More than 1000 Texans sign petition to stop Marvin Nichols

The fight against the proposed Marvin Nichols Reservoir has intensified as of late, with over a thousand people signing a petition against it. The group “Preserve Northeast Texas” is working with others in the community to make sure the proposed project is never started. The reservoir if approved would be built on the Sulphur River in Red River Franklin and Titus counties right outside of Bowie and Cass Counties. The desired goal would be to bring water supply for Dallas. Recently, PNT suggested other areas for the project that would not harm the logging industry and other businesses in the northeast Texas area.

In a press release sent out from Preserve Northeast Texas, it was reported that “more than 1,000 Texans have signed a petition condemning the proposed Marvin Nichols Reservoir. This is a major milestone for Preserve Northeast Texas, a growing group of landowners, business owners, community leaders, conservationists, and local elected officials who have banded together to voice their opposition to one of the biggest transfers of private land to the public in modern history. A full list of petitioners can be found at www.PreserveNortheastTexas.org.”

The petition reads: “The proposed Marvin Nichols Reservoir would rob Northeast Texas of land, valuable jobs, and precious water, devastating the region’s economic vitality, heritage farmlands, and natural resources. I stand in opposition to this project and call on policymakers to put a stop to this costly, unnecessary and damaging project.”

“The proposed Marvin Nichols Reservoir, located on the main stem of the Sulphur River in Red River, Titus, and Franklin Counties, would flood more than 66,000 acres of heritage farmland, hardwood forest and wetlands in Northeast Texas to pipe water 150 miles back to the Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex. In addition to the land that would be flooded, the proposed reservoir would require that at least another 130,000 acres be taken from private ownership to mitigate wildlife habitat losses created by the reservoir. Thousands of Texans will be forced to sell their lands, some of which has been in their families since the 1800s,” noted in the release.

“We are proud to have so many friends and neighbors voicing their opposition to this devastating project, which would forever alter Northeast Texas and dramatically impact our way of life,” said Bill Ward, Preserve Northeast Texas Steering Committee mem ber. “We have been fighting against Marvin Nichols for two decades — and we are just getting started.”

“At a Town Hall meeting this fall, U.S. Congressman Pat Fallon, who represents the area that would be flooded under this plan, voiced his strong opposition to the project. “I’m happy to be opposed to Marvin Nichols,” he said. ‘It’s a land grab …. I do not like it as an American. You’re talking about Freedom of Liberty, property rights. Just grabbing someone’s land.’”