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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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AN ACT
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relating to the definition of the Edwards Aquifer for the purposes |
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of an aquifer storage and recovery project. |
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. Section 27.051(i), Water Code, is amended to |
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read as follows: |
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(i) For purposes of this subsection, "Edwards Aquifer" has |
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the meaning assigned by Section 26.046(a), except that it includes |
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only that portion of Williamson County west of Interstate Highway |
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35, running north from its intersection with State Highway 130, to |
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the Williamson County Bell County line, and west of State Highway |
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130 running south from its intersection with Interstate Highway 35 |
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to the Williamson County Travis County line. Except as otherwise |
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provided by this subsection, the commission may not authorize by |
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rule or permit an injection well that transects or terminates in the |
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Edwards Aquifer. The commission by rule may authorize: |
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(1) injection of groundwater withdrawn from the |
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Edwards Aquifer; |
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(2) injections of storm water, flood water, or |
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groundwater through improved sinkholes or caves located in karst |
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topographic areas; or |
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(3) injections of water made in accordance with |
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Section 1.44(e)(3), Chapter 626, Acts of the 73rd Legislature, |
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Regular Session, 1993. |
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SECTION 2. Section 27.0516(a)(1), Water Code, is amended to |
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read as follows: |
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(1) "Edwards Aquifer" means that portion of an arcuate |
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belt of porous, waterbearing limestones composed of the Edwards |
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Formation, Georgetown Formation, Comanche Peak Formation, Salmon |
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Peak Limestone, McKnight Formation, West Nueces Formation, Devil's |
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River Limestone, Person Formation, Kainer Formation, and Edwards |
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Group, together with the Upper Glen Rose Formation where scientific |
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studies have documented a hydrological connection to the overlying |
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Edwards Group trending from west to east to northeast through |
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Kinney, Uvalde, Medina, Bexar, Kendall, Comal, Hays, and Travis |
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Counties, and Williamson County west of Interstate Highway 35, |
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running north from its intersection with State Highway 130, to the |
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Williamson County Bell County line, and west of State Highway 130 |
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running south from its intersection with Interstate Highway 35 to |
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the Williamson County Travis County line [Counties]. The permeable |
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aquifer units generally overlie the less-permeable Glen Rose |
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Formation to the south, overlie the less-permeable Comanche Peak |
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and Walnut Formations north of the Colorado River, and underlie the |
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less-permeable Del Rio Clay regionally. |
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SECTION 3. Not later than December 1, 2023, the commission |
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shall adopt or amend rules to implement the changes made by this |
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Act. |
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SECTION 4. This Act takes effect immediately if it receives |
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a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as |
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provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution. If this |
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Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this |
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Act takes effect September 1, 2023. |