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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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AN ACT
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relating to the state and regional water planning process and the |
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funding of projects included in the state water plan. |
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. Section 15.439(a), Water Code, is amended to |
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read as follows: |
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(a) The board shall adopt rules providing for the use of |
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money in the fund that are consistent with this subchapter, |
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including rules: |
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(1) establishing standards for determining whether |
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projects meet the criteria provided by Section 15.434(b); and |
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(2) specifying the manner for prioritizing projects |
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for purposes of Sections 15.436 and [Section] 15.437. |
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SECTION 2. Section 16.051(a-1), Water Code, is amended to |
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read as follows: |
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(a-1) The state water plan must include: |
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(1) an evaluation of the state's progress in meeting |
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future water needs, including an evaluation of the extent to which |
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water management strategies and projects implemented after the |
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adoption of the preceding state water plan have affected that |
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progress; [and] |
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(2) an analysis of the number of projects included in |
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the preceding state water plan that received financial assistance |
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from the board; and |
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(3) with respect to projects included in the preceding |
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state water plan that were given a high priority by the board for |
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purposes of providing financial assistance under Subchapter G, |
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Chapter 15: |
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(A) an assessment of the extent to which the |
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projects were implemented in the decade in which they were needed; |
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and |
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(B) an analysis of any impediments to the |
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implementation of any projects that were not implemented in the |
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decade in which they were needed. |
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SECTION 3. Section 16.053(c), Water Code, is amended to |
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read as follows: |
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(c) No later than 60 days after the designation of the |
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regions under Subsection (b), the board shall designate |
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representatives within each regional water planning area to serve |
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as the initial coordinating body for planning. The initial |
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coordinating body may then designate additional representatives to |
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serve on the regional water planning group. The initial |
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coordinating body shall designate additional representatives if |
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necessary to ensure adequate representation from the interests |
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comprising that region, including the public, counties, |
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municipalities, industries, agricultural interests, environmental |
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interests, small businesses, electric generating utilities, river |
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authorities, water districts, and water utilities. The regional |
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water planning group shall maintain adequate representation from |
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those interests. In addition, the groundwater conservation |
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districts located in each management area, as defined by Section |
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36.001, located in the regional water planning area shall appoint |
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one representative of a groundwater conservation district located |
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in the management area and in the regional water planning area to |
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serve on the regional water planning group. In addition, |
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representatives of the board, the Parks and Wildlife Department, |
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[and] the Department of Agriculture, and the State Soil and Water |
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Conservation Board shall serve as ex officio members of each |
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regional water planning group. |
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SECTION 4. Sections 16.053(h)(1), (3), (6), and (10), Water |
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Code, are amended to read as follows: |
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(1) Prior to the preparation of the regional water |
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plan, the regional water planning group shall, after notice, hold |
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at least one public meeting at some central location readily |
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accessible to the public within the regional water planning area to |
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gather suggestions and recommendations from the public as to issues |
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that should be addressed in the plan or provisions that should be |
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considered for inclusion in the plan. |
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(3) After the regional water plan is initially |
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prepared, the regional water planning group shall, after notice, |
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hold at least one public hearing at some central location readily |
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accessible to the public within the regional water planning area. |
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The group shall make copies of the plan available for public |
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inspection at least one month before the hearing by providing a copy |
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of the plan in the county courthouse and at least one public library |
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of each county having land in the region. Notice for the hearing |
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shall include a listing of these and any other location where the |
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plan is available for review. |
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(6) If an interregional conflict exists, the board |
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shall facilitate coordination between the involved regions to |
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resolve the conflict. If conflict remains, the board shall resolve |
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the conflict. On resolution of the conflict, the involved regional |
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water planning groups shall prepare revisions to their respective |
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plans and hold, after notice, at least one public hearing at some |
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central location readily accessible to the public within their |
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respective regional water planning areas. The regional water |
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planning groups shall consider all public and board comments; |
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prepare, revise, and adopt their respective plans; and submit their |
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plans to the board for approval and inclusion in the state water |
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plan. |
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(10) The regional water planning group may amend the |
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regional water plan after the plan has been approved by the board. |
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The regional water planning group shall consider amending the |
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approved regional water plan to include a feasible water management |
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strategy or project in order to meet the need that was to be |
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addressed by an infeasible water management strategy or project, |
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and the regional water planning group shall exclude that infeasible |
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water management strategy or project from consideration in the |
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regional water plan currently under development if, after the |
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original plan has been approved by the board, the plan includes a |
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water management strategy or project that becomes no longer |
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feasible. Subdivisions (1)-(9) apply to an amendment to the plan in |
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the same manner as those subdivisions apply to the plan. |
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SECTION 5. Sections 16.053(i), (p-1), and (p-2), Water |
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Code, are amended to read as follows: |
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(i) The regional water planning groups shall submit their |
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adopted regional water plans to the board by January 5, 2001, for |
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approval and inclusion in the state water plan. In conjunction with |
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the submission of regional water plans, each planning group should |
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make legislative recommendations, if any, to facilitate more |
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voluntary water transfers in the region. Subsequent regional water |
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plans shall be submitted at least every five years thereafter, |
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except that a regional water planning group may elect to implement |
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simplified planning, no more often than every other five-year |
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planning cycle, and in accordance with guidance to be provided by |
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the board, if the group determines that, based on its own initial |
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analyses using updated groundwater and surface water availability |
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information, there are no significant changes to the water |
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availability, water supplies, or water demands in the regional |
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water planning area. At a minimum, simplified planning will |
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require updating groundwater and surface water availability values |
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in the regional water plan, meeting any other new statutory or other |
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planning requirements that come into effect during each five-year |
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planning cycle, and formally adopting and submitting the regional |
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water plan for approval. Public participation for revised regional |
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plans shall follow the procedures under Subsection (h). |
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(p-1) If the development board determines that resolution |
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of the conflict requires a revision of an approved regional water |
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plan, the development board shall suspend the approval of that plan |
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and provide information to the regional water planning group. The |
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regional water planning group shall prepare any revisions to its |
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plan specified by the development board and shall hold, after |
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notice, at least one public hearing at some central location |
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readily accessible to the public within the regional water planning |
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area. The regional water planning group shall consider all public |
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and development board comments, prepare, revise, and adopt its |
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plan, and submit the revised plan to the development board for |
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approval and inclusion in the state water plan. |
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(p-2) If the development board determines that resolution |
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of the conflict requires a revision of the district's approved |
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groundwater conservation district management plan, the development |
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board shall provide information to the district. The groundwater |
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district shall prepare any revisions to its plan based on the |
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information provided by the development board and shall hold, after |
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notice, at least one public hearing at some central location |
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readily accessible to the public within the district. The |
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groundwater district shall consider all public and development |
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board comments, prepare, revise, and adopt its plan, and submit the |
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revised plan to the development board. |
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SECTION 6. This Act takes effect September 1, 2017. |