HBA-LJP H.B. 2847 77(R)BILL ANALYSIS Office of House Bill AnalysisH.B. 2847 By: Averitt Natural Resources 7/19/2001 Enrolled BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE The Brazos River Authority (authority) develops and manages the surface water of the Brazos River. The long term water supply of the authority is under contract and the authority may need an additional water supply besides the surface water. Also, groundwater is often interconnected with surface water and can have a significant impact on the quality and quantity of the surface water. House Bill 2847 provides for the authority's development and management of groundwater in the Brazos River Basin for use of its customers. RULEMAKING AUTHORITY It is the opinion of the Office of House Bill Analysis that this bill does not expressly delegate any additional rulemaking authority to a state officer, department, agency, or institution. ANALYSIS House Bill 2847 provides that the Brazos River Authority (authority) has the authority to discover, develop, produce and use groundwater in the Brazos River Basin for the use of its customers. Provisions relating to the authority do not confer to the authority any power to regulate the groundwater of other land owners. The bill requires that the authority be subject to all laws and regulations relating to groundwater, including the rules and regulations of a groundwater conservation district and the Central Carrizo-Wilcox Coordinating Council. The bill provides that the authority is prohibited from transporting or assisting in the transport of groundwater pumped in the basin outside of the Brazos River Basin. The bill also provides that the Brazos River Conservation and Reclamation District has the powers of control and employment of the groundwater and unappropriated flow waters of the district in the prescribed manner for the greatest practicable measure of the conservation and beneficial utilization of groundwater. EFFECTIVE DATE September 1, 2001.