UPDATE 7:00 P.M.
The City of Corpus Christi has responded to Sinton's denial to meet with them and Sen. Adam Hinojosa on Tuesday with the following:
"The City of Corpus Christi announced today that it will attend a March 10 meeting regarding the Evangeline Water Project proposed and coordinated by State Senator Adam Hinojosa. The City denies allegations from the City of Sinton that it has failed to respond to requests for essential information.
Sinton is currently participating in proceedings before the San Patricio County Groundwater Conservation District concerning permit applications filed by the City of Corpus Christi and Evangeline/Laguna LP. These applications relate to the proposed Evangeline/Laguna Water Project. The City of Sinton believes the project may significantly and unreasonably impact its groundwater wells.
The City has responded through appropriate channels. The request from the City of Sinton's attorney was sent to the Evangeline attorney. The Evangeline attorney sent responses on multiple occasions.
The City has initiated the following:The City has responded numerous times to the City of Sinton through its attorneys regarding the project.
- Interlocal Agreement to protect Sinton's water source
- Management Plan to regulate well usage
- Amendment to the Management Plan to limit production from the five wells closest to Sinton to the Management Plan to limit production from the five wells closest to Sinton
Despite being excluded from speaking at Sinton City Council Meetings, the City has actively engaged in discussions and provided updated mitigation plans. The City will attend a meeting with Sinton in good faith, aiming to resolve ongoing issues.
"We will be at the meeting coordinated by Senator Hinojosa," said City Manager Peter Zanoni. "We trust that the City of Sinton will be there to discuss matters and resolutions for the good of Sinton’s neighbors in San Patricio County and the greater Coastal Bend."
The following story has been updated to include responses from Sen. Adam Hinojosa
The City of Sinton announced on Monday it will not attend a proposed meeting with Corpus Christi city leaders regarding the Evangeline/Laguna Water Project citing concerns with transparency.
The meeting proposed for Tuesday, was set to be hosted by Sen. Adam Hinojosa, District 27, and was meant to bring city leaders from Sinton and Corpus Christi together to find a solution both parties could agree upon.
“Sinton and Corpus Christi are both vital parts of the Coastal Bend Region. Our goal is to provide a venue and facilitate discussion so that both Sinton and Corpus Christi may both benefit,” Hinojosa wrote in a press release on Tuesday.
However, the City of Sinton responded to the Senator's request saying no discussions will be had until, "the City of Corpus Christi (“CCC”) provides essential information and responds to a previously submitted proposal intended to resolve ongoing groundwater permit matters."
The press release continued, "Sinton expressed appreciation for the Senator’s willingness to assist in facilitating discussions. However, the City emphasized that meaningful dialogue cannot occur without basic transparency and engagement from CCC."
READ THE CITY OF SINTON'S FULL RELEASE HERE:
The City of Sinton announced today that it will not attend a proposed March 10 meeting regarding the Evangeline/Laguna Water Project until the City of Corpus Christi (“CCC”) provides essential information and responds to a previously submitted proposal intended to resolve ongoing groundwater permit matters.
Sinton, represented by legal counsel who also serves St. Paul Water Supply Corporation (“SPWSC”), is currently participating in proceedings before the San Patricio County Groundwater Conservation District (“SPCGCD”) concerning permit applications filed by CCC and Evangeline/Laguna LP. These applications relate to the proposed Evangeline/Laguna Water Project, which Sinton and SPWSC believe may significantly and unreasonably impact their groundwater wells, including potential declines in water levels and degradation of water quality.
In a letter responding to an invitation from Senator Adam Hinojosa, Sinton expressed appreciation for the Senator’s willingness to assist in facilitating discussions. However, the City emphasized that meaningful dialogue cannot occur without basic transparency and engagement from CCC.
More than two weeks ago, Sinton and SPWSC submitted a detailed proposal to CCC outlining a path toward resolving the pending permit issues. To date, CCC has not provided any response. According to Sinton’s counsel, this silence prevents the City from understanding CCC’s position, assessing whether progress is possible, or determining whether an impasse exists.
Additionally, Sinton reiterated concerns about CCC’s refusal to share critical hydrogeological and water‑quality data related to the Project. Despite repeated requests—most recently renewed after Sinton submitted its proposal—CCC has declined to provide the information, calling the request “premature.” Sinton maintains that such data is essential for any good‑faith negotiation, given the technical complexity and potential risks associated with the Project.
“CCC simply must be an open book with regard to the Project,” the letter states. “There cannot be good‑faith negotiations until CCC commits to sharing important information and follows through.”
Based on the lack of response and the absence of necessary technical disclosures, Sinton has respectfully declined to attend the March 10 meeting.
Sen. Hinojosa learned of Sinton's response from KRIS 6 News.
"Well, this is just the first time we've heard it right now," Hinojosa said. "This was an effort to bring everybody to the table face to face, get whatever they can laid out on the table and discussed and hopefully come to resolution, but that certainly wasn't a guarantee."
The senator continued, 'So the whole purpose of the meeting was to bring them together to provide information that was asked for in front of others like our office to make sure that, hey, everybody is negotiating fairly and equally and that all sides are getting the information that they have asked for. That was the hope and the goal was to bring them together to start talking about that correspondences can get construed in different ways and you know there's been different things said about that."
"I'm disappointed if Sinton's already decided that they don't want to come to the table, but we have given every opportunity that we can to try to bring the parties together too because Sinton has some very legitimate concerns, and it's very important to address those concerns, and Corpus Christi has some potential solutions that they're offering that may be able to answer those concerns and it may not be enough, but that's what the discussion is all about, is to try to get them to the table to work it out."
In February, the San Patricio County Groundwater Conservation District voted to send formal protests filed against the proposed Evangeline groundwater project to a preliminary hearing process.
As previously reported by KRIS 6 News, the City of Sinton and St. Paul Water Supply Corporation filed formal protests against Evangeline drilling and transport permit applications tied to Corpus Christi’s groundwater supply plans.
In the Monday press release, Sinton leaders write, "More than two weeks ago, Sinton and SPWSC submitted a detailed proposal to CCC outlining a path toward resolving the pending permit issues. To date, CCC has not provided any response. According to Sinton’s counsel, this silence prevents the City from understanding CCC’s position, assessing whether progress is possible, or determining whether an impasse exists."
Corpus Christi officials had described Evangeline as a critical future water source during drought conditions.
On Thursday, Lake Corpus Christi fell below 10% capacity, marking an historic low at the Wesley Seale Dam.
The combined lake levels are down to 9.9%.
Corpus Christi city officials are modeling how soon the region could reach a Level 1 water emergency. "Worst case scenario would be late spring or early summer," Zanoni told KRIS 6 News on Thursday.
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