BILL ANALYSIS

C.S.S.B. 199

By: Watson

State Affairs

Committee Report (Substituted)

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE

Interested parties contend that all water users should share in the goals of conserving water and reducing water demand and consumption.  The parties assert that requiring power plants to conduct an evaluation and analysis of the water used in their cooling processes could result in reduced water demand and consumption by the power sector and could also reduce the likelihood of negative impacts to electric supply and reliability due to drought.  C.S.S.B. 199 seeks to address this issue by imposing certain requirements on owners or operators of electric generating facilities to perform such an evaluation of water use.

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

C.S.S.B. 199 amends the Water Code, in a temporary provision set to expire September 1, 2018, to require an owner or operator of an electric generating facility, on or before May 15 of each year, to submit a report to the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality and the Texas Water Development Board that evaluates the water needs of the facility, including water source, consumptive water use, nonconsumptive water use, and water reuse of the facility during the preceding year.

EFFECTIVE DATE

September 1, 2013.

COMPARISON OF ORIGINAL AND SUBSTITUTE

While C.S.S.B. 199 may differ from the engrossed version in minor or nonsubstantive ways, the following comparison is organized and highlighted in a manner that indicates the substantial differences between the engrossed and committee substitute versions of the bill.

SENATE ENGROSSED	HOUSE COMMITTEE SUBSTITUTE
SECTION 1.  Subchapter K, Chapter 16, Water Code, is amended by adding Section 16.405 to read as follows: Sec. 16.405.  WATER USE EVALUATION BY ELECTRIC GENERATING FACILITIES.  (a)  On or before May 15 of each year, an owner or operator of an electric generating facility shall submit a report to the commission that evaluates the water needs of the facility including water source, consumptive water use, nonconsumptive water use, and water reuse of the facility during the preceding year. (b)  This section expires September 1, 2018.	SECTION 1.  Subchapter K, Chapter 16, Water Code, is amended by adding Section 16.405 to read as follows: Sec. 16.405.  WATER USE EVALUATION BY ELECTRIC GENERATING FACILITIES.  (a)  On or before May 15 of each year, an owner or operator of an electric generating facility shall submit a report to the commission and the board that evaluates the water needs of the facility, including water source, consumptive water use, nonconsumptive water use, and water reuse of the facility during the preceding year. (b)  This section expires September 1, 2018.
SECTION 2.  This Act takes effect September 1, 2013.	SECTION 2. Same as engrossed version.