In the pine-covered hills of East Texas, a battle is brewing over something as vital as air: water.

 

A proposed law aimed at stopping big water exports from the region has stalled in the Texas Legislature, leaving locals worried about dry wells and vanishing springs. 

The bill, known as House Bill 27, was crafted by State Rep. Cody Harris from Palestine.

 

It called for a pause on new permits to pump and ship groundwater out of East Texas while experts study the massive Carrizo-Wilcox Aquifer. 

This underground sponge of sand and water stretches across millions of acres, feeding homes, farms, and wildlife.

The push for the bill started when Dallas investor Kyle Bass, through his company Conservation Equity Management, bought over 11,000 acres in Anderson, Houston, and Henderson counties. 

Bass wants to drill more than 40 deep wells to test the aquifer and possibly pump out billions of gallons each year, enough to fill thousands of swimming pools daily. 

He says it's just a study for now, and any exports would help thirsty cities like Dallas grow.

 

But East Texans see red flags. "It's dropping faster and faster each year," says Mark Calicutt, a third-generation well driller from the area. 

He fears massive pumping could suck the aquifer dry, hurting ranches, pine forests, and even the rivers that supply water to millions downstream.

The bill sailed through the Texas House with strong support, but hit trouble in the Senate. Lawmakers there stripped out the key moratorium, the part that would halt exports during the study. 

Rep. Harris refused to back down, calling the change a gutting of the bill's purpose. "I will not lay down and accept this watered-down change," he declared. 

The two sides couldn't agree before the special session ended, sending the issue to future hearings at the State Office of Administrative Hearings. 

Critics like Sen. Bob Hall warned that without a pause, wells could start pumping before the science is clear, risking big problems.

This fight shines a light on Texas's old "rule of capture" law, which lets landowners pump all the water they can from under their property, no questions asked. 

It's like first come, first served in a gold rush. But as Texas booms with new people and cities, aquifers are shrinking. 

In places like Houston, over-pumping has caused the ground to sink, leading to floods and strict rules. Experts from the Texas Water Development Board estimate water levels could drop even more in coming decades due to growth and climate shifts.

Bass fired back on social media, threatening lawsuits and calling the bill a violation of property rights. 

Supporters of the rule say it's a bedrock of Texas freedom, while opponents argue shared resources like aquifers belong to everyone. 

The controversy boils down to one big question: Should one person's right to pump water trump the needs of an entire community, potentially leaving neighbors high and dry?

As hearings loom, East Texans like Judge Carey McKinney from Anderson County are speaking out. "Our county depends heavily on groundwater for economic growth, for the health and safety of our citizens," he told lawmakers. 

With no clear winner yet, the debate rages on, pitting progress against preservation in the Lone Star State.