By: Patterson S.B. No. 999 A BILL TO BE ENTITLED AN ACT 1-1 relating to the prevention and mitigation of coastal erosion. 1-2 BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: 1-3 SECTION 1. Section 33.602, Natural Resources Code, is 1-4 amended by adding Subsections (c) through (e) to read as follows: 1-5 (c) The commissioner shall request the use of beach quality 1-6 sand dredged in constructing and maintaining navigation inlets and 1-7 channels for placement on coastal beaches in coordination with the 1-8 secretary of the United States Army. 1-9 (d) The commissioner shall request the secretary of the 1-10 United States Army to implement structural and nonstructural 1-11 measures to prevent or mitigate shore damage attributable to 1-12 federal navigation works. The land office shall coordinate the 1-13 requests with local governments that agree to operate or maintain 1-14 the prevention or mitigation measures. 1-15 (e) Material excavated or dredged from the beds of 1-16 navigation channels of the state may not be removed permanently 1-17 from the active near shore, beach, or inlet shoal system unless the 1-18 commissioner determines that no practical alternative exists. The 1-19 commissioner by rule shall provide that available and appropriate 1-20 dredged materials shall be used to prevent or mitigate coastal 1-21 erosion, if practicable. The commissioner shall request the 1-22 disposal of dredged materials on beaches of the Gulf of Mexico 1-23 proximate to the dredging operation or in shallow active near shore 1-24 areas if the disposal is: 2-1 (1) environmentally acceptable, considering 2-2 contamination of sands or waters and marine life; and 2-3 (2) compatible with other uses of the beach. 2-4 SECTION 2. Subchapter H, Chapter 33, Natural Resources Code, 2-5 is amended by adding Section 33.605 to read as follows: 2-6 Sec. 33.605. BEACH NOURISHMENT MATERIAL SOURCES DATA AND 2-7 RESEARCH. The land office, in cooperation with coastal counties, 2-8 the United States Army Corps of Engineers, and The University of 2-9 Texas Bureau of Economic Geology, shall: 2-10 (1) collect, store, and make available information on 2-11 known sources of material suitable for beach nourishment; and 2-12 (2) identify necessary research on the beneficial uses 2-13 of material dredged in navigation channel projects, including: 2-14 (A) placement on eroded or eroding beaches; 2-15 (B) near shore dumping by split hull dredges; 2-16 (C) building dunes; and 2-17 (D) methods of disposing of dredged materials so 2-18 that the material is accessible for beneficial use. 2-19 SECTION 3. The Commissioner of the General Land Office shall 2-20 adopt rules as provided by Subsections (c) through (e), Section 2-21 33.602, Natural Resources Code, as added by this Act, not later 2-22 than September 30, 1993. 2-23 SECTION 4. The importance of this legislation and the 2-24 crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an 2-25 emergency and an imperative public necessity that the 2-26 constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several 2-27 days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended, 3-1 and that this Act take effect and be in force from and after its 3-2 passage, and it is so enacted.