| TO: | Honorable Kip Averitt, Chair, Senate Committee on Natural Resources |
| FROM: | John S. O'Brien, Director, Legislative Budget Board |
| IN RE: | HB2654 by Puente (Relating to the regulation of the use of an injection well to inject nonhazardous brine from a desalination operation or to inject nonhazardous drinking water treatment residuals.), As Engrossed |
The bill would authorize the Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ) to issue a general permit for the use of a Class I injection well to inject non-hazardous brine from desalination operations or non-hazardous drinking water treatment residuals. The bill would provide for published notice and the opportunity for the public to provide comment on a proposed general permit. The bill also provides for renewal and amendment of the general permit and collection of fees. A general permit issued for this special case would not be subject to the opportunity for a contested case hearing.
The proposed bill also provides that the Railroad Commission (RRC) may authorize a person to use nonhazardous brine from a desalination operation or nonhazardous drinking water treatment residuals as an injection fluid for enhanced recovery purposes without first obtaining a permit from TCEQ.
The TCEQ and the RRC could incur some costs in implementing the bill; however, these costs are not expected to be significant. In addition, any permit fee revenues to the TCEQ resulting from passage of the bill are not expected to be significant.
| Source Agencies: | 455 Railroad Commission, 582 Commission on Environmental Quality
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| LBB Staff: | JOB, WK, TL
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