Drought Disaster Proclamation By The Governor Of The State Of Texas
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME:
I, GREG ABBOTT, Governor of the State of Texas, do hereby certify that exceptional drought conditions pose a threat of imminent disaster in specified counties in Texas.
WHEREAS, significantly low rainfall across Texas beginning in late 2010 and continuing has resulted in declining reservoir and aquifer levels, threatening water supplies and delivery systems in many parts of the state; and
WHEREAS, prolonged dry conditions continue to increase the threat of wildfire across many portions of the state; and
WHEREAS, these drought conditions have reached historic levels and continue to pose an imminent threat to public health, property and the economy; and
WHEREAS, this state of disaster includes the counties of Archer, Armstrong, Bandera, Baylor, Bosque, Briscoe, Burnet, Carson, Childress, Clay, Collin, Collingsworth, Colorado, Comal, Comanche, Cottle, Crosby, Dallam, Dallas, Delta, Denton, DeWitt, Dickens, Donley, Eastland, Edwards, Ellis, El Paso, Erath, Fannin, Floyd, Foard, Frio, Garza, Gillespie, Gray, Hall, Hamilton, Hansford, Hardeman, Hartley, Haskell, Hemphill, Hidalgo, Hill, Hood, Hudspeth, Hunt, Hutchinson, Irion, Jack, Johnson, Karnes, Kendall, Kerr, Kimble, King, Knox, Lamb, Lipscomb, Llano, Matagorda, McLennan, Medina, Montague, Moore, Motley, Oldham, Palo Pinto, Parker, Parmer, Potter, Real, Rockwall, Shackelford, Sherman, Somervell, Stephens, Stonewall, Tarrant, Throckmorton, Tom Green, Travis, Uvalde, Val Verde, Walker, Wharton, Wheeler, Wichita, Wilbarger, Willacy, Williamson, Wise, Young and Zavala.
THEREFORE, in accordance with the authority vested in me by Section 418.014 of the Texas Government Code, I do hereby declare a state of disaster based on the existence of such threat and direct that all rules and regulations that may inhibit or prevent prompt response to this threat are suspended for the duration of the state of disaster as authorized under Section 418.016.
In accordance with the statutory requirements, copies of this proclamation shall be filed with the applicable authorities.
IN TESTIMONY WHEREOF, I have hereunto signed my name and have officially caused the Seal of State to be affixed at my office in the City of Austin, Texas, this the 9th day of March, 2015.
GREG ABBOTT
Governor
View a PDF of the Proclamation here.