Re: Ed on Larry King -- Aug 4, 08 panelist for T. Boone Pickens

I think you're missing my point -- I'm not complaining about the fact that he's a good business man, nor am I complaining that he's making a profit on the water.  What I am complaining about is that he's using the "greeness" of the wind power, and a loophole in Texas law to exploit another natural resource.  The Ogallala aquifer (which is where this water is coming from) is already being depleted by the farmers in the area, and all he's doing is exploiting it more, in the hopes of higher prices to the metro areas.

This isn't really what I'm complaining about.  What I disagree with is the use of the wind power to allow him to transport the water to the area.  Here's what he's done:

He purchased 200,000 acres worth of groundwater rights in Roberts County, Texas, located over the Ogallala Aquifer, totally $100 million.  In order to get this water to the metro areas, he has to buy right-of-ways through ranch and farm land.  To get around this issue (what if a farmer or rancher doesn't sell their land?) this is what he did:

"At Pickens' behest, the Texas legislature changed state law to allow
the two residents of an 8-acre parcel of land in Roberts County to vote
to create a municipal water district, a government agency with eminent
domain powers. Who were the voters? They were Pickens' wife and the
manager of Pickens' nearby ranch. And who sits on the board of
directors of this water district? They are the parcel's three other
non-resident landowners, all Pickens' employees. "

"What's this got to do with Pickens' wind-power plan? Just as he needs
pipelines to sell his water, he also needs transmission lines to sell
his wind-generated power. Rights of way for transmission lines are also
acquired through eminent domain -- and, once again, the Texas
legislature has come to Pickens' aid."

Therein lies my issue with his plan.