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Toledo Bend Bi-State Alliance
Minutes June 28, 2004
The meeting was called to order by Larry Kelly.
The opening prayer was given by Joe Griffin.
Larry asked members and visitors in attendance to introduce themselves and tell where they are from. Special guests were Josh Robinson, representing the Roy Blake Campaign for State Representative, and Henri Trabuc, Sabine County Chairman for the Republican Party. Several visitors and new members to TBBSA were in attendance.
Larry noted one change to the Agenda. Approval of Meeting Minutes should be for May, 2004.
Minutes of the May 24, 2004 meeting were approved and accepted as read.
Janna Lehman, Treasurer, was absent. No Treasurer’s Report available.
Old Business:
East Texas Regional Water Planning Committee Report: No report. Bill Heugel, representative, was not present.
Status of Current Lake Level Efforts:
Larry asked the group to review a new format of the information for the Organization and Associate Members, and confirm the organization’s representative, and alternate if possible. Larry asked that members also verify the addresses, phone numbers and E-mail addresses, if available. Separate lists were provided for the Organization Members and the Associate Members.
Larry said one thing that has never been done, except on two occasions, is to mobilize the people on the Texas side of Toledo Bend, and he would like to see that done. The way the Louisiana members were able to get legislation through the LA Legislature was to get the names of every member represented and do a “mail-merge” letter to each member already addressed to the appropriate legislator, and all the member had to do was sign the letter and mail it. That was accomplished by going through the LA Legislative site on the Internet and obtaining the names of the legislators for each member listed. Each Senator and Representative got at least 1 to 5 letters. The LA TBBSA members got the legislation through the House and the Senate unopposed, because each of the legislators were familiar with the Bill. The Bill passed, the Governor appointed a Lake Level Advisory Council to work out the problems of implementing the Bill. Larry thinks this could be done on the Texas side if the membership rosters of every Organization member could be given to him to enter into a data base. He would be willing to do the work. The two times Texas was active was in 1999 when 35 people made the trip to Austin to support a Bill, and the fantastic turnout for the TX SRA meeting when it was held at the Hemphill VFW. When the lake level was down to 163.77 in 1998, we had about 60 people in our meetings. Since then, we have not been able to get the members out, and that is the problem in getting the attention of the Legislative Officials here in Texas. The LA power company came to the table, the PSC came to the table and all agreed on a way to accomplish what was needed. The SRA engineers put together a modified Operation Guide that would stop the power company from generating when the Lake Level dropped below 168. In years when that is a problem, a “fuel adjustment cost” could be passed on to recover the difference that might have to be paid for substitute power. That, of course, would have to be cleared through the PSC. That would not be a very large amount, perhaps about $1 per year per customer. The LA SRA has agreed to this plan and has taken it to the SRA Joint Board to get approval to comply with the LA law. When the motion was made, however, the LA SRA had 3 votes for the plan, and the TX SRA had 3 votes against. This is why we must get active to get TX legislators and the TX PUC to back our needs and goals. The TX SRA doesn’t want to change the Operating Guide, but Larry feels, and even the FERC has said, there is nothing in the Power Sales Agreement or the License that precludes 168 being the bottom of the power pool. One thing that the Texas SRA is concerned about is the Flooding litigation that has gone on in Newton County. Larry has recently received information on that lawsuit, and has forwarded it to Donnie Henson of the SRA, and that may no longer be a deterrent to our cause, if Larry reads the information correctly. The TX SRA thinks we want a change in the Operating Guide, but Larry explained we are not asking for a change, just a modification of the present guide. Also, recent changes to the generator is giving a 10% improvement to the efficiency, so less water is needed to provide the peaking power from May to September. (That is more than 6 inches of water not needed). This is why our organization must get the Texas legislators active for our cause. Attempts have been made to get Senator Todd Staples to our meeting, but Harry Johnson has been unsuccessful. Larry composed a letter for members to sign, if they agree, for mailing to Senator Staples, regarding our issues.
Another thing that Larry felt folks might be interested in was an article in the Shreveport Times about the sale of water to the Dallas area from Toledo Bend Reservoir. The contract for that sale may come to pass pretty soon. At the last LA SRA meeting, the board voted to send a resolution to the Attorney General requesting an opinion of whether water could be sold to Texas, because the law is a little fuzzy on that issue. Larry feels they will find that can be done. That means TX and LA will each allocate 300,000 acre feet of water per year for sale to be shipped north. This wouldn’t begin until 2015, and the contract is up in 2018, when the contract could be re-negotiated to set a better scheduled for sending out the water. Larry told the group he might be in a better position to help the situation, should he be appointed to the LA SRA Board, as he has been told might happen in the next few weeks. He urged members to get the rosters and names to him so he could start getting a data base set up to send out letters to the Texas legislators. Larry read the letter he composed to Senator Staples and sent it around for everyone to sign so he could put it in the mail. Larry went on to answer questions and explain about the pipeline to the Dallas area, and how it is much more profitable for the SRA to sell water rather than use it for power production.
In response to a question about the income received by the TX SRA, Larry and others commented on the projects, grants to cities, and other operations that the SRA funds, and the need to keep a healthy reserve available.
New Business:
Larry Kelly announced he will have to resign his position as TBBSA Co-Chairman should he be appointed to the LA SRA Board.
He feels someone from one of the Louisiana lake associations will fill his position. However, he said it is imperative that a Co-chairman from Texas be found to spearhead a push to get Texas legislation to match that passed in Louisiana. He noted that the TBBSA is the only voice of the people that we have on Toledo Bend Lake. Larry agreed we need new and fresh ideas about showing and explaining why we feel the lake should not go below 168 msl. A face from Texas is needed to make presentations to Texas legislators and the Texas SRA.
Approval of New Members: None offered for approval.
Approval of Payment of Outstanding Bills: None
Next Meeting Date: July 26, 2004
Meeting Adjourned.
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