Fighting for our water: Area lawmakers urge water authorities to deny drilling permit requests

CHEROKEE COUNTY – Recent requests for permits to drill high-capacity area groundwater wells in two East Texas counties have drawn the attention of area lawmakers concerned by potential serious consequences for residents.

In a June 6, 2025, letter to the Neches & Trinity Valleys Groundwater Conservation District, State Senator Robert Nichols of Jacksonville – whose district includes Cherokee County – raised concerns about pending permit applications filed by Redtown Ranch Holdings LLC in Anderson County to drill 21 high-capacity groundwater wells in Anderson County.

The letter stated that an additional 11 wells are proposed for neighboring Houston County; the combined extraction from these projects would be an estimated 25 billion gallons of water pumped annually from Carrizo-Wilcox Aquifer, which covers more than 60 counties spanning the state from the Rio Grande in South Texas to Northeast Texas, according to data from the San Antonio Water System.

While some of the Carrizo-Wilcox Aquifer lies at the land surface, maps illustrating the aquifer reveal that it is primarily a subsurface body of water. 

If permitted, the two applications would have serious impact on local residents, Nichols wrote.

“This is a staggering figure, especially considering that none of the water appears to be designated for use by the communities from which it would be drawn,” he noted. “This kind of large-scale withdrawal proposes serious risks to existing water users, particularly rural landowners, farmers and municipalities who rely on stable aquifer conditions to support homes, crops and livestock.

“In areas like Crockett, which is actively investing in long-term water infrastructure, nearby high-volume production could lower pressure, reduce yield and force emergency reliance on already burdened public systems,” the letter added.

State Representative Cody Harris of Palestine submitted a May 29, 2025, letter to Neches & Trinity Valleys GCD stating his awareness of the intent to drill in Anderson County and his opposition to the applications.

“I will not stand by while attempts are made to drain my own districts,” Harris wrote. “As chairman of the Natural Resources Committee in the Texas House of Representatives, a good portion of my time is spent ensuring that Texas communities, and rural East Texas communities specifically, have their needed and relied upon water sources.

“Anderson County cannot afford to have its water supply literally pulled away for other areas of the state and I will fight to keep this from happening,” he wrote.

According to the site www.conservationequitypartners.com, the 7,250-acre Redtown Ranch possesses 9.5 miles of Trinity River frontage, and “represents a classic example of a multi-use diversified ranch” that is working with Conservation Equity management “to enhance and develop the natural resource values of this unique rural property.”

Meanwhile, the website www. cem-tx.com describes Conservation Equity Management LP – for which hedge fund manager J. Kyle Bass is listed as founder and CEO – as “an environmental sustainability private equity firm based in Dallas and Nacogdoches. Formed in 2021, the company is comprised of a team whose experience includes “identifying conservation and environmental mitigation assets while applying value-driven ecosystem enhancement techniques to capture step-up valuations.”

In a recent KETK report, Bass issued a statement identifying a water supply source crisis in Texas, noting that the drilling applications filed with Neches & Trinity Valleys Groundwater Conservation District “are intended to be part of the solution to the crisis.

“Our drill applications are the first step in our ongoing constructive dialogue with (NTVGCD),” Bass said. “Following our completion of the aquifer testing pursuant to our drilling permits, we will continue the process by reporting our findings and data to the District along with our application of additional permits authorizing production and exploration.”