Hearing Concluded on LCRA’s Groundwater Permit Application
Proposal for decision expected spring of 2020
Environmental Stewardship’s legal team — Marisa Perales (center) and Eric Allmon (right) — cross-examining Lost Pines District’s hydrogeologist William Hutchison (left) on the impacts of LCRA’s pumping on the Colorado River.
A contested case hearing before two Administrative Law Judges on LCRA’s application for a permit to pump up to 8.15 billion gallons of groundwater annually from underneath Bastrop County ended on October 22, 2019. Environmental Stewardship and the landowners were successful in making their arguments before the judges who are expected to render an opinion next spring … likely late April or May.
After hearing six days of testimony, Administrative Law Judges Rebecca Smith and Ross Henderson of the State Office of Administrative Hearings set a procedural schedule that lays out the next steps of what has been a year-long process. The eight parties in the case have until December 20th to file their final closing arguments and until January 31, 2020 to file written rebuttals or replies.
The administrative law judges will make a recommendation in the form of a “proposal for decision” to the Lost Pines Groundwater Conservation District’s Board of Directors. Lost Pines District is the local government entity that manages groundwater resources, regulates pumping, and sets desired future conditions in Bastrop and Lee counties.
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