Committee backs pause on new surface-water withdrawal agreements to address invasive plants and data gaps

The House Natural Resources Committee on April 28 reported House Bill 12-09 as amended, a measure that would pause new cooperative endeavor agreements (CEAs) for surface-water withdrawals after Dec. 31, 2026, while allowing existing agreements to be renewed in two-year increments through Dec. 31, 2036.

Representative Furman, the bill sponsor, told the committee the pause is intended to force a comprehensive, data-driven review of how the state manages surface water and to help address invasive aquatic plants such as giant salvinia. "We want to push the pause button, really dig into this issue," he said, adding the bill gives agencies a 10-year window to build resources and strategy.

The committee adopted an amendment (Amendment Set 4467) that broadens the definition of how money in the aquatic plant control dedicated fund may be used and requires annual reporting by the Department of Energy and Conservation that lists active agreements, authorized versus withdrawn volumes, revenue (monetary and nonmonetary), deposits, summary expenditures and identification of agreements relying on nonmonetary consideration. "Right now the statute preferred spending on the specific body of water where revenue was generated; this amendment allows Wildlife and Fisheries to utilize the fund across the state," Representative Furman said.

Cole Garrett, general counsel for the Department of Wildlife and Fisheries, and Blake Canfield from the Department of Conservation and Energy described the current funding and administrative picture. Garrett said motorboat registration and boat-trailer fees supply a baseline for the aquatic plant control fund and surface-water sales add additional revenue. Canfield said data are limited and the voluntary CEA structure leaves monitoring and verification gaps; removing the ability to enter new CEAs without building a replacement mechanism could allow unregulated withdrawals in some circumstances. He told the committee that roughly 348–350 agreements exist and that about $1.2 million has been collected historically under the voluntary program, with recent years contributing roughly $100,000–$125,000 annually from surface-water sales.

Supporters at the hearing, including Rebecca Trish of the Louisiana Wildlife Federation, urged a fuller management plan. "Surface water management is a big concern for the federation," she said, and called the bill a prudent step while a more complex review proceeds.

Chairman moved the bill and, finding no opposition on the committee floor, reported House Bill 12-09 as amended favorably.

Next steps: The bill was reported favorable to the full House; if it advances, legislators said they expect follow-up work specifying monitoring and potential statutory changes to fee structures and enforcement.