| |
| |
|
|
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
|
|
|
AN ACT
|
|
|
relating to a groundwater study of certain aquifers underlying the |
|
|
territory of the Neches and Trinity Valleys Groundwater |
|
|
Conservation District by the Texas Water Development Board before |
|
|
the issuance of permits or permit amendments by the district. |
|
|
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
|
|
SECTION 1. Subchapter C, Chapter 8863, Special District |
|
|
Local Laws Code, is amended by adding Section 8863.106 to read as |
|
|
follows: |
|
|
Sec. 8863.106. STUDY; PERMIT MORATORIUM. (a) The Texas |
|
|
Water Development Board shall conduct a study to: |
|
|
(1) analyze the annual maximum amount of groundwater |
|
|
that can be produced in perpetuity in the district from the |
|
|
aquifers underlying the district's territory without impeding the |
|
|
achievement of the desired future conditions adopted for those |
|
|
aquifers that are applicable to the territory of the district; |
|
|
(2) compare the results of the analyses conducted |
|
|
under Subdivision (1) to the amount of modeled available |
|
|
groundwater determined by the executive administrator of the Texas |
|
|
Water Development Board before September 1, 2025, for each aquifer; |
|
|
and |
|
|
(3) assess the hydrological effects in the district of |
|
|
proposed groundwater production in the district as represented in |
|
|
the applicable desired future conditions, and of transfers of |
|
|
produced groundwater to areas outside of the district proposed in |
|
|
any pending applications for a permit or permit amendment from the |
|
|
district, and compare those effects with the hydrological effects |
|
|
that would be expected if groundwater production in the district |
|
|
were limited annually to the amount that could be produced in |
|
|
perpetuity as determined under Subdivision (1). |
|
|
(b) The hydrological effects assessed under Subsection |
|
|
(a)(3) must include effects on average annual recharge, inflows, |
|
|
discharges, spring flows, capture, and interaction between |
|
|
groundwater and surface water in the district. |
|
|
(c) Not later than January 12, 2027, the Texas Water |
|
|
Development Board shall prepare and submit to the governor, the |
|
|
lieutenant governor, the speaker of the house of representatives, |
|
|
and each standing legislative committee with primary jurisdiction |
|
|
over groundwater a report on the results of the study conducted |
|
|
under this section. |
|
|
(d) The district may not issue a new permit or permit |
|
|
amendment to an applicant for the production and transfer out of the |
|
|
district of groundwater until after the 270th day after the |
|
|
deadline for the submission of the report required by Subsection |
|
|
(c). |
|
|
(e) This section expires November 1, 2027. |
|
|
SECTION 2. Section 8863.106(d), Special District Local Laws |
|
|
Code, as added by this Act, does not apply to a permit or a permit |
|
|
amendment issued by the Neches and Trinity Valleys Groundwater |
|
|
Conservation District before the effective date of this Act. |
|
|
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 on the 91st day after the last day of the |
|
|
legislative session. |