Amend SB 1525 (house committee report) by adding the following appropriately numbered SECTIONS to the bill and renumbering the SECTIONS of the bill accordingly:
SECTION ____. Section 11.155, Water Code, is amended to read as follows:
Sec. 11.155. AQUIFER STORAGE AND RECOVERY REPORTS. (a) The board shall make studies, investigations, and surveys of the aquifers in the state as it considers necessary to determine the occurrence, quantity, quality, and availability of aquifers in which water may be stored and subsequently retrieved for beneficial use.
(b) The board, working with appropriate interested persons, including groundwater conservation districts, regional water planning groups, and potential sponsors of aquifer storage and recovery projects, shall:
(1) conduct studies of aquifer storage and recovery projects identified in the state water plan or by interested persons; and
(2) report the results of each study conducted under Subdivision (1) to regional water planning groups and interested persons.
(c) This subsection expires January 1, 2019. The board shall:
(1) conduct a statewide survey of the most favorable areas for aquifer storage and recovery;
(2) prepare a report that includes an overview of the survey conducted under Subdivision (1); and
(3) not later than December 15, 2018, submit the report described by Subdivision (2) to the governor, lieutenant governor, and speaker of the house of representatives. [The board shall undertake the studies, investigations, and surveys in the following order of priority:
[(1)
areas designated by the commission as "priority groundwater management areas" under Section 35.008; and
[(2)
other areas of the state in a priority to be determined by the board's ranking of where the greatest need exists.]
SECTION ____. The Texas Water Development Board is required to implement Sections 11.155(b) and (c), Water Code, as added by this Act, only if the legislature appropriates money specifically for that purpose. If the legislature does not appropriate money specifically for that purpose, the board may, but is not required to, implement Sections 11.155(b) and (c), Water Code, as added by this Act, using other appropriations available for the purpose.