Environment
Donna knows that healthy families begin with a healthy environment. That’s why Environment Texas gave her a perfect rating on their scorecard. She has focused on improving regional air quality, worked across the region for sustainable resources, clean water, better accountability for industry, and supporting efforts to understand, mitigate and prepare for Climate Change. Donna has also been a strong advocate for the outdoors, supporting ways for Texans to spend time enjoying their state’s natural beauty.
What Donna’s Been Doing:
Designated the Ladybird Johnson Wildflower Center as the state botanical garden and arboretum of Texas.
Passed legislation incentivizing less heavy duty vehicle idling in cities.
Filed legislation to prohibit discharge of sewage effluent into waterways in the Edwards Aquifer Contributing Zone.
Supported funding a pilot program at Texas A&M’s Experimental Engineering Station that developed technology to detect immediately when electrical accidents may have sparked a fire, the cause of the Bastrop fires.
Over several sessions, Donna has restored and preserved state funding for regional air quality modeling essential to staying on the right side of Clean Air Act non-attainment.
Secured $1 million for state grants to study the feasibility of Aquifer Storage and Recovery projects, a promising solution for water management.
Worked with environmentalists and the construction industry to pass legislation allowing reasonable standards for indoor re-use of greywater.
Advocate at the LCRA for water management plans tied to updated science and data.
Worked with regional legislators on flood management plan and passed legislation providing citizens with accountability of their water operations under Sunset Review.
Brought the state and city together to utilize the newly installed ‘purple pipe’ system for non-potable reuse, a significant savings for the state and the water supply.
Made sure the Capitol Complex Master Plan utilized sustainable building elements.
Worked with the Native Plant Society of Texas to create Native Plants Week.
As Vice-Chair of House Administration advocated for Capitol recycling program.
Passed a budget rider returning more than a million dollars in fees to the Travis County Low Income vehicle Repair and Assistance Program that the state had been using to balance the budget.