BILL ANALYSIS
By: Puente
BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE
In 2001, the 77th session of the Texas Legislature passed Senate Bill 2 which directed Texas Parks and Wildlife Department (TPWD), the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ), and the Texas Water Development Board (TWDB), in cooperation with other appropriate agencies, to "…jointly establish and continuously maintain an instream flow data collection and evaluation program…". In addition, the agencies were directed to "…conduct studies and analyses to determine appropriate methodologies for determining flow conditions in the state rivers and streams necessary to support a sound ecological environment." Due to funding limitations, legislative action and extensive peer review of the proposed methodology, these studies have only just begun. As a result, agency staff will not meet the statutorily-mandated deadline for completing priority studies. H.B. 2108 would extend the deadline from 2010 to 2016 to allow agency staff to develop and convey to stakeholders a realistic timeline and plan of action to complete these studies in order to provide vital information to both the regulatory agency (TCEQ) and water resources planners.
RULEMAKING AUTHORITY
It is the committee's opinion that this bill does not expressly grant any additional rulemaking authority to a state officer, department, agency, or institution.
ANALYSIS
Amend Section 16.059 (d), Water Code, by changing the deadline for completing the priority studies from 2010 to 2016.
EFFECTIVE DATE
Upon passage, or, if the Act does not receive the necessary vote, the Act takes effect September 1, 2007.