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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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AN ACT
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relating to a restriction on the authorization by the Texas |
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Commission on Environmental Quality of the use of a Class V |
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injection well for certain aquifer storage and recovery projects. |
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. Subchapter G, Chapter 27, Water Code, is amended |
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by adding Section 27.1535 to read as follows: |
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Sec. 27.1535. RESTRICTION ON AUTHORIZATIONS OF USE OF |
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CERTAIN CLASS V INJECTION WELLS. (a) This section applies only to |
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a Class V injection well that is: |
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(1) located in any portion of the territory of a |
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groundwater conservation district that is located wholly or partly |
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in a county that: |
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(A) has a population of more than 70,000 and less |
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than 100,000 and contains a portion of the Colorado River; and |
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(B) is adjacent to a county that has a population |
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of one million or more; and |
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(2) used for an aquifer storage and recovery project |
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operated by a municipally owned utility that primarily provides |
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water to a municipality that: |
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(A) has a population of 750,000 or more; and |
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(B) is located in a county adjacent to a county |
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described by Subdivision (1). |
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(b) As a condition of authorizing the use of a Class V |
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injection well for an aquifer storage and recovery project, the |
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commission shall require that: |
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(1) the project withdraw no more water than is |
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injected into the aquifer; |
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(2) the project establish monitoring wells; |
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(3) water quality testing be conducted in accordance |
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with Section 27.156 and commission rules adopted under that |
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section; and |
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(4) well monitoring data obtained under Subdivision |
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(2) and water quality testing data obtained under Subdivision (3) |
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be provided to the groundwater conservation district described by |
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Subsection (a)(1). |
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(c) Before authorizing the use of a Class V injection well |
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for an aquifer storage and recovery project, the commission shall |
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hold a public meeting in the county in which the injection well is |
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proposed to be located. |
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(d) The commission may not authorize the use of a Class V |
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injection well for an aquifer storage and recovery project if the |
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authorization does not include the terms provided by Subsection |
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(b). |
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SECTION 2. 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, 2025. |