By: Perry S.B. No. 1511

(In the Senate - Filed March 8, 2017; March 20, 2017, read first time and referred to Committee on Agriculture, Water & Rural Affairs; April 11, 2017, reported favorably by the following vote: Yeas 7, Nays 0; April 11, 2017, sent to printer.) Click here to see the committee vote

A BILL TO BE ENTITLED

AN ACT

relating to the state and regional water planning process and the funding of projects included in the state water plan.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:

SECTION 1. Section 15.439(a), Water Code, is amended to read as follows:

(a) The board shall adopt rules providing for the use of money in the fund that are consistent with this subchapter, including rules:

(1) establishing standards for determining whether projects meet the criteria provided by Section 15.434(b); and

(2) specifying the manner for prioritizing projects for purposes of Sections 15.436 and [Section] 15.437.

SECTION 2. Section 16.051(a-1), Water Code, is amended to read as follows:

(a-1) The state water plan must include:

(1) an evaluation of the state's progress in meeting future water needs, including an evaluation of the extent to which water management strategies and projects implemented after the adoption of the preceding state water plan have affected that progress; [and]

(2) an analysis of the number of projects included in the preceding state water plan that received financial assistance from the board; and

(3) with respect to projects included in the preceding state water plan that were given a high priority by the board for purposes of providing financial assistance under Subchapter G, Chapter 15:

(A) an assessment of the extent to which the projects were implemented in the decade in which they were needed; and

(B) an analysis of any impediments to the implementation of any projects that were not implemented in the decade in which they were needed.

SECTION 3. Section 16.053(c), Water Code, is amended to read as follows:

(c) No later than 60 days after the designation of the regions under Subsection (b), the board shall designate representatives within each regional water planning area to serve as the initial coordinating body for planning. The initial coordinating body may then designate additional representatives to serve on the regional water planning group. The initial coordinating body shall designate additional representatives if necessary to ensure adequate representation from the interests comprising that region, including the public, counties, municipalities, industries, agricultural interests, environmental interests, small businesses, electric generating utilities, river authorities, water districts, and water utilities. The regional water planning group shall maintain adequate representation from those interests. In addition, the groundwater conservation districts located in each management area, as defined by Section 36.001, located in the regional water planning area shall appoint one representative of a groundwater conservation district located in the management area and in the regional water planning area to serve on the regional water planning group. In addition, representatives of the board, the Parks and Wildlife Department, [and] the Department of Agriculture, and the State Soil and Water Conservation Board shall serve as ex officio members of each regional water planning group.

SECTION 4. Sections 16.053(h)(1), (3), (6), and (10), Water Code, are amended to read as follows:

(1) Prior to the preparation of the regional water plan, the regional water planning group shall, after notice, hold at least one public meeting at some central location readily accessible to the public within the regional water planning area to gather suggestions and recommendations from the public as to issues that should be addressed in the plan or provisions that should be considered for inclusion in the plan.

(3) After the regional water plan is initially prepared, the regional water planning group shall, after notice, hold at least one public hearing at some central location readily accessible to the public within the regional water planning area. The group shall make copies of the plan available for public inspection at least one month before the hearing by providing a copy of the plan in the county courthouse and at least one public library of each county having land in the region. Notice for the hearing shall include a listing of these and any other location where the plan is available for review.

(6) If an interregional conflict exists, the board shall facilitate coordination between the involved regions to resolve the conflict. If conflict remains, the board shall resolve the conflict. On resolution of the conflict, the involved regional water planning groups shall prepare revisions to their respective plans and hold, after notice, at least one public hearing at some central location readily accessible to the public within their respective regional water planning areas. The regional water planning groups shall consider all public and board comments; prepare, revise, and adopt their respective plans; and submit their plans to the board for approval and inclusion in the state water plan.

(10) The regional water planning group may amend the regional water plan after the plan has been approved by the board. The regional water planning group shall consider amending the approved regional water plan to include a feasible water management strategy or project in order to meet the need that was to be addressed by an infeasible water management strategy or project, and the regional water planning group shall exclude that infeasible water management strategy or project from consideration in the regional water plan currently under development if, after the original plan has been approved by the board, the plan includes a water management strategy or project that becomes no longer feasible. Subdivisions (1)-(9) apply to an amendment to the plan in the same manner as those subdivisions apply to the plan.

SECTION 5. Sections 16.053(i), (p-1), and (p-2), Water Code, are amended to read as follows:

(i) The regional water planning groups shall submit their adopted regional water plans to the board by January 5, 2001, for approval and inclusion in the state water plan. In conjunction with the submission of regional water plans, each planning group should make legislative recommendations, if any, to facilitate more voluntary water transfers in the region. Subsequent regional water plans shall be submitted at least every five years thereafter, except that a regional water planning group may elect to implement simplified planning, no more often than every other five-year planning cycle, and in accordance with guidance to be provided by the board, if the group determines that, based on its own initial analyses using updated groundwater and surface water availability information, there are no significant changes to the water availability, water supplies, or water demands in the regional water planning area. At a minimum, simplified planning will require updating groundwater and surface water availability values in the regional water plan, meeting any other new statutory or other planning requirements that come into effect during each five-year planning cycle, and formally adopting and submitting the regional water plan for approval. Public participation for revised regional plans shall follow the procedures under Subsection (h).

(p-1) If the development board determines that resolution of the conflict requires a revision of an approved regional water plan, the development board shall suspend the approval of that plan and provide information to the regional water planning group. The regional water planning group shall prepare any revisions to its plan specified by the development board and shall hold, after notice, at least one public hearing at some central location readily accessible to the public within the regional water planning area. The regional water planning group shall consider all public and development board comments, prepare, revise, and adopt its plan, and submit the revised plan to the development board for approval and inclusion in the state water plan.

(p-2) If the development board determines that resolution of the conflict requires a revision of the district's approved groundwater conservation district management plan, the development board shall provide information to the district. The groundwater district shall prepare any revisions to its plan based on the information provided by the development board and shall hold, after notice, at least one public hearing at some central location readily accessible to the public within the district. The groundwater district shall consider all public and development board comments, prepare, revise, and adopt its plan, and submit the revised plan to the development board.

SECTION 6. This Act takes effect September 1, 2017.

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