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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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AN ACT
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relating to the consideration by the Texas Commission on |
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Environmental Quality of alternative waste collection, treatment, |
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and disposal options before issuing permits to discharge certain |
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waste. |
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. Section 26.0282, Water Code, is amended to read |
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as follows: |
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Sec. 26.0282. CONSIDERATION OF NEED AND REGIONAL TREATMENT |
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OPTIONS. (a) In considering the issuance, amendment, or renewal of |
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a permit to discharge waste, the commission may deny or alter the |
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terms and conditions of the proposed permit, amendment, or renewal |
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based on consideration of need, including the expected volume and |
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quality of the influent and the availability of existing or |
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proposed areawide or regional waste collection, treatment, and |
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disposal systems not designated as such by commission order |
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pursuant to provisions of this subchapter. |
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(b) The commission may not issue a permit to discharge waste |
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unless the applicant demonstrates to the commission that: |
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(1) it is not economically feasible for another holder |
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of a permit issued under this chapter to collect, treat, and dispose |
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of the waste proposed to be discharged by the applicant; or |
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(2) that it will treat and discharge waste to a higher |
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water quality standard than the waste would otherwise be treated to |
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if another holder of a permit issued under this chapter were to |
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collect, treat, and dispose of the waste proposed to be discharged |
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by the applicant. |
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(c) This section is expressly directed to the control and |
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treatment of conventional pollutants normally found in domestic |
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wastewater. |
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SECTION 2. Section 26.0282, Water Code, as amended by this |
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Act, applies only to an application for the issuance of a permit |
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that is filed with the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality on |
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or after the effective date of this Act. An application for a |
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permit filed before the effective date of this Act is governed by |
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the law in effect on the date of the filing, and the former law is |
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continued in effect for that purpose. |
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SECTION 3. This Act takes effect September 1, 2025. |