Update on Sad Blue Ribbon Committee

There has been a change of venue for the Blue Ribbon Advisory Committee on Public Service Board (PSB) Land Management. The next meeting will be held on Wednesday, August 22^nd at 8:00 a.m. in the City Council Chambers. The meeting will be open and televised. Now that more and more thoughtful El Pasoans are learning that this committee is making recommendations that will compromise El Paso’s water future, there is a greater urgency to open their deliberations to the public. In fact, many are now calling for the dissolution of this committee. Elpasonaturally hopes that will mean that the City will put more time and effort into strategic planning about our water future in light of global warming, water shortage and drought.

In  an email which I sent earlier today to Ed Archuleta, President and CEO of PSB/EPWU and Ed Escudero, Chairman of the PSB, I made a few suggestions:

·         Although the petition for preserving the scenic corridor has led to several benefits already, one negative result was the creation of the Blue Ribbon Committee because of the animosity over the intense struggle with the PSB to preserve any of that land. It’s a negative now because the Committee has been co-opted by a group whose objectives are totally opposite of land and water conservation. Instead they are motivated by the instant gratification of profit on the one hand, and the City’s urgent need for more revenue on the other.

·         Marketability should not be the only reason for declaring land inexpedient for the utility’s uses. Preserving land in its natural open state in perpetuity is and should be a very valid reason as part of a water conservation strategy. Besides taking land out of the system for development will only increase the value of other, scarcer land.

·         A closer working relationship between the PSB and the Open Space Advisory Board would be to the advantage of all El Pasoans. The desire to take politics out of water management led to the creation of the PSB. Yet, preserving open space per the master plan remains difficult because of politics. Rather than purchasing more natural open space or working on valuable projects such as Feather Lake, we find ourselves buying water thirsty sod and shrubs for a host of park ponds with more such “parks” being contemplated – even announced by City Engineer Alan Shubert at a recent meeting of City Council.

·         Seats on the PSB must include more conservationists and environmentalists.

 

Both Mr. Archuleta and Mr. Escudero met yesterday with Senator José Rodriguez’s Environmental Committee chaired by Dr. Richard Teschner. Several  points were made:

·         Although the PSB does determine whether land is inexpedient, the final decision of what to do with the land belongs to City Council.

·         PSB wants to know what they can do better or what problems there may be so that they can fix them.

·         PSB keeps the city staff informed and the Mayor sits on the PSB.  PSB briefs each new City Council member one on one.  PSB is willing to brief City Council verbally or in writing as often as needed.

·         The first Blue Ribbon Committee meeting didn’t even follow the agenda. Discussion began about taking decision-making about inexpediency away from the PSB.

·         The PSB is and has been the best place to manage land and water together apart from politics.

·         The PSB is not a broken system. [What may be more broken is the City’s ability to deal with budget, debt and revenue.]

·         PSB members carefully and thoroughly debate issues with water conservation first in mind.

·         The PSB prevents leap frog development.

·         PSB has been a leader in determining that water hungry industries either do not come to El Paso or have conservation plans if they do. [Remember the issue of water foot prints. Many industries bring good jobs without having heavy water needs.]

·         The PSB welcomes a better organized environmental community because that means being able to work more effectively with them.

Judy Ackerman, a member of the Senator’s committee, took some notes and you can read her summary as well.

It may be good to let the City Planning Department master plan – but taking the management of land and water away from the PSB and removing the key decision about determination of inexpediency would be disastrous for the short and long-term sustainability of El Paso, Texas.

Two things: in spite of the “battle” over the corridor and inanities of declaring a vacant lot as natural open space, conservationists and the PSB should be natural allies. Setting aside land in perpetuity as a reason for determining inexpediency and working more closely with open space advocates can only foster this better relationship. Throwing the baby out with the bath water will only serve the interests of those who prefer the bulldozer to water in your pipes.

Just know that the sustainability of our water supply is not just a local issue and will require much more than the important steps each and all of us take for water conservation in El Paso. It’s a regional/national/global issue. Whether it is the overuse of water in the Ogallala Aquifer or the demands on the Colorado River Basin, the scarcity, control and management of water will be the single most important issue of the 21^st Century. What has been going on in Western U.S. water policy impacts us here in El Paso.  We are just now beginning to see the consequences of bad water policies by generations of decision makers. Let’s make good ones in El Paso, Texas. Selling land for a quickie profit rather than carefully and conservatively managing our land and water is a prescription for disaster.

Finally, please do go to and bookmark Kids First/Reform EPISD and sign the petition.  Like them on Facebook.