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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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AN ACT
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relating to notice of an application for a permit to drill an |
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injection well in the territory of a groundwater conservation |
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district. |
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. Subchapter D, Chapter 91, Natural Resources |
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Code, is amended by adding Section 91.118 to read as follows: |
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Sec. 91.118. NOTICE OF INJECTION WELL PERMIT APPLICATION TO |
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GROUNDWATER CONSERVATION DISTRICTS. (a) In this section, |
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"injection well" means a well that is: |
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(1) used to inject a substance into the ground; and |
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(2) not regulated by the commission under Chapter 27, |
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Water Code. |
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(b) If the commission receives an application for a permit |
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for an injection well the proposed location of which is within a |
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10-mile radius of the territory of a groundwater conservation |
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district, the commission shall require the applicant to submit with |
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the application documentation showing that a copy of the |
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application has been submitted to the governing body of the |
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groundwater conservation district. |
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SECTION 2. The heading to Section 27.017, Water Code, is |
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amended to read as follows: |
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Sec. 27.017. NOTICE TO AND RECOMMENDATIONS FROM OTHER |
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ENTITIES. |
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SECTION 3. Section 27.017(b), Water Code, is amended to |
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read as follows: |
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(b) If an application is received in proper form for a |
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permit for an injection well [to dispose of industrial and
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municipal waste] and the proposed location of the injection well is |
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in within a 10-mile radius of the territory of a groundwater |
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conservation district, the executive director shall submit a copy |
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of the application to the governing body of the groundwater |
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conservation district. |
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SECTION 4. Section 27.018(e), Water Code, is amended to |
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read as follows: |
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(e) In addition to the requirements of Subsection (c), |
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before any testimony is heard in a contested case regarding an |
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application for a permit for an injection well [to dispose of
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industrial and municipal waste] that is proposed to be located in |
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within a 10-mile radius of the territory of a groundwater |
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conservation district, the record of the proceeding must include |
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evidence that: |
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(1) a copy of each draft permit proposed by the |
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executive director was provided to the governing body of the |
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groundwater conservation district; and |
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(2) notice of the contested case hearing was mailed to |
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the governing body of the groundwater conservation district. |
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SECTION 5. Subchapter C, Chapter 27, Water Code, is amended |
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by adding Section 27.0322 to read as follows: |
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Sec. 27.0322. NOTICE TO GROUNDWATER CONSERVATION |
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DISTRICTS. If the proposed location of an injection well to which |
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this subchapter applies is within a 10-mile radius of the territory |
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of a groundwater conservation district, the railroad commission |
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shall require the applicant to submit with the application |
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documentation showing that a copy of the application has been |
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submitted to the governing body of the groundwater conservation |
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district. |
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SECTION 6. Subchapter C-1, Chapter 27, Water Code, is |
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amended by adding Section 27.0441 to read as follows: |
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Sec. 27.0441. NOTICE TO GROUNDWATER CONSERVATION |
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DISTRICTS. If the proposed location of an injection well to which |
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this subchapter applies is within a 10-mile radius of the territory |
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of a groundwater conservation district, the railroad commission |
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shall require the applicant to submit with the application |
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documentation showing that a copy of the application has been |
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submitted to the governing body of the groundwater conservation |
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district. |
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SECTION 7. (a) Not later than March 1, 2016, the Railroad |
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Commission of Texas and the Texas Commission on Environmental |
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Quality shall adopt rules as necessary to implement the change in |
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law made by this Act to Chapter 91, Natural Resources Code, and |
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Chapter 27, Water Code. |
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(b) The change in law made by this Act to Chapter 91, Natural |
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Resources Code, and Chapter 27, Water Code, applies only to a permit |
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application submitted to the Railroad Commission of Texas or the |
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Texas Commission on Environmental Quality on or after the effective |
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date of the rules adopted under Subsection (a) of this section. A |
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permit application submitted before the effective date of the rules |
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adopted under Subsection (a) of this section is governed by the law |
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in effect when the permit application was submitted, and the former |
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law is continued in effect for that purpose. |
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SECTION 8. This Act takes effect September 1, 2015. |