By: Lucio III H.B. No. 2031
 
 
 
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
 
AN ACT
  relating to the development and production of marine seawater
  desalination, integrated marine seawater desalination, and
  facilities for the storage, conveyance, and delivery of desalinated
  marine seawater.
         BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
         SECTION 1.  (a) With this state facing an ongoing drought,
  continuing population growth, and the need to remain economically
  competitive, every effort must be made to secure and develop
  plentiful and cost-effective water supplies to meet the
  ever-increasing demand for water. The purpose of this Act is not to
  hinder the conservation or development of other surface water
  efforts; however, its purpose is to more fully explore and expedite
  the development of all water resources in order to balance the
  state's supply and demand for water, one of the most precious
  resources of this state.
         (b)  Currently, the projected long-term water needs of this
  state far exceed the firm supplies that are available and that can
  reasonably be made available from freshwater sources within the
  state. The legislature recognizes the importance of providing for
  this state's current and future water needs at all times, including
  during severe droughts.
         (b)  In Texas, marine seawater is a potential new source of
  public drinking water. This state has access to over 600
  quadrillion gallons of marine seawater from the Gulf of Mexico. The
  purpose of this Act is to streamline the process and reduce the cost
  and regulation of marine seawater desalination.
         (c)  The legislature finds that marine seawater desalination
  projects should be cost-effectively, timely, and concurrently
  developed, alongside other water planning solutions, to help this
  state meet its current and future firm water needs.
         (d)  The legislature finds that it is necessary and
  appropriate to grant certain rights or authority and provide for
  expedited and streamlined permitting for large-scale marine
  seawater desalination projects and integrated marine seawater
  desalination and power projects, to avoid unnecessary costs, delays
  and uncertainty and thereby help justify the investment of
  significant resources of the state in the development of such
  projects.
         SECTION 2.  Section 11.121, Water Code, is amended to read as
  follows:
         Sec. 11.121.  PERMIT REQUIRED.  Except as provided in
  Sections 11.142, 11.1421, [and] 11.1422, and 11.1423 [of this
  code], no person may appropriate any state water or begin
  construction of any work designed for the storage, taking, or
  diversion of water without first obtaining a permit from the
  commission to make the appropriation.
         SECTION 3.  Section 11.1311, Water Code, is amended by
  amending Subsection (b) and adding Subsection (b-1) to read as
  follows:
         (b)  The board may transfer interests in a permit issued
  under Subsection (a) [this section] to a municipality, river
  authority, other political subdivision, or water supply
  corporation organized under Chapter 67 as otherwise provided by
  law.
         (b-1)  In this subsection, "marine seawater" has the meaning
  assigned by Section 11.1423. On submission of an application to the
  commission, the commission shall issue without a hearing a permit
  to use the bed and banks of any flowing natural stream in the state
  to convey marine seawater. The commission shall adopt rules to
  implement a procedure for application for a permit to convey marine
  seawater consistent with this subsection. A flowing natural stream
  does not include impounded water. The commission shall provide
  notice and an opportunity for hearing for an application for a
  permit to convey marine seawater into or through a lake, reservoir,
  or other impoundment.
         SECTION 4.  Subchapter D, Chapter 11, Water Code, is amended
  by adding Section 11.1423 to read as follows:
         Sec. 11.1423.  PERMIT EXEMPTION FOR USE BY WATER SUPPLY
  ENTITY OF MARINE SEAWATER. (a) In this section:
               (1)  "Marine seawater" means water that contains a
  total dissolved solids concentration based on a yearly average of
  samples taken at the water source of more than 10,000 milligrams per
  liter that is derived from the Gulf of Mexico or an adjacent bay,
  estuary, or arm of the Gulf of Mexico.
               (2)  "Water supply entity" includes:
                     (A)  a retail public utility as defined by Section
  13.002;
                     (B)  a wholesale water supplier; or
                     (C)  an irrigation district operating under
  Chapter 58.
         (b)  Without obtaining a permit, a water supply entity may
  use for any beneficial purpose state water that consists of marine
  seawater.
         (c)  A water supply entity must treat marine seawater so that
  it meets the water quality level of the receiving stream before the
  entity may put the water into a stream under an authorization
  granted under Section 11.042.
         (d)  This section does not prohibit a water supply entity
  from conveying water under this section in any other manner
  authorized by law, including through the use of facilities owned or
  operated by the state if authorized by the state.
         SECTION 5.  Section 16.053(e)(5), Water Code, is amended by
  adding Subsection (J) as follows:
         (J)  opportunities for and the benefits of developing
  large-scale desalination facilities for marine seawater that serve
  local or regional entities or;
         SECTION 6.  Section 16.060, Water Code, is repealed.
         SECTION 7.  Subtitle C, Title 2, Water Code, is amended by
  adding Chapter 14 to read as follows:
  CHAPTER 14.  MARINE SEAWATER DESALINATION PROJECTS AND INTEGRATED
  MARINE SEAWATER DESALINATION AND POWER PROJECTS
  SUBCHAPTER A.  GENERAL PROVISIONS
         Sec. 14.001.  DEFINITIONS. In this chapter:
               (1)  "Board" means the Texas Water Development Board.
               (2)  "Commission" means the Texas Commission on
  Environmental Quality.
               (3)  "ERCOT" means the Electric Reliability Council of
  Texas.
               (4)  "GLO" means the General Land Office.
               (5)  "Political subdivision" means a city or county or
  other body politic or corporate of the state, including any
  district or authority created under Article III, Section 52, or
  Article XVI, Section 59, of the Texas Constitution.
               (6)  "Project" means any project to produce water
  supplies from marine seawater desalination, any integrated marine
  seawater desalination and power project, and any facilities for the
  storage, conveyance, and delivery of water.
               (7)  "PUC" means the Public Utility Commission.
               (8)  "School Land Board" means the Texas School Land
  Board.
               (9)  "TPWD" means the Texas Parks and Wildlife
  Department.
  SUBCHAPTER B. POWERS AND DUTIES
         Sec. 14.021  POWERS AND DUTIES OF THE BOARD.  The commission
  has general jurisdiction over the state financial assistance of
  projects to produce water supplies from marine seawater
  desalination, integrated marine seawater desalination and power
  projects, and facilities for the storage, conveyance, and delivery
  of water.
         Sec. 14.022  POWERS AND DUTIES OF THE COMMISSION.  (a) The
  commission has general jurisdiction over the permitting of projects
  to produce water supplies from marine seawater desalination,
  integrated marine seawater desalination and power projects, and
  facilities for the storage, conveyance, and delivery of water.
         (b)  The commission shall consult with the GLO, the School
  Land Board, the board, the TPWD, the PUC, and ERCOT, over all
  aspects of any project or facilities within the scope of subsection
  (a) that also fall within the general jurisdiction of each of those
  agencies.
         Sec. 14.023  POWERS OF CERTAIN POLITICAL SUBDIVISIONS.  A
  political subdivision that has a defined territory extending to the
  Gulf of Mexico may own all or any interest in a project or
  facilities within the scope of subsection (a) of section 14.021,
  and may sell water produced and power generated from such project.
  SUBCHAPTER C. RIGHTS AND AUTHORIZATIONS
         Sec. 14.031  GRANT OF WATER RIGHT TO CERTAIN POLITICAL
  SUBDIVISIONS.  (a) The political subdivision is hereby granted the
  right to divert marine seawater from the Gulf of Mexico at one or
  more points of diversion along the Texas coast, to desalinate such
  water and supply and use the desalinated water within the state for
  all beneficial uses, and to return the concentrated saline water
  resulting from the desalination process to the Gulf of Mexico at one
  or more points of return.
         (b)  The political subdivision is also granted the right to
  use marine seawater diverted from the Gulf of Mexico via a
  desalination project's intake facilities for power plant cooling or
  any other beneficial use before the marine seawater is desalinated,
  and then to either desalinate the unconsumed marine seawater or
  return the unconsumed marine seawater to the Gulf of Mexico via the
  project's return facilities.
         (c)  There are no limitations on the number of points of
  diversion or the rate of diversion at any point of diversion. There
  are no limitations on the number of points of return or the rate of
  return.
         (d)  The political subdivision may assign the rights granted
  to it under this section to any project to produce water supplies
  from marine seawater desalination or any integrated marine seawater
  desalination and power project, or to the owner(s) or operator(s)
  of such project.
         Sec. 14.032  APPROVALS OF GLO AND SCHOOL LAND BOARD
  REQUIRED.  Before construction of any intake or return facilities
  may commence, the political subdivision first must obtain the GLO's
  and the School Land Board's approvals of the locations of the points
  of intake and return and plans and specifications for facilities
  located on state lands. The GLO's and School Land Board's review and
  approval processes are not subject to the requirements relating to
  a contested case hearing under any statute or rule including,
  without limitation, the provisions of this chapter or other chapter
  of the Water Code, Chapter 33, Natural Resources Code, or
  Subchapters C-G, Chapter 2001, Government Code.
  SUBCHAPTER D. EXPEDITED AND STREAMLINED PERMITTING
         Sec. 14.041  DIRECTION TO PERMITTING AUTHORITIES  (a) This
  section applies to all applications for permits or other
  authorizations, and all applications or requests for contracts,
  leases, easements, or grants of interests in property, needed from
  any state or local governmental authority for any project and
  facilities within the scope of subsection (a) of section 14.021.
  Such applications and requests include, but are not limited to, all
  applications to the TCEQ for permits or authorizations to discharge
  under Chapter 26, Water Code, all applications to the TCEQ for
  permits or authorizations under the Texas Clean Air Act, Chapter
  382, Health and Safety Code, and all applications to the School Land
  Board to acquire rights in coastal public land under Chapter 33,
  Natural Resources Code.
         (b)  All governmental authorities are directed to expedite
  and streamline to the extent possible the processing of and action
  on all applications and requests.
         (c)  A governmental authority's processing of and action on
  any application for a permit or other authorization or any
  application or request for a contract, lease, easement, or grant of
  interest in property shall not be subject to the requirements
  relating to a contested case hearing under any statute or rule
  including, without limitation, the provisions of this chapter or
  other chapter of the Water Code, Chapter 33, Natural Resources
  Code, or Subchapters C-G, Chapter 2001, Government Code.
         SECTION 8.  Section 341.001, Health and Safety Code, is
  amended by adding Subdivisions (1-a) and (2-a) to read as follows:
               (1-a) "Desalination facility" means a facility used for
  the treatment of brackish water or marine seawater to remove
  dissolved mineral salts and other dissolved solids; and
               (2-a) "Marine seawater" means water that contains a
  total dissolved solids concentration based on a yearly average of
  samples taken at the water source of more than 10,000 milligrams per
  liter that is derived from the Gulf of Mexico or an adjacent bay,
  estuary, or arm of the Gulf of Mexico.
         SECTION 9.  Subchapter C, Chapter 341, Health and Safety
  Code, is amended by adding Section 341.0359 to read as follows:
         Sec. 341.0359.  DESALINATION OF WATER FOR DRINKING WATER.
  (a) This section applies only to a desalination facility that is
  intended to produce water for the public drinking water supply.
  This section does not apply to a desalination facility used to
  produce nonpotable water.
         (b)  The commission shall adopt rules to:
               (1)  allow water treated by a desalination facility to
  be used as public drinking water; and
               (2)  ensure that water treated by a desalination
  facility meets the requirements of Section 341.031 and rules
  adopted under that section.
         (c)  A person may not begin construction of a desalination
  facility unless the commission approves in writing the plans and
  specifications for the facility.
         (d)  A person may not begin construction of a desalination
  facility that treats marine seawater for the purpose of removing
  primary or secondary drinking water contaminants unless the
  commission approves in writing a report containing:
               (1)  a computer model acceptable to the commission;
               (2)  a pilot study with a minimum 40-day run duration
  without treatment intervention to meet federal and state safe
  drinking water standards;
               (3)  data from a similar system installed at another
  desalination facility that treats source water of a similar or
  lower quality; or
               (4)  a full-scale verification protocol with a minimum
  40-day run duration without treatment intervention to meet federal
  and state safe drinking water standards.
         (e)  If a full-scale verification protocol report is
  approved, a person may not send water to a public water distribution
  system without a full-scale verification study:
               (1)  completed after construction; and
               (2)  approved by the commission.
         (f)  Not later than the 100th day after the date the
  commission receives the report for a proposed desalination
  facility, the commission shall review the report and issue an
  exception response letter that may contain conditions for approval.
         (g)  Not later than the 60th day after the date the
  commission receives the plans and specifications for a proposed
  desalination facility, the commission shall review the plans and
  specifications and issue a response letter that may contain
  conditions for approval.
         (h)  A person violates this section if the person fails to
  meet a condition for approval in a letter issued to the person under
  Subsection (f) or (g).
         SECTION 10.  EFFECTIVE DATE OF THIS ACT. This Act takes
  effect immediately if it receives a vote of two-thirds of all the
  members elected to each house, as provided by Section 39, Article
  III, Texas Constitution. If this Act does not receive the vote
  necessary for immediate effect, this Act takes effect September 1,
  2015.