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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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AN ACT
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relating to the coordination of uranium mining permitting |
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activities by the Railroad Commission of Texas and the Texas |
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Commission on Environmental Quality. |
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. Section 131.354, Natural Resources Code, is |
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amended by adding Subsection (f) to read as follows: |
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(f) The commission and the Texas Commission on |
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Environmental Quality shall: |
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(1) share information relating to permits for |
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exploration activities; |
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(2) each provide to the other agency information at |
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the request of the other agency; |
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(3) cooperate to allocate responsibilities under this |
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section for an issue, project, or project type for which agency |
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responsibilities are not stated in statute or rule; |
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(4) share information and take appropriate |
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investigative steps to determine appropriate jurisdiction under |
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this section, as necessary; and |
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(5) coordinate as necessary to resolve disputes. |
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SECTION 2. Section 131.356, Natural Resources Code, is |
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amended to read as follows: |
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Sec. 131.356. NOTIFICATION BY COMMISSION. (a) At the time |
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the commission receives an application for an exploration permit, |
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the commission shall provide written notice of the exploration |
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permit application to: |
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(1) each groundwater conservation district in the area |
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in which the permitted exploration will occur; |
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(2) the mayor and health authority of each |
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municipality in the area in which the permitted exploration will |
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occur; |
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(3) the county judge and health authority of each |
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county in the area in which the permitted exploration will occur; |
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[and] |
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(4) each member of the legislature who represents the |
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area in which the proposed exploration will occur; and |
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(5) the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality. |
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(b) At the time the commission issues an exploration permit |
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under this subchapter, the commission shall provide written notice |
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of the exploration permit to: |
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(1) each groundwater conservation district in the area |
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in which the permitted exploration will occur; |
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(2) the mayor and health authority of each |
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municipality in the area in which the permitted exploration will |
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occur; |
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(3) the county judge and health authority of each |
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county in the area in which the permitted exploration will occur; |
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[and] |
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(4) each member of the legislature who represents the |
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area in which the proposed exploration will occur; and |
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(5) the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality. |
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SECTION 3. Section 131.357(a), Natural Resources Code, is |
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amended to read as follows: |
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(a) A person issued an exploration permit under this |
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subchapter that authorizes exploration in a groundwater |
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conservation district shall provide to the district and the Texas |
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Commission on Environmental Quality: |
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(1) pre-exploration water quality information from: |
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(A) each existing well located in the district |
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that is tested by the person before exploration; and |
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(B) the following wells, as applicable: |
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(i) each existing well located inside the |
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area subject to the exploration permit, if there are fewer than 10 |
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existing wells located inside that area; or |
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(ii) 10 existing wells that are distributed |
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as evenly as possible throughout the area subject to the |
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exploration permit, if there are at least 10 existing wells located |
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inside that area; |
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(2) pre-mining water quality information from: |
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(A) each existing well in the jurisdiction of the |
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groundwater conservation district that the person tests during |
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exploration; and |
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(B) cased exploration wells completed under the |
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exploration permit issued under this subchapter; and |
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(3) well logs that do not contain confidential |
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information as described by Section 131.048. |
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SECTION 4. Section 131.356(a), Natural Resources Code, as |
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amended by this Act, applies only to an application for an |
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exploration permit filed on or after the effective date of this Act. |
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An application for an exploration permit filed before the effective |
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date of this Act is subject to the law in effect on the date of |
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filing, and that law is continued in effect for that purpose. |
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SECTION 5. Sections 131.356(b) and 131.357(a), Natural |
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Resources Code, as amended by this Act, apply only to an exploration |
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permit issued on or after the effective date of this Act. An |
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exploration permit issued before the effective date of this Act is |
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subject to the law in effect on the date of issuance, and that law is |
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continued in effect for that purpose. |
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SECTION 6. This Act takes effect September 1, 2011. |