Environment

The Greater Edwards Aquifer Alliance has released its legislative agenda for the 83rd session of the Texas Legislature, throwing its support behind 38 bills that promote water conservation and water quality, call for better funding of state parks, and improve coordination between various agencies dealing with water.

GEAA Executive Director Annalisa Peace said the broad support from the alliance indicates that legislators are thinking creatively and responsibly about Texas’ water problems.

Neighborhood electric vehicles (NEV's), haven't been allowed on San Antonio side streets since 2006, but they could be making a comeback.

Several serious accidents - often times involving young drivers - prompted a ban of such vehicles, sometimes called low speed vehicles, by the San Antonio City Council. That was seven years ago, but new state laws require them to be licensed and registered and an amendment to the Transportation Code allows the vehicles to travel on roads with a posted speed of 45 miles per hour or less.

The Edwards Aquifer Authority officially declared Stage 5 pumping restrictions for users of the Uvalde Pool. This stage of the EAA Critical Period Management Plan requires permit holders to reduce their authorized annual pumping from the aquifer by 44 percent.

The EAA declared Stage 5 based on declining water level readings at the J-27 monitoring well in Uvalde. It has been officially confirmed that the 10-day average is below the threshold of 840 feet above sea level. 

A nearly 5 mile section of 1604 on the Northwest Side will be expanded to four lanes in the next several years through a TxDOT project that could include the 151/1604 interchange project that was stopped indefinitely last year.

4.7 miles of 1604 from Bandera to Culebra will be expanded to four lanes. At the moment, the Texas Department of Transportation is deciding between four different construction companies who will design and build the project.