many communities, once pioneers of running water, now grapple with aging water utility systems, some over a century old, riddled with leaks.Texas has already invested approximately $3 billion over the last decade to improve its water situation, and Gov. Abbott is pushing for further action. He emphasized the need for a significant increase in investment, stating, “This session, we need to Texas-size that investment.” Aiming for long-term security, he declared, “We're going to put Texas on a path to have plenty of water for the next five decades. We will make the largest investment in water in the history of the state of Texas.” Abbott's plan includes a dedicated funding stream to assist local utilities in purchasing more water and upgrading their infrastructure. Texas Senator Charles Perry from Lubbock proposes allocating $5 billion during this legislative session and directing $1 billion annually to the state water fund.While not classified as an emergency item, Abbott also highlighted the urgency of expanding Texas's electric power supply. Despite a 35% increase in power generation in recent years, much of it from solar energy, the state's reliance on fossil fuels remains strong, with the governor signing legislation to incentivize the construction of new natural gas plants. Energy experts advocate for improvements to the state's power distribution system, citing bottlenecks that have hindered the delivery of electricity from South Texas wind farms to customers in need north of San Antonio.
TEXAS LEGISLATURE GOVERNOR ABBOTT WATER SECURITY ELECTRIC POWER SUPPLY NATURAL GAS SOLAR ENERGY INFRASTRUCTURE
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