Brian L. Sledge

Principal
(512) 322-5839

Brian L. Sledge, an attorney and governmental relations consultant, focuses his practice primarily on legislative, environmental, water, and utility law matters. Brian is a principal in the Firm and the head of its Government Relations Practice Group, which has been recognized by Capitol Insider's Texas Lobby Power Rankings as one of the Top 15 Law Firm Lobby Practices in Texas. Brian is a frequent speaker on legislative, solid waste, water, mining, and municipal issues and has authored numerous articles in his areas of practice.

Prior to joining the Firm, Brian was Director of Research at the Texas Water Development Board where he performed legislative and other intergovernmental relations work for the agency and managed its research division. Preceding his work at the agency, he served in numerous positions as an environmental attorney for the Texas Legislature, including General Counsel and Chief Clerk of the House Committee on Natural Resources, General Counsel for the House Joint Interim Committee on TNRCC Funding, and lead staff for the House of Representatives on the Joint Senate/House Committee on Water Resources Development and Management.

Brian received a B.A. in 1990 from Texas A&M University and a J.D. in 1994 from the University of Houston. Mr. Sledge is a registered lobbyist with the Texas Ethics Commission. He is a member of the State Bar of Texas (Environmental and Natural Resources Law Section), the Austin Bar Association (Environmental, Natural Resources, and Water Law Section), and is a Life Fellow of the Austin Bar Foundation.

Areas of Practice

Representative Experience

Former General Counsel and Chief Clerk, House Committee on Natural Resources
Ensure passage of Senate Bill 3 in the 80th Legislative Session
Legislative creation and representation of groundwater conservation districts and various water supply districts
Defeat legislation gutting original city jurisdiction under the Gas Utilities Regulatory Act
Defeat environmental legislation targeting industrial and mining clients
Represent cities and other entities before the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality and the Railroad Commission of Texas on permitting, rule making, enforcement actions and stakeholder workgroups

Professional Licenses and Education

Admitted to State Bar of Texas (1994)
J.D., University of Houston (1994)
B.A., Texas A&M University (1990)

Professional Associations and Memberships

State Bar of Texas

Environmental and Natural Resources Law Section

College of the State Bar of Texas
Life Fellow, Austin Bar Association
Texas Water Conservation Association
Texas Alliance of Groundwater Districts

Publications and Presentations

"Texas Water Litigation," The Water Report, Issue #76, June 15, 2010
"Enforcement & Monitoring of DFC's" Pumping Limits for Texas Aquifers: Desired Future Conditions Process, Austin, Texas January 2010
"2009 Legislative Update" Bell County Water Symposium, Belton, Texas, November 2009
"Comparison Funding Alternatives for Underground Water Conservation Districts" Central Texas County Commissioners Court Conference, Waco, Texas, November 2009
"2009 Legislative Update" Texas Mining and Reclamation Annual Conference, Boerne, Texas, October 2009
"The Law, Groundwater and Groundwater Conservation Districts" Groundwater 101 Conference - Aquifers of the Upper Coastal Plains of Texas - Carrizo-Wilcox, College Station, Texas, October 2009
"Legislative Wrap-Up" Texas Coalition of Cities for Utility Issues, Dallas, Texas, August 2009
"Legislative Update" 2009 TxSWANA Conference, Dallas, Texas, April 2009
"Advocating County Issues at the State Level" Commissioners Court Leadership Academy Program, Austin, Texas, March 2009
"Being Smart With Enforcement: Using Common Sense to Develop, Execute and Defend your District’s Enforcement Approach," Texas Alliance of Groundwater Districts, Austin, Texas, July 2008
"Water Resources-Planning for the Future," 2008 Permian Basin Economic Development Summit, Midland, Texas, May 2008
"Legislative Update," TxSWANA 2008 Conference, Laredo, Texas, March 2008
"Panel Discussion: The Status of Groundwater Law in Texas," TWCA, 64th Annual Convention, The Woodlands, Texas, March 2008
"Do You Need a Lawyer in Tool Box?," National Watershed Coalition, Operation & Maintenance/Sponsor 101 Workshop, Decatur, Texas, September 2007
"Groundwater Conservation Districts in Texas, A Review of Chapter 36 and Recent Amendments," 17th Annual CLE International Conference, Texas Water Law, Austin, Texas, September 2007
"Recap of 2007 Texas Legislative Session," Industry Council on the Environment, Membership Meeting, Austin, Texas, July 2007
"Legislative/Regulatory-Wrap Up from 2007 Session," TxSWANA Board of Directors Meeting, Austin, Texas, July 2007
"2007 MSW Texas Legislative Update," TxSWANA 2007 Annual Conference, Austin, Texas, March 2007
"Landowner Rights and Rules of Capture," 16th Annual CLE International Conference, Texas Water Law-Scarcity & Growth, Austin, Texas, October 2006
"Legislative Update," Texas Red Light Camera Symposium, San Antonio, Texas, October 2006
"Groundwater Conservation Districts in Texas, A Review of Chapter 36 and Recent Amendments," 16th Annual CLE International Conference-Texas Water Law, Scarcity & Growth, Austin, Texas, September 2006
"Changes to Groundwater Management as a Result of HB-1763," TWCA 62nd Annual Convention, The Woodlands, Texas, March 2006
"Legislative Update on Water Issues," 5th Annual Bell County Water Symposium, Belton, Texas, November 2005
"Legislative Update, What Have They Done to Us Now," TxSWANA Metroplex Chapter, Bi-Monthly Meeting; Grand Prairie, Texas, July 2005
"Groundwater Sustainability through Protection & Preservation of Existing & Historic Use," Texas Ground Water 2004: Towards Sustainability Conference, Austin, Texas; November 2004
"Historic Use," TWCA 60th Annual Convention; The Woodlands, Texas, March 2004
"Legislative Update," 2004 TxSWANA Annual Conference, Brownsville, Texas; March 2004
"Groundwater Marketing, Transfers and Banking," Western States Water Council, Amarillo, Texas; December 2003
"Legislative Update," Bell County Water Symposium, Belton, Texas; November 2003
"Update on the Texas Legislature & Solid Waste Legislation," 2003 TxSWANA - Annual Conference, El Paso, Texas; March 2003
"Texas Water Development and The 78th Texas Legislature," San Antonio Bar Association, Environmental Law Section; San Antonio, Texas; February 2003
"Regulation of Clay Mining in Texas," Southwestern Brick Institute – 2003 Spring Meeting, Austin, Texas; February 2003
"Beneficial Use of Groundwater," Texas Rural Water Association, TWCA Water Law Seminar, Austin, Texas; January 2003
"Water, Water (Not) Everywhere: Challenges and Opportunities in Texas; The Louisiana Situation," Gulf Coast Power Association Spring Conference, Houston, Texas; April 2001
"The Legislature is in Session," TxSWANA - Metroplex Chapter, Arlington, Texas; March 2001
"Legislative Update," TxSWANA - Lone Star Chapter, San Antonio, Texas; February 2001
"Update on the Texas Legislature and Solid Waste Legislation," TxSWANA 2001: A Waste Odyssey Conference, San Antonio, Texas; February 2001
"Overview of Texas Water Laws and Legislative Update," Texas Mining and Reclamation Association Water Issues Workshop, Austin, Texas; September 2000
"Water Markets in Texas," Texas Mining and Reclamation Association Water Issues Workshop, Austin, Texas; September 2000
"Legislative and Regulatory Water Update," Texas City Attorneys Association Semi-Annual Conference, South Padre Island, Texas; June 2000
"Using Bed and Banks Permits to Supply Water for Municipal Needs," Water 2000 Plus Conference, San Marcos, Texas; May 2000
"Regional Water Planning Update and Water Issues in The 76th Legislature," Texas Municipal Utilities Association Annual Convention, Austin, Texas; May 1999
"Water Planning Under Senate Bill 1," Texas Farm Bureau Annual Convention, Corpus Christi, Texas; January 1998
"Environmental Issues in the 75th Legislature," Texas Planning Association, March 1997
"Panel Discussion: Water Issues in the 75th Legislature," Texas and Southwestern Cattleraisers Association Annual Conference, Fort Worth, Texas; March 1997
"Agricultural and Natural Resources in the 75th Legislature," Texas Peanut Growers Association, Austin, Texas; March 1997
"The Legislative Process," Travis County Bar Association CLE Seminar: Legislative Update, Austin, Texas; August 1997
"Upcoming Environmental Issues in the 75th Legislature," Travis County Bar Association CLE Seminar: What Every Lawyer Should Know About Environmental Law, Austin, Texas; December 1996
"Water Issues Facing the 75th Legislature," Briefing for newly elected members of the House of Representatives for the 75th Legislative Session, Austin, Texas; December 1996

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