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Toledo Bend Bi-State Alliance
210 Hillcrest Drive or Rt.1 Box 1069
Anacoco, La. 71403 Hemphill, Tx.75948
January 21, 1999
Honorable George W. Bush
Governor, State of Texas
Box 12428
Austin, Texas 78711
Honorable M. J. Foster
Governor, State of Louisiana
P. O. Box 94004
Baton Rouge, Louisiana 70804
Subject: Water Level - Toledo Bend Reservoir (FERC Project Number P-2305)
Dear Governors Bush and Foster:
Enclosed please find:
· Copies of over 2,700 signatures obtained during a recent drive in Texas. (Signatures supporting 168' msl as the minimum water level for power generation now exceeds 9,000).
· Copy of a letter to Mr. Jerry Stallworth, President, Board of Directors, Sabine River Authority of Texas, with attachments. Attachments include a letter from the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission dated Dec. 15, 1998; a Fact Sheet from the power companies that purchase the power produced at Toledo Bend Reservoir and a News Release from the Sabine River Authority of Texas.
· Copy of the latest report to the FERC filed by the Toledo Bend Project Joint Operations. (Note: We are presently preparing comments on this report. We do not agree with all that is stated in the report and pertinent information was left out).
Again, we need your help. We request you call a joint meeting of the parties to this problem.
Your personal involvement to solve this problem is essential. You appoint the board members of the respective Sabine River Authorities. The boards are supposed to establish policy for the operation of the reservoir. Board members answer only to you, not to the voters. Our only voice, if the boards do not satisfactorily answer our requests, is through you and the FERC. While we believe there is some desire, there is no demonstrated intent by the Boards or the staffs of the two SRAs to make any change in the reservoir operation. That fact is supported in the SRAs latest report to the FERC.
Our request to establish 168' msl as the minimum water level for routine power generation is reasonable. A fact supported by a study paid for and controlled by the Toledo Bend Project Joint Operations/Technical Boards. This study was conducted in response to the concerns of citizens of both Texas and Louisiana. Now, we know it is very possible to operate the reservoir in a manner much more conducive to accommodating recreation and at the same time producing an equal or greater amount of electricity.
As you can see by our letter to the newly elected President of the Board of Directors, Sabine River Authority of Texas we are trying very hard to solve this problem. We will be requesting a meeting with the Louisiana Sabine River Authority Board of Commissioners in the near future.
Again, we need your help. Please contact me (318) 286-9946 or Janna Lehman, Co-Chairman, Texas (409) 625-3394 or write to either of the addresses listed on our letterhead.
Sincerely,
Larry E. Kelly
Co-Chairman, Louisiana
Copies: See Attached page
Lt. Governor K. Blanco of Louisiana
Secretary, Federal Energy Regulatory Commission
Director, Sabine River Authority of Louisiana
General Manager, Sabine River Authority of Texas
President, Board of Directors, Sabine River Authority of Texas
President, Board of Commissioners, Sabine River Authority of Louisiana
U. S. Senator M. L. Landrieu of Louisiana
U. S. Senator J. Breaux of Louisiana
U. S. Senator P. Gramm of Texas
U. S. K. B. Hutchison of Texas
U. S. Representative J. McCrery of Louisiana
U. S. Representative J. Turner of Texas
La. State Senator J. D. Cain
La. State Senator K. M. Smith
Tx. State Senator D. Nixon
La. State Representative J. R. Salter
La. State Representative J. Smith
Tx. State Representative W. Christian
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