The Sabine Parish Police Jury voted to adopt a resolution opposing the Sabine River Authority of Louisiana (SRA) selling water from Toledo Bend to out of state entities during their regularly held meeting on September 17.
Immediately upon discussion of the then proposed ordinance that opposed the sale, a fast motion was made and seconded.
The potential sale of water from Toledo Bend lake to entities in Texas has been a point of contention in the parish for a number of years, with loud, strong opposition coming from numerous residents.
Police Juror Bruce Taylor started the conversation by stating that the SRA hasn’t even provided a proposal for any sales.
“If we vote today we’re just playing tug of war with the SRA,” Taylor said.
He continued by saying that it might be prudent to give them at least until their September 25 meeting to actually see the proposal and that if Texas wants to sell the water there is no sort of wall in place to keep them from doing so and Louisiana is left with nothing.
Jury President Ricky “K-Wall” Sepulvado reminded those that there wouldn’t be a fight due to the ordinance, but a little debate is in order.
“It’s up to the board to decide whether we adopt this resolution or not,” Sepulvado said. “We’ve had a month to do our research and ask questions and poll our constituents. I talked to my people and every one of them has told me that no matter what the proposal is they are against the water sales. I represent those people.”
“About 50 percent of the people I talk to think that water sales would be a benefit down the road and not hurt the lake,” Ronny Bison said. “If we don’t sell the water, we’re going to give it to Texas to give away. It’s all coming out of the same hole and we can’t stop Texas from selling it to the best of my knowledge.”
Sepulvado explained that he drives a school bus and turns around at the SRA’s Rec Site #4 and sees multiple boats that can’t use the launch be- cause the water is too low at even 168’ msl.
“They all have to go elsewhere,” he said. “If the lake gets any shallower we need to just close the gate.”
Juror Thomas “Bo” Stewart interjected a comment that the resolution can always be rescinded at a later time if that is the will of the public, while Taylor stated again that there is time to see the SRA’s proposal before taking a vote.
“Your people are close to the lake,” Taylor said. “Mine are on Pump Station Road.”
Not long after the vote was taken, with the ordinance against water sales passing.
Earlier in the meeting, the voices of various members of the public were heard during that section of the meeting’s agenda.
Executive Director of the Sabine River Authority of Louisiana Warren Founds was on hand to speak to the jury during that part of the meeting.
“There is no sale right now, but we will have a meeting next Thursday (September 25) to address it,” Founds said. “The board may take it up or may not. I can’t give an answer there.”
He reminded the boardsmen that if there are any out of state sales, the Sabine Parish Police Jury is one of the entities that has to vote in its favor.
“This resolution may not have much bearing because we still have to come back to you for any sale,” Founds said.
Indeed, for the sales to become reality, multiple entities must be dealt with. The SRA has never got the point in the process where they’ve had to come before the police jury for approval.
One juror asked if there was a current proposal.
“There was a proposal at one time but not now,” Founds said.
Since that time, a new governor has been elected and a new board put in place, he explained.
“The new board has made no decision whether to move forward or not,” Founds said. “I don’t know whether they will or not.”
Local resident Al Jenkins also spoke during the meeting in opposition of sales. He stated that due a questionnaire that the SRA intends to sell every drop of water from Toledo Bend.
“What happens to those people down in south Louisiana if all the water is taken from here?” Jenkins said. “A contract was on Gov. (John Bel) Edwards desk and he refused to sign it. The questionnaire came from that contract, which would destroy any possibility of economic growth because of no water.”
An unnamed speaker during the meeting thanked the police jury for moving toward opposing the sales due to it potentially lowering property values and the value of Sabine Parish as a whole.
“Just the talk of this is depressing,” he said. “People aren’t going to buy a house here and it’s already happening. We’re asking you to put this resolution in place to let everybody know where Sabine stands.”
Don Gauthier of Mid Lake Marine Service also came out in opposition.
“This is what we have to think about: If Toledo Bend gets down to 168’ remember that we’re under a power generation contract,” he said. “This has nothing to do with water sales, but the problem is that what if the electric company calls for electricity. We’ll have to produce it anyway and most don’t know that.”
He further explained that as a business owner the sales will affect all businesses in the parish and even into Texas. He’s worried about the lake dropping and there won’t be any left to release for saltwater intrusion or into the diversion canal.
“If the SRA can’t produce that water when they signed the contract they’ll be taken into a Texas court,” he said. “They’ll have the Sabine River Authority of Texas fix the problem and the Louisiana side goes away.”
He also mentioned the crack in the salt dome next to Sulphur that could contaminate ground water. He stated that the state will need 738,000 acre feet of water to take care of 15 parishes.
He continued that the Texas legislature has put into effect a policy of not selling water outside of their state already.
“Why help Texas when they will never help us?” he said. “We’ve got to think about this hard? Where do we do if nobody is visiting the lake or buying property?”
He then asked for a common sense approach to the issue.
“What if we sign this contract and six months down the road the people here need that water?” he asked. “We need to a stand up because Louisiana will need that groundwater because of the inevitable salt water dome contamination.”
The next SRA meeting regarding water sales will be held on Thursday, September 25 at Cypress Bend’s ballroom when the Power/Water Sales Committee meets at 10 a.m. before the regular board of commissioners meeting is set to be held at 1 p.m.
Also during the meeting, Fire Chief Douglas Downs reported that South Sabine Fire District has received a Class 3 rating, which is the best rating possible when it comes to fire protection. He encouraged residents in the area to get in touch with their insurance companies regarding possible rate changes due to the new classification.
Donnie Wooley was appointed as a Sabine Parish Library Board Member following the death of Bonnie Fox-Miles this month.
A sizable amount of discussion was undertaken with Chris Goings regarding a road that had fallen out of repair. Jurors are looking into that issue, but it might be a case of the road not meeting their criteria for maintenance.