Browsing by Author "Buono, Regina M."
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Item Brackish Groundwater: Current Status and Potential Benefits for Water Management(James A. Baker III Institute for Public Policy, 2016) Buono, Regina M.; Zodrow, Katherine R.; Alvarez, Pedro J.J.; Li, Qilin; James A. Baker III Institute for Public PolicyItem Confronting Climate Change: Policies and Opportunities(James A. Baker III Institute for Public Policy, 2016) Buono, Regina M.; Hung, Elsie; Medlock, Kenneth B. III; James A. Baker III Institute for Public PolicyItem Emerging Legal Issues in Hurricane Damage Risk Abatement(2015) Blackburn, Jim; Buono, Regina M.; Dunbar, Larry; James A. Baker III Institute for Public PolicyThe vulnerability of the U.S. coastline to severe storms is clear in the wake of Hurricanes Katrina, Sandy, Ike, and Wilma, which collectively amounted to over $200 billion in economic loss (NOAA 2013). The Houston-Galveston region alone experienced more than $25 billion in economic loss from Hurricane Ike in 2008, despite the fact that the greatest impact missed the region and instead hit east of Galveston Bay (Severe Storm Prediction, Education and Evacuation from Disaster Center 2015, 12). Since that time, the Severe Storm Prediction, Education and Evacuation from Disaster (SSPEED) Center at Rice University has been studying hurricane surge damage reduction strategies under a grant from the Houston Endowment. The goal of this work is to develop and evaluate structural and nonstructural alternatives to create a plan capable of significantly reducing hurricane surge damages in the Houston-Galveston region. Part of that research includes understanding the availability of federal funding to implement such a plan, as well as the policies that may apply to these federal funding opportunities. In turn, this research has revealed some very interesting and evolving policy trends regarding water projects and federal risk reduction. This paper explores some of the policy issues that arise in the context of the geographic and spatial challenges presented by Galveston Bay surge flooding. First, the extent of the problem is described. Second, various potentially applicable federal statutes, executive orders, and regulations are examined. Third, several proposed solutions for reducing surge flooding in the region are described and evaluated in the context of the policy initiatives from Congress and the executive branch. Finally, some conclusions are drawn and recommendations are offered for future research and implementation.Item From the ‘What?’ to the ‘How?’ in the Water-Energy Nexus: Challenges, Opportunities and Lessons Learned(2016) Buono, Regina M.; Mikulska, Anna; Hung, Elsie; Medlock, Kenneth B. III; James A. Baker III Institute for Public PolicyItem Looming Conflicts? Energy Reform Priorities and the Human Right of Access to Water in Mexico(James A. Baker III Institute for Public Policy, 2016) Posadas, Alejandro; Buono, Regina M.; James A. Baker III Institute for Public PolicyConstitutional reform of Mexico’s energy sector is targeted, in part, at facilitating access via unconventional recovery efforts to shale gas reserves in northeastern Mexico. The methods—namely hydraulic fracturing—require lots of water, which may be difficult to obtain in regions where water is already scarce. The reform prioritizes energy development, requiring landowners to cooperate with companies developing hydrocarbons. In 2012, access to water was enshrined in the Constitution as a human right, an entitlement the judiciary has shown itself willing to enforce. These conflicting legal priorities create the potential for conflict over water allocation, a situation exacerbated by increasing scarcity due to drought and population and economic growth. This chapter reviews the state of water in Mexico in light of the reform, considers the social conflict that may be precipitated by opposing priorities, and offers recommendations to alleviate tensions as energy production increases.Item A New Frontier in Texas: Managing and Regulating Brackish Groundwater(James A. Baker III Institute for Public Policy, 2015) Buono, Regina M.; Zodrow, Katherine R.; Alvarez, Pedro J.J.; Li, Qilin; James A. Baker III Institute for Public PolicyProviding access to clean water is a grand challenge in engineering, and supplying sufficient, clean water is a problem around the globe. This challenge is visible in Texas, where drought coincides with population growth and increases in water demand. The 2012 Texas State Water Plan reports a 2,700 million cubic meters (MCM) gap between fresh water supply and demand in 2010, a number predicted to grow to 3,100 MCM by 2060 if new sources of water are not developed or substantial decreases in demand are not obtained. Due to the inherent political difficulty of decreasing water demand, policy makers and water providers are evaluating new water sources, including wastewater for direct or indirect reuse and brackish groundwater for desalination or direct use. It has been estimated that Texas aquifers contain more than 3,300,000 MCM of brackish groundwater, which, if converted to freshwater, could meet current consumption needs for 150 years, albeit at a greater water treatment cost. Using Texas as a case study, this article addresses which policies are desirable to best manage the supply of brackish groundwater. We review the geological, technical, and legal contexts of groundwater in Texas and situate brackish groundwater within those constructs. We consider efforts by other U.S. states to regulate brackish groundwater and identify desirable goals for its management, including facilitating access to and incentivizing use of brackish groundwater and protecting fresh water aquifers from potential saline intrusion related to brackish groundwater production. Various brackish groundwater policies are examined, and policy recommendations regarding use of the resource are offered.Item Summary of the 2014-15 Climate Lecture Series(James A. Baker III Institute for Public Policy, 2015) Buono, Regina M.; Medlock, Kenneth B. III; Mikulska, Anna; James A. Baker III Institute for Public PolicyItem Summary: Water and Energy Workshop—Understanding Impacts and Trade-Offs to Facilitate Transitions(James A. Baker III Institute for Public Policy, 2015) Capuano, Linda A.; Buono, Regina M.; Mikulska, Anna; James A. Baker III Institute for Public Policy