Honorable Allan Ritter, Chair, House Committee on Natural Resources
FROM:
Ursula Parks, Director, Legislative Budget Board
IN RE:
HB2334 by Callegari (Relating to the regulation, development, and treatment of brackish and marine water.), As Introduced
No significant fiscal implication to the State is anticipated.
The bill would create an exemption to allow water supply entities to appropriate brackish or marine water without a permit. The bill also would allow the conveyance of the brackish or marine water using a naturally flowing stream of the state without a permit under Water Code, Section 11.042 if the water delivered to the stream has been treated to drinking water standards. The bill also would provide certain exemptions relating to inter-basin transfer requirements. In addition, the bill would provide that the definition of groundwater does not include brackish groundwater and would adds definition for brackish groundwater as all groundwater with a total dissolved solids concentration greater than 1,000 milligrams per liter.
The bill is not expected to have a significant fiscal impact on the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ).
Local Government Impact
The TCEQ reports that the bill would only impact local governments that choose to appropriate brackish or marine water. With the exemption, water rights permit applicants for these types of projects would save application fees, use fees, and watermaster fees, if they are in a located in a watermaster area. The savings would vary depending on the type of application that would otherwise be required.
Source Agencies:
455 Railroad Commission, 582 Commission on Environmental Quality