| |
|
|
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
|
|
|
AN ACT
|
| |
|
|
relating to the fee collected for an on-site wastewater treatment |
|
|
permit application. |
|
|
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
|
|
SECTION 1. Sections 367.008(b) and (c), Health and Safety |
|
|
Code, are amended to read as follows: |
|
|
(b) The commission shall [may] award competitive grants |
|
|
to[:
|
|
|
[(1)] support applied research and demonstration |
|
|
projects by accredited colleges and universities in this state, by |
|
|
other governmental entities, or by acceptable public or private |
|
|
research centers regarding on-site wastewater treatment technology |
|
|
and systems applicable to this state that are directed toward |
|
|
improving the quality of wastewater treatment and reducing the cost |
|
|
of providing wastewater treatment to consumers, including |
|
|
wastewater reuse [; and
|
|
|
[(2)
enhance technology transfer regarding on-site
|
|
|
wastewater treatment by using educational courses, seminars,
|
|
|
symposia, publications, and other forms of information
|
|
|
dissemination]. |
|
|
(c) The commission shall seek the advice of relevant experts |
|
|
when choosing research topics and [,] awarding grants[, and holding
|
|
|
educational conferences associated with activities] under this |
|
|
chapter. |
|
|
SECTION 2. Section 367.010(d), Health and Safety Code, is |
|
|
amended to read as follows: |
|
|
(d) The fee proceeds shall be deposited to the credit of the |
|
|
water resources management account and may be used only for the |
|
|
purposes of Sections 367.007 and 367.008. |
|
|
SECTION 3. Section 5.701(p), Water Code, is amended to read |
|
|
as follows: |
|
|
(p) Notwithstanding any other law, fees collected for |
|
|
deposit to the water resource management account under the |
|
|
following statutes may be appropriated and used to protect water |
|
|
resources in this state, including assessment of water quality, |
|
|
reasonably related to the activities of any of the persons required |
|
|
to pay a fee under: |
|
|
(1) Subsection (b), to the extent those fees are paid |
|
|
by water districts, and Subsections (e), (f), and (n); or |
|
|
(2) Section 54.037(c) [; or
|
|
|
[(3) Section 367.010, Health and Safety Code]. |
|
|
SECTION 4. (a) The changes in law made by this Act apply |
|
|
only to an application for an on-site wastewater treatment permit |
|
|
received by the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality or an |
|
|
authorized agent, as defined by Section 366.002, Health and Safety |
|
|
Code, on or after the effective date of this Act. An application |
|
|
received before the effective date of this Act is governed by the |
|
|
law in effect on the date the application was received, and the |
|
|
former law is continued in effect for that purpose. |
|
|
(b) The changes in law made by this Act apply only to an |
|
|
application for a grant under Section 367.008, Health and Safety |
|
|
Code, as amended by this Act, submitted on or after the effective |
|
|
date of this Act. An application for a grant submitted before the |
|
|
effective date of this Act is governed by the law in effect on the |
|
|
date the application was submitted, and the former law is continued |
|
|
in effect for that purpose. |
|
|
SECTION 5. This Act takes effect September 1, 2017. |
|
|
|
|
|
* * * * * |