Relating to the Rio Grande vegetative management program.

Contracts

• Master Service Agreements (MSAs): Prime contractors and subcontractors must amend MSAs to replace "Carrizo Cane Eradication" with "Rio Grande Vegetative Management." Failure to update the Scope of Work (SOW) exposes contractors to breach of contract claims if they perform work outside the strict "eradication" definition previously used.
• Right-of-Entry (ROE) Forms: Landowners and agents must audit current ROE forms. If an existing form grants access solely for "Carrizo cane eradication," it is legally insufficient for the removal of other brush. You must execute new or amended ROEs referencing "vegetative management" to avoid trespass liability.

Hiring/Training

• Field Crew Identification Training: Crews must be retrained immediately. They can no longer operate under a "cut all cane" directive. They must be trained to identify the specific "other noxious vegetation" once defined by TSSWCB to avoid destroying protected native species or non-target crops.
• Project Management: Shift operational mindset from "Eradication" (project closure upon removal) to "Management" (ongoing maintenance cycles). Staffing models should adjust for recurring site visits rather than one-time interventions.

Reporting & Record-Keeping

• Chemical Application Logs: Contractors must document the specific target vegetation for every herbicide application. "General brush control" is no longer an acceptable description; logs must specify the "noxious" classification to prove statutory compliance.
• Proof of Necessity: For vegetation other than Carrizo cane, document how the specific vegetation "impedes border security" (the statutory trigger) prior to removal until the TSSWCB formalizes the noxious plant list.

Fees & Costs

• Insurance Premiums: Review Pollution Legal Liability (PLL) and General Liability policies. Expanding the target list increases the risk of collateral damage claims (drift, crop loss). Confirm your policy covers "vegetative management" and is not restricted to specific invasive species programs.