Stuart Henry was not afraid to get his feet wet. On the contrary, Henry worked as an environmental lawyer and activist for over 40 years in Austin. He led the "Citizens Against Water Taxes" campaigns in 1976 and 1981, resulting in the defeat of water development funding plans at the polls. He later rallied residents to create Save Our Springs, a watchdog coalition for Barton Springs and surrounding watersheds.
His ubiquitous presence in Austin lives through our current water conservation work and values, and in the hearts of the communities he unified and fought for. He consistently worked in the best interest of Texas residents, wildlife, and ecosystems. For those who knew him, they will remember the life of environmental steward, Stuart Henry, who peacefully passed away on October 11. The Sierra Club, along with many local organizations touched by Henry, will celebrate his work through continuing the fight for clean water and environment.
Ken Kramer, retired Chapter Director and current Water Resources Chair of the Sierra Club’s Lone Star Chapter, reflected fondly on the life and legacy of Stuart Henry:
“It's with a heavy heart that I report to you the death of a person who played critical roles for the Lone Star Chapter in legislative lobbying and water history in Texas: Austin environmental attorney Stuart Henry, who died this past Thursday at the age of 77.
In the 1973 state legislative session, Stuart became the first professional lobbyist (on a contract basis) for the Lone Star Chapter, and he then served on the Chapter Executive Committee and as volunteer Legislative Chair and Water Chair for the Chapter. I succeeded Stuart as volunteer Legislative and Water Chair for the Chapter in 1978, after I was elected to the Chapter Executive Committee in the fall of 1977. In many ways, Stuart was a mentor to me in lobbying the Texas Legislature and in expanding my involvement in water issues at the state level, and I owe a lot to him for helping me in the early years of my volunteer work and later professional career with the Sierra Club.
As many of you know, in the early 1990s Stuart was also the attorney representing the Sierra Club in our landmark court case regarding protection of endangered and threatened species at Comal and San Marcos Springs and in the Edwards Aquifer. Our victory in that federal lawsuit against the U. S. Department of the Interior (in which the U. S. Fish & Wildlife Service is housed) for failure to protect those species led to the creation of the Edwards Aquifer Authority and a cap on withdrawal of groundwater from the Edwards in order to sustain the springflows at Comal and San Marcos Springs, discharge points for the Edwards Aquifer. Limits on the withdrawal of water from the Edwards was the catalyst for the extensive water conservation efforts undertaken by what is know the San Antonio Water System (SAWS), which in many ways have become a model for water conservation by major cities in Texas.
Stuart was also responsible for helping to launch and/or further the careers of a number of environmental attorneys in Texas - among them: Rick Lowerre, Mary Kelly, Tom Mason, David Frederick, Myron Hess, Melinda Taylor, Kelly Haragan, Bill Bunch, and many others - through his law firm, until his "semi-retirement" a few years ago. His impact on Texas water policy and the environment is ongoing”.
His impact extends far beyond the groundwater aquifers he tirelessly worked to protect. We must carry Stuart’s work with us as we forge through the elections and years ahead. The Sierra Club would like to extend condolences to the family of Stuart Henry and those touched by his humanity. Services for Stuart will be held Thursday, October 18 at 11:00 am at Gethsemane Lutheran Church in Austin.