Governor Abbott Expands Special Session #2 Agenda to Protect East Texas Aquifers Amid Heated Water Rights Battle

AUSTIN, TX – August 21, 2025, 09:35 AM CST – Governor Greg Abbott has escalated the fight over East Texas groundwater by adding a critical item to the Special Session #2 agenda, announced on August 20, 2025. The new legislation mandates that the Texas Water Development Board (TWDB) conduct comprehensive studies of East Texas aquifers, particularly the Carrizo-Wilcox Aquifer, before certain groundwater conservation districts (GCDs) can issue or amend permits. This move comes as discussions kick off today in the House Natural Resources Committee, setting the stage for a contentious legislative and legal showdown over water rights.

A Response to the Carrizo-Wilcox Controversy

The agenda expansion directly addresses a brewing storm over proposals to extract billions of gallons of water from the Carrizo-Wilcox Aquifer, a vital resource spanning East Texas from the Louisiana border to Mexico. At the heart of the dispute is Dallas investor Kyle Bass, who, through his firm Conservation Equity Management (CEM) and affiliate WaterTex LLC, has applied for permits to drill up to 45 high-capacity wells across Anderson, Cherokee, Henderson, and Smith counties. Bass’s plan could pump up to 15 billion gallons annually, targeting water-scarce urban areas like Dallas-Fort Worth, which he argues face shortages by 2030.

Governor Abbott’s proclamation frames the legislation as a protective measure, stating, “We need to ensure appropriate studies are conducted to protect the health of East Texas aquifers.” The TWDB study requirement aims to assess the aquifer’s sustainability before permit approvals, a response to local fears of depletion, reduced well yields, and environmental harm raised by residents, farmers, and industries like Wayne-Sanderson Farms, which has sued to halt the drilling

Kyle Bass Fires a “Warning Shot”

The decision has drawn sharp rebuke from Bass, who took to Twitter