Texas 2025 - 89th Regular

Texas House Bill HCR121 Compare Versions

Only one version of the bill is available at this time.

Old	New	Differences
1	1	89R20475 KSM-F
2	2	By: Dorazio H.C.R. No. 121
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7	7	CONCURRENT RESOLUTION
8	8	WHEREAS, The Edwards Aquifer is one of the most prolific and
9	9	pristine artesian aquifers in the world, and it is a vital source of
10	10	clean and sustainable groundwater for millions of Texans; and
11	11	WHEREAS, The aquifer covers approximately 4,350 square miles
12	12	of South Central Texas, and for generations, residents and
13	13	policymakers in the region have worked to preserve and responsibly
14	14	manage this invaluable natural resource, which supplies the region
15	15	with essential water for agricultural, industrial, recreational,
16	16	and domestic use; the aquifer is also the primary sustainable
17	17	source of clean drinking water for 1.7 million Texans, including
18	18	residents of San Antonio, America's seventh largest city; and
19	19	WHEREAS, A karst geological system with extremely high
20	20	porosity and permeability, the Edwards Aquifer allows for rapid
21	21	infiltration of surface water through an extensive network of
22	22	conduits, fractures, and faults; this makes it highly susceptible
23	23	to irreversible contamination from wastewater discharge and other
24	24	emerging contaminants that pose severe and potentially fatal health
25	25	risks to humans, wildlife, and ecosystems; and
26	26	WHEREAS, The Texas Commission on Environmental Quality is the
27	27	primary regulatory body responsible for ensuring that no
28	28	development within the region compromises the purity and safety of
29	29	the aquifer; the Edwards Aquifer Protection Program, created by the
30	30	TCEQ, was designed to establish and enforce best management
31	31	practices that prevent contaminants from reaching the Edwards
32	32	Aquifer during and after construction activities; and
33	33	WHEREAS, A study by the Southwest Research Institute, funded
34	34	through the city of San Antonio's Edwards Aquifer Protection Plan,
35	35	found that any type of wastewater system releasing treated effluent
36	36	in the Helotes Creek watershed, such as the proposed Guajolote
37	37	Ranch wastewater disposal plan in Bexar County, would
38	38	"significantly degrade the watershed and the quality of water
39	39	recharging the Edwards Aquifer"; and
40	40	WHEREAS, The Edwards Aquifer is an irreplaceable state
41	41	treasure, requiring immediate and long-term protection, and
42	42	elected officials at every level, along with non-elected regulatory
43	43	bodies, should advocate for and implement policies and practices
44	44	that safeguard the quality and sustainability of one of the most
45	45	valuable natural resources in Texas; now, therefore, be it
46	46	RESOLVED, That the 89th Legislature of the State of Texas
47	47	hereby urges the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality to take
48	48	immediate and decisive action to protect the Edwards Aquifer and
49	49	its recharge zones and contributing zones from irreversible
50	50	contamination from treated effluents discharged by any wastewater
51	51	systems or toxic substances released through construction or other
52	52	activities; and, be it further
53	53	RESOLVED, That the Texas secretary of state forward an
54	54	official copy of this resolution to the commissioners of the Texas
55	55	Commission on Environmental Quality.