84R17341 JAM-D
 
  By: Bell H.B. No. 2532
 
 
 
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
 
AN ACT
  relating to a study on the effectiveness of regulations governing
  the design and construction of certain Type I municipal solid waste
  landfills overlying aquifers.
         BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
         SECTION 1.  (a) In this Act:
               (1)  "Commission" means the Texas Commission on
  Environmental Quality.
               (2)  "Landfill" means a Type I municipal solid waste
  landfill:
                     (A)  the entirety of which was designed and
  constructed in accordance with regulatory standards effective on or
  after October 9, 1993; and
                     (B)  that is not adjacent to a landfill that was
  designed and constructed in accordance with regulatory standards
  effective before October 9, 1993.
         (b)  The commission shall conduct a study to determine the
  effectiveness of the regulations governing the design and
  construction of landfills located over aquifers in this state. The
  study must:
               (1)  determine whether landfills located over aquifers
  are leaking;
               (2)  based on a review of groundwater monitoring data
  collected and reported by statewide landfill operators and any
  other relevant information, determine if any leakage from landfills
  built over aquifers has seeped into or contaminated the groundwater
  underlying the landfills;
               (3)  include any recommendations necessary for
  improving the effectiveness of the regulations governing the design
  and construction of landfills located over aquifers, including
  recommendations to:
                     (A)  prevent or reduce leakage from landfills
  overlying aquifers; and
                     (B)  protect aquifers underlying the landfills;
  and
               (4)  be submitted for independent peer review.
         (c)  The commission may work with other state agencies,
  institutions of higher education, nonprofit organizations, private
  organizations, or business entities to conduct the study.
         (d)  Not later than January 1, 2017, the commission shall
  submit a report on the results and recommendations of the study to
  the governor, the lieutenant governor, the speaker of the house of
  representatives, and the presiding officer of each standing
  committee of the legislature with jurisdiction over environmental
  matters.
         (e)  Applications and permits for Type I municipal solid
  waste landfills may not be postponed or delayed pending the results
  of the study.
         SECTION 2.  This Act expires August 31, 2017.
         SECTION 3.  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.