(Austin) – State Representative Gary VanDeaver (New Boston) expressed his appreciation this

afternoon to the members of the House Committee on Natural Resources that voted to pass HB

2109 out of the committee. VanDeaver said:

“Passing HB 2109 out of the House Natural Resources Committee is a critical step in

trying to pass legislation that will stop the construction of the Marvin Nichols Reservoir.

The bill was heard in committee on April 24th and was passed out of the committee this

afternoon. I am so grateful to all of the Northeast Texans who traveled to Austin for the

committee hearing and shared their very personal stories about how the threat of the

Marvin Nichols Reservoir hanging over their heads for the last 57 years have negatively

impacted their lives. These poignant stories from our friends and neighbors and the

emails from others who have been adversely affected by Marvin Nichols made the

difference in this bill passing out of the committee. The next step is for the House

Calendars Committee to set HB 2109 on a House Calendar for consideration.”

Rep. VanDeaver also thanked the chair of the Natural Resources Committee, the Honorable

Cody Harris (Palestine), and all of the committee members for listening so intently to the

witnesses who came to tell their stories about Marvin Nichols and to express their support for

HB 2109. Rep. VanDeaver pledges to continue working hard on this issue to make sure that

Marvin Nichols is taken out of the state water plan and will no longer be a threat to Northeast

Texans.