Bill to block out-of-state water sales moves forward amid calls for state plan

State Representative Rodney Schamerhorn's bill, House Bill 599, which seeks to prevent the sale of Louisiana's surface water to out-of-state entities, advanced through the House Natural Resources and Environment Committee without opposition. Schamerhorn, a Republican from Hornbeck, proposed the legislation following the Sabine River Authority of Louisiana's recent attempt to sell Toledo Bend reservoir water to Texas, a plan that faced significant opposition from state legislators and subsequently failed. The bill is intended to safeguard Louisiana's natural water resources, addressing fears that such sales could deplete water levels in the 186,000-acre reservoir, impacting homeowners and the local tourism industry. The legislative session also saw discussions on a broader, comprehensive statewide water management plan for Louisiana, a concept supported by advocates like Rebecca Triche of the Louisiana Wildlife Federation. Triche emphasized the necessity of a "water budget" to guide long-term decisions on a vital resource, advocating for prudent measures in the absence of scientific data. Another significant piece of legislation, House Bill 1206, introduced by State Representative Joy Walters, a Democrat from Shreveport, aimed to establish a water use permitting system for data centers consuming over 100 million gallons annually. This bill would have required public disclosure of water sources, volumes, and usage percentages. However, HB 1206 was voluntarily deferred by Rep. Walters after a request from the Louisiana Department of Conservation and Energy, which seeks to collaborate on a more comprehensive set of laws for next year's session. Blake Canfield, executive counsel for the department, highlighted the inconsistency in current state water regulation and the need for a comprehensive approach and scientific data to manage water uses effectively, including those by high-profile sectors like data centers. The context for this discussion includes Amazon's recent announcement to build three data center sites in Caddo and Bossier parishes, underscoring the growing demand for water resources by the tech industry in Louisiana.