How a billionaire's plan to export East Texas groundwater sparked a rural uprising

How a billionaire's plan to export East Texas groundwater sparked a rural uprising

The farmers and ranchers who descended on city hall in Jacksonville, Texas, had been told to “leave their pitchforks at the door.” While everyone ultimately arrived unarmed, the attendees of the June 19 board meeting of the Neches & Trinity Valleys Groundwater Conservation District were ready for a fight. In the hallway outside the boardroom, wives tried to cool their husbands with handheld paper fans that flapped uselessly amid a sea of silver …

How a billionaire’s plan to export East Texas groundwater sparked a rural uprising

The farmers and ranchers who descended on city hall in Jacksonville, Texas, had been told to "leave their pitchforks at the door." While everyone ultimately arrived unarmed, the attendees of the June 19 board meeting of the Neches & Trinity Valleys Groundwater Conservation District were ready for a fight. In the hallway outside the boardroom, wives tried to cool their husbands with handheld paper fans that flapped uselessly amid a sea of silver …