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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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AN ACT
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relating to procedural requirements for uranium mining production |
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area authorizations. |
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. Section 27.0513(d), Water Code, is amended to |
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read as follows: |
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(d) Notwithstanding Sections 5.551, 5.556, 27.011, and |
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27.018, an application for an authorization or an amendment to an |
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authorization that allows the permit holder to conduct mining and |
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restoration activities in production zones within the boundary |
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established in the permit is an uncontested matter not subject to a |
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contested case hearing or the hearing requirements of Chapter 2001, |
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Government Code, if: |
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(1) the authorization is for a production zone located |
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within the boundary of a permit that incorporates, for each |
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production zone addressed in the application, a range table of |
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groundwater quality restoration values used to measure groundwater |
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restoration by the commission; |
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(2) the application includes, for each production zone |
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addressed in the application, groundwater quality restoration |
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values falling at or below the upper limit of the range established |
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in Subdivision (1); and |
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(3) the authorization is for a production zone located |
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within the boundary of a permit that incorporates groundwater |
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baseline characteristics of the wells for the application required |
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by commission rule. |
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SECTION 2. Sections 27.0513(f) and (g), Water Code, are |
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repealed. |
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SECTION 3. The change in law made by this Act applies only |
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to an application for an authorization or an amendment to an |
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authorization that is submitted to the Texas Commission on |
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Environmental Quality on or after the effective date of this Act. |
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An application for an authorization or an amendment to an |
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authorization that was submitted to the commission before the |
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effective date of this Act is governed by the law in effect at the |
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time the application or amendment was submitted, and the former law |
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is continued in effect for that purpose. |
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SECTION 4. This Act takes effect September 1, 2023. |