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| Sen. Tom Carlson |
On this 59th legislative day, this is my 8th and last regular Legislative Session. It has been a time of joy, education, hard work, good friends, and doing my best to represent my constituents. I have learned so much about our great state and its people.
Today was the passage of what I consider my most important bill of these eight years. While I consider water to be the theme of my tenure, LB 1098 will be remembered as a bill that helped make possible water sustainability for generations to come.
LB 1098 will change the membership of and provide powers and duties for the Nebraska Natural Resources Commission and make possible the distribution of money from the Water Sustainability Fund. The Natural Resources Commission will form rules and regulations to proceed in a process of considering appropriate research on water issues and evaluating proposed projects which contribute to attaining and maintaining a position of water sustainability across the state of Nebraska.
We have challenges of addressing water scarcity, water surplus, and water quality. LB 1098 provides the framework to deal with and solve these challenges.
In my view, we are water sustainable when, on average, we are not using any more water than what our supply provides. We must focus on growing more with less water, but we should also work to increase our supply of usable water. It is generally accepted that one million acre feet of water flows into the state every year while eight million acre feet flows out.
Appropriate amounts from the Water Sustainability Fund should be used to better hold back, or capture, water flowing into the state during wet years, to be used in dry years. We also need to address critical infrastructure to better guard against damaging floods.
Water is Life. LB 1098 is landmark legislation. I am thankful to those who served on the Water Sustainability Task Force last year. I also thank the Senators who served as advisory members on the Task Force, for the members of the Natural Resources Committee, and the members of the Legislature for their overwhelming support of LB 1098.
I appreciate Senator Lathrop for his contribution and the significant work of the Appropriations Committee for including the funding in the budget. Their support was critical.
We are near the end of this session. The past eight years, serving in the Legislature, have been one of the most interesting and satisfying experiences of my life. I am thankful for the support of you, my constituents, as well as my wife, Margo, and the legislative staff members who have been at my side each legislative day. I have the best staff in the Capitol. Thank you for allowing me this privilege.
Today was the passage of what I consider my most important bill of these eight years. While I consider water to be the theme of my tenure, LB 1098 will be remembered as a bill that helped make possible water sustainability for generations to come.
LB 1098 will change the membership of and provide powers and duties for the Nebraska Natural Resources Commission and make possible the distribution of money from the Water Sustainability Fund. The Natural Resources Commission will form rules and regulations to proceed in a process of considering appropriate research on water issues and evaluating proposed projects which contribute to attaining and maintaining a position of water sustainability across the state of Nebraska.
We have challenges of addressing water scarcity, water surplus, and water quality. LB 1098 provides the framework to deal with and solve these challenges.
In my view, we are water sustainable when, on average, we are not using any more water than what our supply provides. We must focus on growing more with less water, but we should also work to increase our supply of usable water. It is generally accepted that one million acre feet of water flows into the state every year while eight million acre feet flows out.
Appropriate amounts from the Water Sustainability Fund should be used to better hold back, or capture, water flowing into the state during wet years, to be used in dry years. We also need to address critical infrastructure to better guard against damaging floods.
Water is Life. LB 1098 is landmark legislation. I am thankful to those who served on the Water Sustainability Task Force last year. I also thank the Senators who served as advisory members on the Task Force, for the members of the Natural Resources Committee, and the members of the Legislature for their overwhelming support of LB 1098.
I appreciate Senator Lathrop for his contribution and the significant work of the Appropriations Committee for including the funding in the budget. Their support was critical.
We are near the end of this session. The past eight years, serving in the Legislature, have been one of the most interesting and satisfying experiences of my life. I am thankful for the support of you, my constituents, as well as my wife, Margo, and the legislative staff members who have been at my side each legislative day. I have the best staff in the Capitol. Thank you for allowing me this privilege.
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