By: Hughes S.B. No. 978
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT
relating to a study of the conversion of surface mine pits and
quarries to water storage reservoirs in order to enhance this
state's available water supply.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
SECTION 1. (a) The legislature shall establish a joint
interim committee to study the conversion of surface mine pits and
quarries to water storage reservoirs in order to enhance this
state's available water supply.
(b) The joint interim committee is composed of:
(1) members of the Senate Natural Resources and
Economic Development Committee appointed by the lieutenant
governor;
(2) members of the Senate Water and Rural Affairs
Committee appointed by the lieutenant governor;
(3) members of the House Natural Resources Committee
appointed by the speaker of the house of representatives; and
(4) members of the House Energy Resources Committee
appointed by the speaker of the house of representatives.
(c) The lieutenant governor or the speaker of the house of
representatives, as applicable, may not appoint more than three
members from a committee described by Subsection (b) of this
section to the joint interim committee.
(d) The lieutenant governor and the speaker of the house of
representatives shall jointly designate a chair or, alternatively,
designate two co-chairs from among the committee membership.
(e) The committee may adopt rules necessary to carry out the
committee's duties under this section.
(f) The Texas Commission on Environmental Quality, the
Railroad Commission of Texas, and the Texas Water Development Board
shall provide administrative support and resources to the
committee.
(g) Not later than December 1, 2020, the committee shall
prepare and deliver a report to the governor and the legislature
that:
(1) provides an overview of:
(A) the lignite industry in this state and final
reclamation practices of that industry; and
(B) large sand and gravel producers in this
state;
(2) identifies surface mine pits and quarries that
could potentially be used as water storage reservoirs and provides
the following information for each location:
(A) the volume of water that could be stored at
the location;
(B) the predicted water quality of a reservoir
created at the location;
(C) the predicted effect on watersheds
surrounding a reservoir created at the location;
(D) the sustainability of a reservoir created at
the location;
(E) the reclamation status of the location;
(F) information needed to assess ownership
issues at the location, including any constraint that the ownership
of the property may impose on the use of the property as a
reservoir;
(G) a comparison of the estimated cost of
converting the location into a reservoir and the estimated cost of
filling in and regrading the location to the approximate original
contour; and
(H) the economic impact on communities near the
location, including how revenue from the sale of water stored at the
location could be used to promote economic development, trade or
vocational schools, and health care in those communities;
(3) contains a map of the locations identified under
Subdivision (2) of this subsection;
(4) provides a review of the regulatory issues and
constraints associated with converting surface mine pits and
quarries into reservoirs;
(5) summarizes the effect that a statewide initiative
to convert surface mine pits and quarries into reservoirs would
have on state water resources; and
(6) considers setback requirements and other
restrictions on development to prevent shoreline development that
would interfere with necessary withdrawals of water from surface
mine pits and quarries that have been converted into reservoirs.
(h) The committee is abolished and this Act expires January
12, 2021.
SECTION 2. This Act takes effect September 1, 2019.