Texas 2017 85th Regular

Texas Senate Bill SB1917 Introduced / Bill

Filed 03/10/2017

                    85R11291 JXC-F
 By: Buckingham S.B. No. 1917


 A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
 AN ACT
 relating to an exemption for certain quarries from regulation as
 aggregate production operations.
 BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
 SECTION 1.  Section 28A.001(1), Water Code, is amended to
 read as follows:
 (1)  "Aggregate production operation" means the site
 from which aggregates are being or have been removed or extracted
 from the earth, including the entire areas of extraction, stripped
 areas, haulage ramps, and the land on which the plant processing the
 raw materials is located, exclusive of any land owned or leased by
 the responsible party not being currently used in the production of
 aggregates. For the purposes of this chapter, the term "aggregate
 production operation" does not include:
 (A)  a site at which the materials that are being
 removed or extracted from the earth are used or processed at the
 same site or at a related site under the control of the same
 responsible party for the production of cement or lightweight
 aggregates, or in a lime kiln;
 (B)  a temporary site that is being used solely to
 provide aggregate products for use in a public works project
 involving the Texas Department of Transportation or a local
 governmental entity;
 (C)  an extraction area from which all raw
 material is extracted for use as fill or for other construction uses
 at the same or a contiguous site; [or]
 (D)  a site at which the materials that are being
 removed or extracted from the earth are used or processed for use in
 the construction, modification, or expansion of a solid waste
 facility at the site or another location; or
 (E)  an extraction area from which:
 (i)  marble or granite material is extracted
 for decorative or artistic uses; and
 (ii)  the average amount of riprap removed
 per year in the preceding 10-year period is less than 1,500 tons.
 SECTION 2.  This Act takes effect immediately if it receives
 a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as
 provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution.  If this
 Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this
 Act takes effect September 1, 2017.