REFERENCE TITLE: stormwater infrastructure; groundwater recharge; credit State of Arizona House of Representatives Fifty-seventh Legislature First Regular Session 2025 HB 2571 Introduced by Representatives Griffin: Lopez AN ACT amending title 45, chapter 2, article 9, Arizona Revised Statutes, by adding section 45-576.11; RELATING to groundwater recharge. (TEXT OF BILL BEGINS ON NEXT PAGE)
REFERENCE TITLE: stormwater infrastructure; groundwater recharge; credit
State of Arizona House of Representatives Fifty-seventh Legislature First Regular Session 2025
HB 2571
Introduced by Representatives Griffin: Lopez
REFERENCE TITLE: stormwater infrastructure; groundwater recharge; credit
State of Arizona
House of Representatives
Fifty-seventh Legislature
First Regular Session
2025
HB 2571
Introduced by
Representatives Griffin: Lopez
AN ACT
amending title 45, chapter 2, article 9, Arizona Revised Statutes, by adding section 45-576.11; RELATING to groundwater recharge.
(TEXT OF BILL BEGINS ON NEXT PAGE)
Be it enacted by the Legislature of the State of Arizona: Section 1. Title 45, chapter 2, article 9, Arizona Revised Statutes, is amended by adding section 45-576.11, to read: START_STATUTE45-576.11. Physical availability credits; rules; stormwater infrastructure; definition A. A person that develops or plans to develop infrastructure in an active management area that results in increased natural, incidental or artificial recharge to the groundwater basin is entitled to earn and hold physical availability credits in an amount not to exceed the volume of increased recharge or projected increased recharge over a period of one hundred years. B. A person may use a physical availability credit to meet the physical availability requirements for an assured water supply under rules adopted pursuant to section 45-576. C. On or before January 1, 2026, the director shall adopt rules to implement this section and promote the new construction of facilities that are eligible to earn physical availability credits, including any of the following: 1. Stormwater detention basins that increase natural, incidental or artificial recharge. 2. Roadways and sidewalks that facilitate stormwater recharge. 3. Any other public infrastructure that facilitates rainwater or stormwater recharge. D. Rules adopted pursuant to this section shall include: 1. An application timeline. 2. Procedures for certifying qualifying infrastructure. 3. Criteria for eligibility. 4. Formulations for quantifying the increased recharge or projected increased recharge and the corresponding physical availability credits that are expected to be earned over the useful life of the infrastructure. E. A person that applies for physical availability credits pursuant to this section is exempt from the permitting requirements prescribed in chapter 3.1, article 2 of this title. F. For the purposes of this section, "person" means all of the following: 1. A natural person. 2. A corporation. 3. A city or town or political subdivision of this state, including: (a) a city, town or county that operates a MUNICIPAL separate storm sewer system. (b) a natural RESOURCES CONSERVATION DISTRICT. (c) a DOMESTIC water improvement district or domestic wastewater IMPROVEMENT district. (d) a county flood CONTROL district. END_STATUTE
Be it enacted by the Legislature of the State of Arizona:
Section 1. Title 45, chapter 2, article 9, Arizona Revised Statutes, is amended by adding section 45-576.11, to read:
START_STATUTE45-576.11. Physical availability credits; rules; stormwater infrastructure; definition
A. A person that develops or plans to develop infrastructure in an active management area that results in increased natural, incidental or artificial recharge to the groundwater basin is entitled to earn and hold physical availability credits in an amount not to exceed the volume of increased recharge or projected increased recharge over a period of one hundred years.
B. A person may use a physical availability credit to meet the physical availability requirements for an assured water supply under rules adopted pursuant to section 45-576.
C. On or before January 1, 2026, the director shall adopt rules to implement this section and promote the new construction of facilities that are eligible to earn physical availability credits, including any of the following:
1. Stormwater detention basins that increase natural, incidental or artificial recharge.
2. Roadways and sidewalks that facilitate stormwater recharge.
3. Any other public infrastructure that facilitates rainwater or stormwater recharge.
D. Rules adopted pursuant to this section shall include:
1. An application timeline.
2. Procedures for certifying qualifying infrastructure.
3. Criteria for eligibility.
4. Formulations for quantifying the increased recharge or projected increased recharge and the corresponding physical availability credits that are expected to be earned over the useful life of the infrastructure.
E. A person that applies for physical availability credits pursuant to this section is exempt from the permitting requirements prescribed in chapter 3.1, article 2 of this title.
F. For the purposes of this section, "person" means all of the following:
1. A natural person.
2. A corporation.
3. A city or town or political subdivision of this state, including:
(a) a city, town or county that operates a MUNICIPAL separate storm sewer system.
(b) a natural RESOURCES CONSERVATION DISTRICT.
(c) a DOMESTIC water improvement district or domestic wastewater IMPROVEMENT district.
(d) a county flood CONTROL district. END_STATUTE