87R8199 JRR-F
By: Morales Shaw H.B. No. 2368
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT
relating to the participation by local governments in water quality
control measures.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
SECTION 1. Section 26.0151, Water Code, is amended by
adding Subsection (d-1) to read as follows:
(d-1) The commission shall establish and maintain an
electronic portal for local governments to access:
(1) information provided under Subsection (a); and
(2) any discharge monitoring report received by the
commission.
SECTION 2. Section 26.017, Water Code, is amended to read as
follows:
Sec. 26.017. COOPERATION. The commission shall:
(1) encourage voluntary cooperation by the people,
cities, counties, industries, associations, agricultural
interests, and representatives of other interests in preserving the
greatest possible utility of water in the state;
(2) encourage the formation and organization of
cooperative groups, associations, cities, counties, industries,
and other water users for the purpose of providing a medium to
discuss and formulate plans for attainment of water quality
control;
(3) establish policies and procedures for securing
close cooperation among state agencies that have water quality
control functions;
(4) cooperate with the governments of the United
States and other states and with official or unofficial agencies
and organizations with respect to water quality control matters and
with respect to formulation of interstate water quality control
compacts or agreements, and when representation of state interests
on a basin planning agency for water quality purposes is required
under Section 3(c) of the Federal Water Pollution Control Act, as
amended, or other federal legislation having a similar purpose, the
representation shall include an officer or employee of the
commission; and
(5) with respect to obtaining or administering the
NPDES program in lieu of the government of the United States, not
enter into any memorandum of agreement or other contractual
relationship with or among state agencies or with the government of
the United States which imposes any requirements upon the state
other than or more stringent than those specifically set forth in
Section 402(b) of the Federal Water Pollution Control Act, as
amended.
SECTION 3. As soon as practicable after the effective date
of this Act, the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality shall
establish the electronic portal required by Section 26.0151(d-1),
Water Code, as added by this Act.
SECTION 4. 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, 2021.