By: Darby (Senate Sponsor - Perry) H.B. No. 4856
         (In the Senate - Received from the House May 8, 2023;
  May 10, 2023, read first time and referred to Committee on Water,
  Agriculture & Rural Affairs; May 19, 2023, reported favorably by
  the following vote:  Yeas 9, Nays 0; May 19, 2023, sent to printer.)
Click here to see the committee vote
 
 
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
 
AN ACT
 
  relating to the jurisdiction of the Texas Commission on
  Environmental Quality over certain recharge injection wells.
         BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
         SECTION 1.  Section 27.201, Water Code, is amended by adding
  Subdivision (1-a) to read as follows:
               (1-a)  "Fluid oil and gas waste" has the meaning
  assigned by Section 122.001, Natural Resources Code.
         SECTION 2.  Section 27.202, Water Code, is amended to read as
  follows:
         Sec. 27.202.  JURISDICTION. (a) The commission has
  exclusive jurisdiction over the regulation and permitting of
  recharge injection wells, including recharge injection wells used
  for the injection of fluid oil and gas waste.
         (b)  A recharge injection well may not be used for the
  injection of fluid oil and gas waste unless the waste has been
  treated to meet the standards adopted by the commission under this
  subchapter.
         SECTION 3.  This Act takes effect immediately if it receives
  a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as
  provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution.  If this
  Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this
  Act takes effect September 1, 2023.
 
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