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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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AN ACT
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relating to a scoring system for all permit applications within the |
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jurisdiction of the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality. |
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. Subchapter M-1, Chapter 5, Water Code, is |
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amended by adding Section 5.588 to read as follows: |
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Sec. 5.588. PERMIT APPLICATION SCORING SYSTEM. (a) In |
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addition to any criteria the commission would otherwise consider |
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when evaluating a permit application, the commission shall also |
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score each application using a point system that prioritizes |
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criteria regarding: |
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(1) quantifiable community participation as provided |
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by Subsection (c), evaluated on the basis of: |
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(A) resolutions concerning the subject of the |
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permit application that are voted on and adopted by the governing |
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body of any political subdivision in which the proposed facility or |
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activity to which the application relates is or will be located; and |
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(B) written statements from: |
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(i) any neighborhood organizations on |
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record with the state or county likely to be directly affected by |
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the permit application; and |
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(ii) each state senator and state |
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representative who represents the area in which the facility or |
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activity to which the application relates is or will be located; and |
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(2) any criteria otherwise required by law for the |
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commission to evaluate the relevant permit application. |
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(b) In scoring a permit application under Subsection (a), |
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the commission shall weigh the criteria in Subsection (a)(1) to |
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account for 55 percent of the score and the criteria in Subsection |
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(a)(2) to account for 45 percent of the score. The commission may |
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not approve a permit application that receives a total score of less |
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than 75 percent of the total points available. |
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(c) In evaluating the level of community support for an |
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application under Subsection (a)(1), the commission shall award: |
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(1) positive points for positive statements received; |
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(2) negative points for negative statements received; |
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and |
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(3) zero points for neutral statements received. |
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(d) The commission shall publish on its Internet website the |
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details of the scoring system used by the commission in accordance |
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with this section. |
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SECTION 2. Section 5.588, Water Code, as added by this Act, |
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applies only to a permit application submitted to the Texas |
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Commission on Environmental Quality on or after the effective date |
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of this Act. |
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SECTION 3. This Act takes effect September 1, 2025. |