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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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AN ACT
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relating to a study on the effectiveness of regulations governing |
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the design and construction of certain Type I municipal solid waste |
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landfills overlying aquifers. |
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. (a) In this Act: |
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(1) "Commission" means the Texas Commission on |
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Environmental Quality. |
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(2) "Landfill" means a Type I municipal solid waste |
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landfill: |
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(A) the entirety of which was designed and |
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constructed in accordance with regulatory standards effective on or |
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after October 9, 1993; and |
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(B) that is not adjacent to a landfill that was |
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designed and constructed in accordance with regulatory standards |
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effective before October 9, 1993. |
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(b) The commission shall conduct a study to determine the |
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effectiveness of the regulations governing the design and |
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construction of landfills located over aquifers in this state. The |
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study must: |
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(1) determine whether landfills located over aquifers |
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are leaking; |
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(2) based on a review of groundwater monitoring data |
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collected and reported by statewide landfill operators and any |
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other relevant information, determine if any leakage from landfills |
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built over aquifers has seeped into or contaminated the groundwater |
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underlying the landfills; |
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(3) include any recommendations necessary for |
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improving the effectiveness of the regulations governing the design |
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and construction of landfills located over aquifers, including |
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recommendations to: |
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(A) prevent or reduce leakage from landfills |
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overlying aquifers; and |
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(B) protect aquifers underlying the landfills; |
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and |
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(4) be submitted for independent peer review. |
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(c) The commission may work with other state agencies, |
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institutions of higher education, nonprofit organizations, private |
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organizations, or business entities to conduct the study. |
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(d) Not later than January 1, 2017, the commission shall |
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submit a report on the results and recommendations of the study to |
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the governor, the lieutenant governor, the speaker of the house of |
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representatives, and the presiding officer of each standing |
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committee of the legislature with jurisdiction over environmental |
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matters. |
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(e) Applications and permits for Type I municipal solid |
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waste landfills may not be postponed or delayed pending the results |
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of the study. |
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SECTION 2. This Act expires August 31, 2017. |
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SECTION 3. This Act takes effect immediately if it receives |
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a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as |
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provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution. If this |
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Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this |
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Act takes effect September 1, 2015. |