TO: | Honorable Robert Puente, Chair, House Committee on Natural Resources |
FROM: | John Keel, Director, Legislative Budget Board |
IN RE: | HB2854 by Farrar (Relating to the transfer or cancellation of a water right.), As Introduced |
The bill would provide that an interbasin transfer (for applications filed after the effective date of the act) does not affect the priority of a water right that has been appropriated to a beneficial use that does not return any flows to watercourse from which it was appropriated. The bill also requires cancellation of 50 percent of a water right if the only defense to cancellation is that the water is being made available for purchase through a private marketing effort. In addition, the bill provides that if the Commission on Environmental Quality cancels a water right, it shall issue a new water right equivalent in amount and priority to the right cancelled, and dedicated to environmental flow. Such a right would be placed in the water trust in perpetuity.
Source Agencies: | 580 Water Development Board, 582 Commission on Environmental Quality
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LBB Staff: | JK, CL, TL
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