By: Darby (Senate Sponsor - Perry) H.B. No. 4856
(In the Senate - Received from the House May 8, 2023;
May 10, 2023, read first time and referred to Committee on Water,
Agriculture & Rural Affairs; May 19, 2023, reported favorably by
the following vote: Yeas 9, Nays 0; May 19, 2023, sent to printer.)
Click here to see the committee vote
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT
relating to the jurisdiction of the Texas Commission on
Environmental Quality over certain recharge injection wells.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
SECTION 1. Section 27.201, Water Code, is amended by adding
Subdivision (1-a) to read as follows:
(1-a) "Fluid oil and gas waste" has the meaning
assigned by Section 122.001, Natural Resources Code.
SECTION 2. Section 27.202, Water Code, is amended to read as
follows:
Sec. 27.202. JURISDICTION. (a) The commission has
exclusive jurisdiction over the regulation and permitting of
recharge injection wells, including recharge injection wells used
for the injection of fluid oil and gas waste.
(b) A recharge injection well may not be used for the
injection of fluid oil and gas waste unless the waste has been
treated to meet the standards adopted by the commission under this
subchapter.
SECTION 3. 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, 2023.
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