At its June board meeting, Trinity Edwards Springs Protection Association founder and president Jim Blackburn stepped down from his executive position. Wimberley resident, Andrew Weber, attorney and TESPA board member, was unanimously elected to take the top leadership role.
“I’m very pleased to be handing over the reins at TESPA to Andrew Weber,” said Blackburn. “I’ve been the organization’s president since our beginning ten years ago, and it’s time for a change. Andrew will be an excellent leader in this challenging time of drought, water grabs and bad actors. He’s smart, competent and shares our conviction that the future of our region is dependent upon protecting our groundwater.”
As he stepped into the role of board head, Weber said, “We are all grateful to Jim for his leadership in creating and guiding TESPA in its first decade. As we continue to litigate unflinchingly for the water we need to sustain life and economy, we look forward to working on legislative solutions and collaborating with others locally, regionally and statewide. We are here to protect and defend this most fundamental resource.”
According to the TESPA press release, “TESPA was founded as a legal watchdog for local groundwater, and over the last decade the non-profit organization has achieved some important milestones through litigation and public engagement. Electro Purification was defeated and ultimately walked away from its plan to pump and sell huge volumes of Trinity groundwater in the middle of Hays County.”
“TESPA again protected groundwater for locals and filed suit against Kinder Morgan when its pipeline construction moved through the area and muddied the waters of local landowners’ wells. Currently TESPA is involved in several actions against Aqua Texas for over pumping and excessive line leaks. Further, the group is working to ensure local quarries don’t pollute groundwater and destroy sensitive habitat.”
Blackburn will continue to serve on the board of TESPA and lend his legal skills to litigation strategies against threats to local water resources. Blackburn promised, “I will continue to the best of my abilities to protect our groundwater and springs which are the lifeblood of Wimberley Valley and the Hill Country in general.”
The press release went on to say, “Most other non-profit groups working for resource protection in the region do not litigate or take legal actions. This important niche and often the best deterrent sits primarily on the shoulders of TESPA who stands ready to file lawsuits, go to court, and use the law to fight for the resources of our communities. ‘Often that is the only effective way to protect what is of utmost importance to all of us living here,” said Blackburn and signed off with, ‘I urge you all to support Andrew and TESPA as we move forward. I know I will.’” TESPA is a non-profit organization with a mission to protect the Trinity and Edwards aquifers from over pumping, the springs that flow from this interconnected system, and the property rights of landowners who depend on and wish to conserve this precious natural resource. For more information, visit TESPAtexas.org.
