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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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AN ACT
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relating to water programs administered by the Texas Commission on |
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Environmental Quality and the Texas Water Development Board. |
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. Subchapter Q, Chapter 15, Water Code, is amended |
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by adding Section 15.982 to read as follows: |
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Sec. 15.982. EMERGENCY ASSISTANCE PROGRAM. (a) In |
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addition to using the fund for the other purposes authorized by this |
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subchapter, the board may use the fund to provide technical or |
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financial assistance to an eligible political subdivision for a |
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project designed to alleviate a severe water shortage affecting the |
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political subdivision that is caused by an emergency condition such |
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as a drought or public calamity. |
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(b) To be eligible to receive technical or financial |
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assistance under this section, an eligible political subdivision |
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must apply to the board and provide to the board evidence that the |
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political subdivision is affected by a severe water shortage that |
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is caused by an emergency condition such as a drought or public |
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calamity. |
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(c) The board shall expedite review of an application the |
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board receives under this section. |
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(d) The board shall coordinate with the commission, the |
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Department of Agriculture, and any other agency as necessary to |
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implement this section. |
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(e) The board may provide technical or financial assistance |
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under this section for a project regardless of whether the project |
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is recommended through the state and regional water planning |
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processes under Sections 16.051 and 16.053. |
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SECTION 2. (a) The Texas Water Development Board and the |
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Texas Commission on Environmental Quality shall jointly: |
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(1) conduct a study regarding: |
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(A) streamlining the application and permitting |
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processes described by Chapters 15, 16, and 17, Water Code, for |
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water projects that the Texas Water Development Board has |
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determined are priority projects; and |
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(B) the feasibility and desirability of |
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requiring a state agency to: |
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(i) compile state and federal permitting |
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requirements applicable to applicants for financial assistance or |
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permits for water projects described by Chapters 15, 16, and 17, |
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Water Code; and |
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(ii) provide to the applicants a |
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description or list of the requirements; and |
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(2) conduct a study regarding the effect of the repeal |
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of provisions of the Wagstaff Act, Chapter 128 (S.B. 93), General |
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Laws, Acts of the 42nd Legislature, Regular Session, 1931, and the |
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feasibility and desirability of reenacting any of those provisions. |
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(b) The Texas Water Development Board shall submit a report |
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on the results of the studies required by this section to the |
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lieutenant governor and the speaker of the house of representatives |
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not later than September 1, 2014. |
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SECTION 3. This Act takes effect September 1, 2013. |