86R7835 SLB-F
 
  By: Zwiener H.B. No. 1044
 
 
 
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
 
AN ACT
  relating to permits for certain injection wells that transect a
  portion of the Edwards Aquifer.
         BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
         SECTION 1.  Sections 27.0516(a)(1) and (3), Water Code, are
  amended to read as follows:
               (1)  "Edwards Aquifer" means that portion of an arcuate
  belt of porous, waterbearing limestones composed of the Edwards
  Formation, Georgetown Formation, Comanche Peak Formation, Salmon
  Peak Limestone, McKnight Formation, West Nueces Formation, Devil's
  River Limestone, Person Formation, Kainer Formation, and Edwards
  Group, together with the Upper Glen Rose Formation where there is a
  significant hydrological connection to the overlying Edwards Group
  [trending from west to east to northeast through Kinney, Uvalde,
  Medina, Bexar, Kendall, Comal, Hays, Travis, and Williamson
  Counties].  The permeable aquifer units generally overlie the
  less-permeable Glen Rose Formation to the south[, overlie the
  less-permeable Comanche Peak and Walnut Formations north of the
  Colorado River,] and underlie the less-permeable Del Rio Clay
  regionally.
               (3)  "Fresh water" means surface water or groundwater,
  without regard to whether the water has been physically,
  chemically, or biologically altered, that:
                     (A)  contains a total dissolved solids
  concentration of not more than 1,000 milligrams per liter; [and]
                     (B)  meets the water quality standards for public
  drinking water established by commission rule; and
                     (C)  is otherwise suitable as a source of drinking
  water supply.
         SECTION 2.  Sections 27.0516(b), (f), (h), (k), and (n),
  Water Code, are amended to read as follows:
         (b)  This section applies only to the portion of the Edwards
  Aquifer that is within the geographic area circumscribed by the
  external boundaries of the Barton Springs-Edwards Aquifer
  Conservation District but is not in the jurisdiction [that
  district's territory or the territory] of the Edwards Aquifer
  Authority.
         (f)  The commission by general permit may authorize:
               (1)  an activity described by Subsection (e);
               (2)  an injection well that transects and isolates the
  saline portion of the Edwards Aquifer and terminates in a lower
  aquifer for the purpose of injecting:
                     (A)  concentrate from a desalination facility; or
                     (B)  fresh water as part of an engineered aquifer
  storage and recovery facility;
               (3)  an injection well that terminates in that part of
  the saline portion of the Edwards Aquifer that has a total dissolved
  solids concentration of more than 10,000 milligrams per liter for
  the purpose of injecting into the saline portion of the Edwards
  Aquifer:
                     (A)  concentrate from a desalination facility,
  provided that the injection well must be at least three miles from
  the closest outlet of Barton Springs; or
                     (B)  fresh water as part of an engineered aquifer
  and storage recovery facility, provided that each well used for
  injection or withdrawal from the facility must be at least three
  miles from the closest outlet of Barton Springs; [or]
               (4)  an injection well that transects or terminates in
  the Edwards Aquifer for:
                     (A)  aquifer remediation;
                     (B)  the injection of a nontoxic tracer dye as
  part of a hydrologic study; or
                     (C)  another beneficial activity that is designed
  and undertaken for the purpose of increasing protection of an
  underground source of drinking water from pollution or other
  deleterious effects; or
               (5)  the injection of fresh water into a well that
  transects the Edwards Aquifer provided that:
                     (A)  the well isolates the Edwards Aquifer and
  meets the construction and completion standards adopted by the
  commission under Section 27.154;
                     (B)  the well is part of an engineered aquifer
  storage and recovery facility;
                     (C)  the injected water is sourced from a public
  water system, as defined by commission rule, that is permitted by
  the commission; and
                     (D)  the injection complies with the provisions of
  Subchapter G that are not in conflict with this section.
         (h)  Rules adopted or a general permit issued under this
  section:
               (1)  must require that an injection well authorized by
  the rules or permit be monitored by means of:
                     (A)  one or more [a] monitoring wells [well]
  operated by the injection well owner if the commission determines
  that there is an underground source of drinking water in the area of
  review that is potentially affected by the injection well; or
                     (B)  if Paragraph (A) does not apply, one or more 
  [a] monitoring wells [well] operated by a party other than the
  injection well owner, provided that all results of monitoring are
  promptly made available to the injection well owner;
               (2)  must ensure that an authorized activity will not
  result in the waste or pollution of native groundwater [fresh
  water];
               (3)  may not authorize an injection well under
  Subsection (f)(2), [or] (3), or (5) unless the well is initially
  associated with a small-scale research project designed to evaluate
  the long-term feasibility and safety of:
                     (A)  the injection of concentrate from a
  desalination facility; or
                     (B)  an aquifer storage and recovery project;
               (4)  must require any authorization granted to be
  renewed at least as frequently as every 10 years;
               (5)  must require that an injection well authorized
  under Subsection (f)(2)(A) or (3)(A) be monitored on an ongoing
  basis by or in coordination with the well owner and that the well
  owner file monitoring reports with the commission at least as
  frequently as every three months; [and]
               (6)  must ensure that any injection well authorized for
  the purpose of injecting concentrate from a desalination facility
  does not transect the fresh water portion of the Edwards Aquifer;
  and
               (7)  must be consistent with the provisions of
  Subchapter G that are not in conflict with this section.
         (k)  Notwithstanding Subsection (h)(3), a general permit may
  authorize the owner of an injection well authorized under
  Subsection (f)(2), [or] (3), or (5) to continue operating the well
  for the purpose of implementing the desalination or engineered
  aquifer storage and recovery project following completion of the
  small-scale research project, provided that:
               (1)  the injection well owner timely submits the
  information collected as part of the research project, including
  monitoring reports and information regarding the environmental
  impact of the well, to the commission;
               (2)  the injection well owner, following the completion
  of studies and monitoring adequate to characterize risks to the
  fresh water portion of the Edwards Aquifer, the Trinity Aquifer, or
  [and] other native groundwater [fresh water] associated with the
  continued operation of the well, and at least 90 days before the
  date the owner initiates commercial well operations, files with the
  commission a notice of intent to continue operation of the well
  after completion of the research project; and
               (3)  the commission, based on the studies and
  monitoring, the report provided by Texas State University--San
  Marcos under Subsection (l)(2), and any other reasonably available
  information, determines that continued operation of the injection
  well as described in the notice of intent does not pose an
  unreasonable risk to the fresh water portion of the Edwards
  Aquifer, the Trinity Aquifer, or other native groundwater [fresh
  water] associated with the continued operation of the well.
         (n)  If the commission preliminarily determines that
  continued operation of the injection well would pose an
  unreasonable risk to the fresh water portion of the Edwards
  Aquifer, the Trinity Aquifer, or other native groundwater [fresh
  water] associated with the continued operation of the well, the
  commission shall notify the operator and specify, if possible, what
  well modifications or operational controls would be adequate to
  prevent that unreasonable risk.  If the operator fails to modify the
  injection well as specified by the commission, the commission shall
  require the operator to cease operating the well.
         SECTION 3.  This Act takes effect immediately if it receives
  a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as
  provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution.  If this
  Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this
  Act takes effect September 1, 2019.