LETTER TO EDITOR: Behind-the-scenes maneuvers suspected

Dear Editor,

As the author (Mr. Aswell) has noted, there are indeed discrepancies in the timeline regarding the defunct (for now) proposal to sell water to a consortium of brokers. Those brokers would stand to have made hundreds of millions of dollars (if not more) by the lucrative proposal made by the SRA-La. Let us not assume that the behind-the-scenes manipulation has ceased.

At the January meeting of the SRA there was a standing room only crowd of local residents that had gathered to discuss the proposal. State Sen. Gerald Long made a brief cheerleading address at the beginning of the meeting and left the meeting before listening to anything the public had to say about the matter. He announced the he was the chair of the Senate Natural Resources committee and that he and Scott Angelle would see that the public concerns were addressed. That has not been the case.

There have been several legislative proposals made to legislators bordering the Sabine River. None of them have stepped forth to take up the concerns clearly delineated by multiple citizens groups around Toledo Bend and the Sabine River community. Our proposal is not only for an open declaration that there would be no out of state water sales, but to tie the entire water issue (groundwater as well as surface water) into one piece of responsible legislation that would be a plan for water management in this state.

Our proposal has been for the state to reckon waters within a given watershed (groundwater from aquifers as well as surface water) as remaining in that watershed/basin for use within that area. That would mean that waters in the Red River basin, for example, would remain for use in the Red River basin. Waters from the Calcasieu or Atchafalaya basin would remain for use within those basins and could not be transferred out of state or out of that basin. The USGS could easily delineate those basins and this state would be well on its way to having a clear mandate about how to responsibly manage water in each area. Each area would designate clean drinking water as the primary need then address agricultural, recreational and industrial needs in each area.

Sen. Long, on the other hand, has introduced a bill to try to keep the public out of the picture in making decisions about out of state water sales. He is clearly trying to bypass the people of Sabine Parish (as well as other areas) to bring about legislation that would not only allow for out of state water sales (over the clear objections of the public) but disrupt the entire process of public input by having a police jury make the decision rather than public mandate as was clearly expressed at Cypress Bend in January.

Other legislators along the river have yet to step up with a commitment to ban out of state water sales and join in with a responsible water management plan. The governor has yet to clearly state his opinion about the out of state water sales issue.

We see this issue as a birth-right issue. Has anyone heard the story of selling birthright for a pittance before? Clean water is a gift that has been given to the people of this great state. Responsible public policy and representation should have the goal of protecting those water resources for future generations for business use, recreation and clean drinking water.

We would urge the governor to take a clear stand on this issue and we call for legislators to step up to the plate with responsible leadership. The Department of Natural Resources has yet to take a responsible position regarding out of state water sales or endorse reasonable positions for comprehensive policies as advocated by citizens with boots on the ground experience.

The manipulation of natural resources for private gain must stop now. These resources belong to the people of Louisiana and future generations and should be clearly protected by true leaders.

Paul Ringo

Sabine Riverkeeper

Merryville, La.