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AN ACT
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relating to the authority of the Texas Water Development Board to |
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approve the regional water plan for Region L and include the plan in |
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the state water plan. |
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. (a) Notwithstanding Section 16.053(i), Water |
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Code, and except as otherwise provided by this Act, the Texas Water |
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Development Board may approve and include in the state water plan |
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for the five-year period beginning January 5, 2007, the regional |
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water plan that was submitted to the board by the Region L regional |
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water planning group. |
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(b) The Texas Water Development Board may approve the |
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regional water plan for Region L only if the board: |
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(1) strikes Sections 4C.7, 4C.8, and 4C.32 from the |
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plan as submitted to the board; and |
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(2) includes Section 4C.33 in the plan as the Lower |
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Guadalupe Water Supply Project for Upstream GBRA Needs so as to: |
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(A) require that the project be developed by the |
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regional water planning group for Region L in association with the |
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Guadalupe-Blanco River Authority; |
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(B) include a transmission pipeline for the |
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diversion of up to 60,000 acre-feet per year of surface water |
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available under the water rights held by the Guadalupe-Blanco River |
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Authority as of December 31, 2006, from the Guadalupe River below |
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the city of Victoria to upstream points on the river to meet needs |
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identified by the Region L regional water planning group; provided, |
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however, that at least 100,000 acre-feet per year of the surface |
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water must be reserved for lower basin needs; |
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(C) prohibit the use of fresh groundwater for the |
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project; |
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(D) require the consent of the appropriate |
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property owner before off-channel storage or an off-channel |
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reservoir may be developed as part of the project; and |
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(E) require freshwater inflows in an amount |
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sufficient to meet the Parks and Wildlife Department, Texas |
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Commission on Environmental Quality, and Texas Water Development |
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Board's environmental consensus criteria for San Antonio Bay to be |
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identified and included in the project. |
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(c) The Texas Water Development Board shall amend the state |
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water plan for the five-year period beginning January 5, 2007, as |
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necessary to conform to the requirements of this Act. |
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SECTION 2. This Act takes effect immediately if it receives |
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a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as |
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provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution. If this |
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Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this |
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Act takes effect September 1, 2007. |
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______________________________ |
______________________________ |
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President of the Senate |
Speaker of the House |
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I certify that H.B. No. 3776 was passed by the House on May 8, |
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2007, by the following vote: Yeas 146, Nays 0, 2 present, not |
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voting. |
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______________________________ |
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Chief Clerk of the House |
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I certify that H.B. No. 3776 was passed by the Senate on May |
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23, 2007, by the following vote: Yeas 29, Nays 0. |
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______________________________ |
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Secretary of the Senate |
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APPROVED: _____________________ |
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Date |
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_____________________ |
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Governor |