By: Gonzalez Toureilles, Hardcastle, Chisum H.B. No. 3838
 
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT
relating to regulation of injection wells used for in situ uranium
recovery by the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality.
       BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
       SECTION 1.  Section 27.002, Water Code, is amended by
amending Subdivisions (1) and (2) and adding Subdivisions (16),
(17), and (18) to read as follows:
             (1)  "Commission" means the Texas Commission on
Environmental Quality [Natural Resource Conservation Commission].
             (2)  "Executive director" means the executive director
of the commission [Texas Natural Resource Conservation
Commission].
             (16)  "Production well" means a well used to recover
uranium through in situ solution recovery, including an injection
well used to recover uranium.  The term does not include a well used
to inject waste.
             (17)  "Monitoring well" means a well that is used to
measure or monitor the level, quality, quantity, or movement of
subsurface water.
             (18)  "Area permit" means a permit that authorizes the
construction and operation of production and monitoring wells used
in operations and restoration associated with in situ recovery of
uranium.
       SECTION 2.  Subchapter B, Chapter 27, Water Code, is amended
by adding Sections 27.023 and 27.024 to read as follows:
       Sec. 27.023.  JURISDICTION OVER IN SITU URANIUM APPLICATION
DEVELOPMENT AND OPERATIONS. (a) The commission has exclusive
jurisdiction over and shall regulate wells used during the
development of permit applications to obtain required premining
geologic, hydrologic, and water quality information.
       (b)  The commission shall require a well described by
Subsection (a) to be registered with the commission.  A well
described by Subsection (a) is not subject to the commission's
permitting, notice, and hearing requirements.
       (c)  If a well described by Subsection (a) is included in an
area permit issued by the commission:
             (1)  the registration status of the well ceases; and
             (2)  the well is subject to all rules applicable to the
area permit, including notice and hearing requirements.
       Sec. 27.024.  SHARING OF GEOLOGIC, HYDROLOGIC, AND WATER
QUALITY DATA. (a) After a person developing an application for an
area permit for an area located in a groundwater conservation
district has identified a permit boundary, the person shall provide
to that district:
             (1)  information regarding wells encountered by that
person during the development of the area permit application that
are not recorded in the public record;
             (2)  a map showing the locations of wells that are
located within one-quarter mile of the location for the proposed
permit and that are recorded in the public record;
             (3)  premining water quality information collected
from wells described by Section 27.023(a);
             (4)  on a monthly basis, the amount of water produced
from the wells described by Section 27.023(a); and
             (5)  a record of strata as described by Section 27.053,
except confidential information described by Section 131.048,
Natural Resources Code.
       (b)  A person may take not more than 90 days after the person
receives the final information described by Subsection (a) to
perform standard quality control and quality assurance procedures
before the person submits the information to the groundwater
conservation district.
       SECTION 3.  Sections 27.051(a) and (b), Water Code, are
amended to read as follows:
       (a)  The commission may grant an application in whole or part
and may issue the permit if it finds:
             (1)  that the use or installation of the injection well
is in the public interest;
             (2)  that no existing rights, including, but not
limited to, mineral rights, will be impaired;
             (3)  that, with proper safeguards, both ground and
surface fresh water can be adequately protected from pollution;
             (4)  that the applicant has made a satisfactory showing
of financial responsibility as [if] required by Section 27.073 [of
this code];
             (5)  that the applicant has provided for the proper
operation of the proposed hazardous waste injection well;
             (6)  that the applicant for a hazardous waste injection
well not located in an area of industrial land use has made a
reasonable effort to ensure that the burden, if any, imposed by the
proposed hazardous waste injection well on local law enforcement,
emergency medical or fire-fighting personnel, or public roadways,
will be reasonably minimized or mitigated; and
             (7)  that the applicant owns or has made a good faith
claim to, or has the consent of the owner to utilize, or has an
option to acquire, or has the authority to acquire through eminent
domain, the property or portions of the property where the
hazardous waste injection well will be constructed.
       (b)  The railroad commission may grant an application in
whole or part and may issue the permit if it finds:
             (1)  that the use or installation of the injection well
is in the public interest;
             (2)  that the use or installation of the injection well
will not endanger or injure any oil, gas, or other mineral
formation;
             (3)  that, with proper safeguards, both ground and
surface fresh water can be adequately protected from pollution; and
             (4)  that the applicant has made a satisfactory showing
of financial responsibility as [if] required by Section 27.073 [of
this code].
       SECTION 4.  Section 27.053, Water Code, is amended to read as
follows:
       Sec. 27.053.  RECORD OF STRATA.  The commission or railroad
commission may require a person receiving a permit or authorization
by rule under this chapter to keep and furnish a complete and
accurate record of the depth, thickness, and character of the
different strata penetrated in drilling an [the] injection well,
monitoring well, or production well.
       SECTION 5.  Section 27.054, Water Code, is amended to read as
follows:
       Sec. 27.054.  ELECTRIC OR DRILLING LOG.  If an existing well
is to be converted to an injection well, monitoring well, or
production well, the commission or railroad commission may require
the applicant to furnish an electric log or a drilling log of the
existing well.
       SECTION 6.  Section 27.071, Water Code, is amended to read as
follows:
       Sec. 27.071.  POWER TO ENTER PROPERTY.  (a) Members of the
commission and the railroad commission and employees of the
commission and the railroad commission may enter public or private
property to inspect and investigate conditions relating to
injection well, monitoring well, [or] disposal well, or production
well activities within their respective jurisdictions or to monitor
compliance with a rule, permit, or other order of the commission or
railroad commission.
       (b)  The railroad commission by rule shall provide that
before a member or employee of the railroad commission enters
public or private property under the authority of Subsection (a)
that is located in a groundwater conservation district, a
representative from the district must be invited to accompany the
member or employee.
       (c)  Members, [or] employees, or representatives acting
under the authority of this section who enter an establishment on
public or private property shall observe the establishment's
safety, internal security, and fire protection rules.
       SECTION 7.  Section 27.072, Water Code, is amended to read as
follows:
       Sec. 27.072.  POWER TO EXAMINE RECORDS.  Members of the
commission and the railroad commission and employees of the
commission and railroad commission may examine and copy those
records or memoranda of a business they are investigating as
provided by Section 27.071 of this code that relate to the operation
of an injection well, monitoring well, [or] disposal well, or
production well, or any other records required to be maintained by
law.
       SECTION 8.  Section 27.073(a), Water Code, is amended to
read as follows:
       (a)  A person to whom an injection well, monitoring well, or
production well permit is issued shall [may] be required by the
commission or railroad commission to maintain a performance bond or
other form of financial security to ensure that an abandoned well is
properly plugged.
       SECTION 9.  This Act takes effect September 1, 2007.