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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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AN ACT
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relating to the authority of the Texas Commission on Environmental |
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Quality to issue permits for the land application of water produced |
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from certain mining and oil and gas extraction operations. |
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. Section 26.131, Water Code, as effective until |
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delegation of authority under the Resource Conservation and |
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Recovery Act of 1976 (42 U.S.C. Section 6901 et seq.) to the |
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Railroad Commission of Texas, is amended by amending Subsection (b) |
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and adding Subsections (e) and (f) to read as follows: |
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(b) Except as provided by Subsections [Subsection] (d) and |
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(e), the Railroad Commission of Texas may issue permits for the |
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discharge of waste resulting from the activities described by |
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Subsection (a), and the discharge of waste into water in this state |
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resulting from those activities must meet the water quality |
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standards established by the commission. |
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(e) The commission may issue permits for the land |
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application of produced water resulting from activities described |
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by Subsection (a) that has been treated for beneficial use. The |
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commission shall adopt standards for the land application of water |
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under this section, including standards that prevent the pollution |
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of surface and subsurface water. |
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(f) The commission shall consult with the Railroad |
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Commission of Texas when adopting the standards for a permit issued |
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under Subsection (e). This subsection expires September 1, 2027. |
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SECTION 2. Section 26.131, Water Code, as effective on |
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|
delegation of authority under the Resource Conservation and |
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|
Recovery Act of 1976 (42 U.S.C. Section 6901 et seq.) to the |
|
|
Railroad Commission of Texas, is amended by amending Subsection (b) |
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|
and adding Subsections (d) and (e) to read as follows: |
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|
(b) Except as provided by Subsections [Subsection] (c) and |
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|
(d), the Railroad Commission of Texas may issue permits for the |
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|
discharge of waste resulting from the activities described by |
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|
Subsection (a), and the discharge of waste into water in this state |
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|
resulting from those activities must meet the water quality |
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|
standards established by the commission. |
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(d) The commission may issue permits for the land |
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application of produced water resulting from activities described |
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|
by Subsection (a) that has been treated for beneficial use. The |
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|
commission shall adopt standards for the land application of water |
|
|
under this section, including standards that prevent the pollution |
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|
of surface and subsurface water. |
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|
(e) The commission shall consult with the Railroad |
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Commission of Texas when adopting the standards for a permit issued |
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under Subsection (d). This subsection expires September 1, 2027. |
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SECTION 3. The change in law made by this Act applies only |
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to a permit the application for which is filed on or after the |
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effective date of this Act. A permit the application for which is |
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filed before the effective date of this Act is subject to the law in |
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effect on the date the application is filed, and that law is |
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continued in effect for that purpose. |
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SECTION 4. This Act takes effect September 1, 2025. |