Texas 2021 - 87th Regular

Texas Senate Bill SB699 Compare Versions

Version 1 (Old)

Version 2 (New)

Old	New		Differences
1	1		By: Hughes S.B. No. 699
	2	+	(In the Senate - Filed February 22, 2021; March 11, 2021,
	3	+	read first time and referred to Committee on Water, Agriculture &
	4	+	Rural Affairs; April 26, 2021, reported favorably by the following
	5	+	vote: Yeas 8, Nays 0; April 26, 2021, sent to printer.)
	6	+	Click here to see the committee vote
2	7
3	8
4	9		A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
5	10		AN ACT
6	11		relating to a study of the conversion of surface mine pits and
7	12		quarries to water storage reservoirs in order to enhance this
8	13		state's available water supply.
9	14		BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
10	15		SECTION 1. (a) The legislature shall establish a joint
11	16		interim committee to study the conversion of surface mine pits and
12	17		quarries to water storage reservoirs in order to enhance this
13	18		state's available water supply.
14	19		(b) The joint interim committee is composed of:
15	20		(1) members of the Senate Natural Resources and
16	21		Economic Development Committee appointed by the lieutenant
17	22		governor;
18	23		(2) members of the Senate Water, Agriculture and Rural
19	24		Affairs Committee appointed by the lieutenant governor;
20	25		(3) members of the House Natural Resources Committee
21	26		appointed by the speaker of the house of representatives; and
22	27		(4) members of the House Energy Resources Committee
23	28		appointed by the speaker of the house of representatives.
24	29		(c) The lieutenant governor or the speaker of the house of
25	30		representatives, as applicable, may not appoint more than three
26	31		members from a committee described by Subsection (b) of this
27	32		section to the joint interim committee.
28	33		(d) The lieutenant governor and the speaker of the house of
29	34		representatives shall jointly designate a chair or, alternatively,
30	35		designate two co-chairs from among the committee membership.
31	36		(e) The committee may adopt rules as necessary to carry out
32	37		the committee's duties under this Act.
33	38		(f) The Texas Commission on Environmental Quality, the
34	39		Railroad Commission of Texas, and the Texas Water Development Board
35	40		shall provide administrative support and resources to the
36	41		committee.
37	42		(g) Not later than December 1, 2022, the committee shall
38	43		prepare and deliver a report to the governor and the legislature
39	44		that:
40	45		(1) provides an overview of:
41	46		(A) the lignite industry in this state and final
42	47		reclamation practices of that industry; and
43	48		(B) large sand and gravel producers in this
44	49		state;
45	50		(2) identifies surface mine pits and quarries that
46	51		could potentially be used as water storage reservoirs and provides
47	52		the following information for each location:
48	53		(A) the volume of water that could be stored at
49	54		the location;
50	55		(B) the predicted water quality of a reservoir
51	56		created at the location;
52	57		(C) the predicted effect on watersheds
53	58		surrounding a reservoir created at the location;
54	59		(D) the sustainability of a reservoir created at
55	60		the location;
56	61		(E) the reclamation status of the location;
57	62		(F) information needed to assess ownership
58	63		issues at the location, including any constraint that the ownership
59	64		of the property may impose on the use of the property as a
60	65		reservoir; and
61	66		(G) a comparison of the estimated cost of
62	67		converting the location into a reservoir and the estimated cost of
63	68		filling in and regrading the location to the approximate original
64	69		contour;
65	70		(3) contains a map of the locations identified under
66	71		Subdivision (2) of this subsection;
67	72		(4) provides a review of the regulatory issues and
68	73		constraints associated with converting surface mine pits and
69	74		quarries into reservoirs; and
70	75		(5) summarizes the effect that a statewide initiative
71	76		to convert surface mine pits and quarries into reservoirs would
72	77		have on state water resources.
73	78		(h) The committee is abolished and this Act expires January
74	79		10, 2023.
75	80		SECTION 2. This Act takes effect September 1, 2021.
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