FIRSTREGULARSESSION
HOUSEBILLNO.1546
103RDGENERALASSEMBLY
INTRODUCEDBYREPRESENTATIVEBURTON.
2549H.01I JOSEPHENGLER,ChiefClerk
ANACT
Toamendchapter640,RSMo,byaddingtheretoonenewsectionrelatingtowater
exportationacrossstateboundaries.
BeitenactedbytheGeneralAssemblyofthestateofMissouri,asfollows:
SectionA.Chapter640,RSMo,isamendedbyaddingtheretoonenewsection,tobe
2knownassection640.406,toreadasfollows:
640.406.1.Forthepurposesofthissection,thefollowingtermsmean:
2 (1)"Beneficialuses",waterusesincluding,butnotlimitedto,domestic,
3agricultural,industrial,andotherlegitimatebeneficialuses;
4 (2)"Department",theMissouridepartmentofnaturalresources;
5 (3)"Director",thedirectorofthedepartmentofnaturalresources;
6 (4)"Enduse",thefinallocationforwhichtheexportedwaterwillbeused,
7consumed,orappliedforastatedbeneficialuse;
8 (5)"Person",anyindividual,partnership,copartnership,firm,company,public
9orprivatecorporation,association,jointstockcompany,trust,estate,political
10subdivision,waterdistrict,oranyagency,board,department,orbureauofthe
11federaloranystategovernment,oranyotherlegalentitythatisrecognizedbylawas
12thesubjectofrightsandduties;
13 (6)"Waterresources",anyMissouriwatersourceoccurringonthesurface,in
14naturalorartificialchannels,lakes,reservoirs,orimpoundments,andinsubsurface
15aquifersthatareavailableorthatmaybemadeavailable.
16 2.Inordertoprotecttheaccess,use,andenjoymentofMissouri'swater
17resources,itshallbeunlawfulforanypersontowithdrawwaterfromanywatersource
EXPLANATION—Matterenclosedinbold-facedbrackets[thus] intheabovebillisnotenactedandis
intendedtobeomittedfromthelaw.Matterinbold-facetypeintheabovebillisproposedlanguage. 18forexportoutsidethestateofMissouriunlesssuchpersonholdsawaterexportation
19permitissuedbythedepartment.Awaterexportationpermitshallnotberequiredto
20withdrawwaterfromanywatersourceforexportoutsideofthestatebyapublicwater
21system,asdefinedinsection640.102,wherethewithdrawalandultimateenduseare
22withinthesamesix-digithydrologicalunitcodeasdefinedbytheUnitedStates
23GeologicalSurveyandwithinthirtymilesofthestateborder.
24 3.Itshallbeunlawfulforanypermitexemptedfromtherequirementsof
25subsection2ofthissectiontobeusedforanypurposeotherthanabeneficialuse,
26specificallywherethewithdrawalandultimateenduseofwaterarewithinthirtymiles
27ofthestateborder.
28 4.Duringthereviewprocessofanypermitrequiredbythissection,thedirector
29shalldeterminefromtheapplicationforawaterexportationpermitandanysupporting
30materialswhetherthefollowingconditionshavebeenmet:
31 (1)Thereiswateravailableintheamountspecifiedintheapplicationtoexport
32forwateruseoutsidethestateofMissouri;
33 (2)Theapplicanthasapresentneedforthewaterandintendstoputthewater
34intobeneficialuse.Inmakingthedeterminationsofneedandbeneficialuse,the
35directorshallconsidertheavailabilityofallwatersourcesandotherrelevantmattersas
36thedirectordeemsappropriate,andmayconsidertheavailabilityofgroundwaterasan
37alternativesource;
38 (3)Theproposedusewillnotinterferewithexistingin-stateuses;
39 (4)Theproposedusewillnotinterferewithproposedbeneficialuseswithinthe
40state,includingrecreationaluse.Inmakingthisdetermination,thedirectorshall
41conductareviewpursuanttosubsection6ofthissection;and
42 (5)Thewatersubjecttothepermitapplicationscouldfeasiblybetransportedto
43alleviatewatershortagesinthestate.
44 5.Withinonehundredeightydaysafterthedepartment'sreceiptofacomplete
45application,thedirectorshallissueaproposeddecisiontoeitherapprovetheapplication
46iftheconditionsinsubsection4ofthissectionhavebeenmetordenytheapplicationif
47theconditionsinsubsection4ofthissectionhavenotbeenmetandshallholdathirty-
48daypubliccommentperiodontheproposedapprovalordenial.Afterthecomment
49period,thedepartmentshallrespondtocommentsreceivedandshalleitherapprovethe
50applicationordenytheapplicationiftheconditionsinsubsection4ofthissectionhave
51notbeenmet.Ifthedepartmentapprovestheapplication,itshallsenditsfindingstothe
52cleanwatercommissionandMissourisoilandwaterdistrictscommissionforreview
53usingthecriteriadescribedinsubsection4ofthissection.Atthenextscheduled
54meeting,thecleanwatercommissionandMissourisoilandwaterdistrictscommission
HB1546 2 55shallreviewthedepartment'sfindings.IfthecleanwatercommissionandMissourisoil
56andwaterdistrictscommissionagreeswiththedepartment'sdecisionthatapermit
57shouldbeissued,thecleanwatercommissionandMissourisoilandwaterdistricts
58commissionshallsenditsdecisionbacktothedepartmentfortheissuanceofthepermit.
59IfthecleanwatercommissionorMissourisoilandwaterdistrictscommissiondisagrees
60withthedepartment'sdecisionfortheissuanceofthepermit,thecleanwater
61commissionandMissourisoilandwaterdistrictscommissionshallsenditsdecision
62backtothedepartmentandthedepartmentshalldenytheapplication.Anypermit
63issuedpursuanttothissectionshallstatethetimewithinwhichthewatershallbe
64appliedtobeneficialuse.Permitsissuedpursuanttothissectionshallbeissuedfora
65periodnottoexceedthreeyearsafterthedateofissuance.
66 (1)Intheabsenceofappealasprovidedunderchapter536,thedecisionofthe
67director,subjecttoapprovalordisapprovalofthecleanwatercommissionandMissouri
68soilandwaterdistrictscommission,shallbefinal.
69 (2)Applicationsforrenewalofawaterexportpermitshallbefiledatleastone
70hundredeightydayspriortotheexpirationdateoftheexistingpermit,andthedirector
71shalldeterminewhethertheconditionsinsubsection4ofthissectionarestillsatisfied.
72Thedirector'sdecisiontorenewthepermitshallbesubjecttothecleanwater
73commission'sandMissourisoilandwaterdistrictscommission'sreviewandapprovalor
74denialpursuanttothissubsection.
75 6.Thedepartmentshallpromulgaterulesregardingtheprocessofsendingthe
76department'sfindingstotheMissourisoilandwaterdistrictscommissionandtheclean
77watercommissionforreviewunderthissection.Anyruleorportionofarule,asthat
78termisdefinedinsection536.010,thatiscreatedundertheauthoritydelegatedinthis
79sectionshallbecomeeffectiveonlyifitcomplieswithandissubjecttoallofthe
80provisionsofchapter536and,ifapplicable,section536.028.Thissectionandchapter
81536arenonseverableandifanyofthepowersvestedwiththegeneralassembly
82pursuanttochapter536toreview,todelaytheeffectivedate,ortodisapproveandannul
83arulearesubsequentlyheldunconstitutional,thenthegrantofrulemakingauthority
84andanyruleproposedoradoptedafterAugust28,2025,shallbeinvalidandvoid.
85 7.(1)Beforegrantingwatersupplyforaccessanduseoutsidethestateof
86Missouri,thedirectorshallconsiderexistingandproposedin-stateusesinorderto
87guaranteethatin-stateuserswillhaveaccesstoanduseofallofthewaterrequiredto
88adequatelysupplyforbeneficialuses.
89 (2)Thedirectorshallreviewtheneedsforwatersupplyexporteverythreeyears
90todeterminewhetherthewatersupplycontinuestobeadequateformunicipal,
91agricultural,industrial,domestic,andotherbeneficialuseswithinthestate.
HB1546 3 92 8.Subsections4to7ofthissectionaresubjecttothemostrecentreports,data,
93andinformationinconsiderationofeachpermitapplication,whethertheapplicationis
94foraninitialpermitorrenewalofanactiveorexpiredpermit.
95 9.Thereviewconductedpursuanttosubsection4ofthissectionshallnotbeused
96toreducethequantityofwaterauthorizedtobetransferredpursuanttotheactivelifeof
97permitsissuedpriortosuchreview.
98 10.Onthefilingofanapplicationtoexportwateroutsidethestate,theapplicant
99shalldesignateanagentinthestateofMissouriforserviceofprocessandtoreceive
100othernotices.
101 11.IntheeventofaconflictbetweentheconditionsofuserequiredinMissouri
102andconditionsrequiredinanotherstate,thewaterpermitholdershallconsentto
103conditionsimposedbythedirector.
104 12.Amajorwateruser,asdefinedinsection256.400,may,atanytime,request
105thedirectortoreevaluateanyexistingwaterexportationpermitusingthecriteriaunder
106subsections4and7ofthissection.Thedirectorshallcreateamechanismforamajor
107waterusertosubmittohimorhersucharequestforreevaluationandshallprovideto
108themajorwateruserhisorherfindingswithinsixtydaysoftherequestfor
109reevaluation.Afterreevaluatingthepermit,thedirectorshallimposeadditional
110conditionsnecessaryforthecontinuedexportationofwateroutsidethestateifthe
111directordeterminesthattheexistingpermitisnegativelyimpactingtherequesting
112majorwateruser'sbeneficialuseofhisorherwaterresources.Thedirector'sdecision
113tomodifyortodeclinetomodifytheconditionsinanexistingpermitpursuanttothis
114subsectionshallbesubjecttothecleanwatercommission'sandMissourisoilandwater
115districtscommission'sreviewandapprovalordenialpursuanttosubsection5ofthis
116section.
117 13.Nothinginthissectionshallprecludeapersonfrombringingany
118constitutional,statutory,orcommonlawclaimtovindicateorotherwisedefendthe
119user'swaterrights.Apermitissuedunderthissectionshallnotserveasadefensetoany
120claimbroughtagainstawaterpermitholderfortheinfringementofwaterrights.
121 14.Thetime-limited,activelifeofthepermit,nottoexceedthreeyears,requires
122thedirectortodeterminewhethertherehasbeenasubstantialormaterialchange
123relatingtoanymatterssetforthinsubsections3to5ofthissectioninresponseto
124renewalapplicationsrequestingapermitforauthorizationofthecontinuedexportof
125wateroutsidethestate.Thedirectormayimposeadditionalconditionstoaddressany
126suchsubstantialormaterialchangeormaydenythepermitrenewalapplicationas
127necessarytocomplywiththissectionbasedonanysuchsubstantialormaterialchanges.
HB1546 4 128Thedirector'sdecisiontorenewthepermitshallbesubjecttotherequirementsof
129subsection5ofthissection.
130 15.Iftheattorneygeneralreceivesacomplaintthatprovisionsofthissection
131havebeenviolatedorattherequestofthedepartment,theattorneygeneralmaybring
132aninjunctiveactionorotherappropriateactioninthenameofthepeopleofthestateto
133enforceprovisionsofthissection.Suitmaybebroughtinanycountywherethe
134defendant'sprincipalplaceofbusinessislocatedorwherethewithdrawalofwater
135occurredinviolationofthissection.
136 16.Wheneverapersonappliesforawaterexportationpermit,thedepartment
137ofnaturalresourcesshallsendawrittennoticetothecountycommissionofthecounty
138wherethewaterforexportationislocated.
139 17.WhenevertheUnitedStatesDroughtMonitor(USDM)indicatesaD2-level
140droughtforanycountyforwhichanexportpermithasbeenissued,thedepartmentof
141naturalresourcesshallreevaluatesuchexportpermit.IftheUSDMindicatesaD3or
142worsedroughtconditioninanycounty,thedepartmentshallreevaluateallexisting
143permitswithinthestate.Wheneverastateofemergencyisdeclaredbythegovernor
144undersection44.100foralloranypartofthestatebasedondroughtconditions,the
145departmentmayreevaluateanyexistingwaterexportationpermit.Anyreevaluation
146completedunderthissectionshallusethecriteriaundersubsections3to5ofthis
147section.Afterreevaluationofthepermitiscomplete,thedepartmentshallhavethe
148authoritytoimposeadditionalconditionsorrevokethepermitifnecessaryforthe
149continuedexportationofwateroutsidethestateifthedirectordeterminesthatthe
150existingpermitnegativelyimpactsbeneficialuseofwaterresources.Thedirector's
151decisiontomodify,revoke,ormakenochangestothepermitshallbesubjecttothe
152cleanwatercommission'sandMissourisoilandwaterdistrictscommission'sreviewand
153approvalordenialpursuanttosubsection5ofthissection.
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