| 1 | 1 | | By: Middleton S.B. No. 383 |
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| 2 | 2 | | |
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| 3 | 3 | | |
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| 4 | 4 | | |
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| 5 | 5 | | |
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| 6 | 6 | | A BILL TO BE ENTITLED |
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| 7 | 7 | | AN ACT |
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| 8 | 8 | | relating to prohibiting interconnection of an offshore wind power |
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| 9 | 9 | | facility. |
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| 10 | 10 | | BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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| 11 | 11 | | SECTION 1. Title 6, Utilities Code, is amended by adding |
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| 12 | 12 | | Chapter 301A to read as follows: |
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| 13 | 13 | | CHAPTER 301A. OFFSHORE WIND POWER FACILITY |
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| 14 | 14 | | Sec. 301A.001. DEFINITIONS. In this Chapter: |
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| 15 | 15 | | (1) "Offshore" means located within the territorial |
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| 16 | 16 | | sea, as defined by 33 CFR 2.22. |
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| 17 | 17 | | (2) "Wind power facility" includes: |
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| 18 | 18 | | (A) a wind turbine generator; and |
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| 19 | 19 | | (B) a facility or equipment used to support the |
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| 20 | 20 | | operation of a wind turbine generator, including an electrical |
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| 21 | 21 | | transmission or communications line, an electric transformer, a |
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| 22 | 22 | | battery storage facility, and energy storage facility, or |
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| 23 | 23 | | telecommunications equipment. |
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| 24 | 24 | | Sec. 301A.002. INTERCONNECTION PROHIBITED. The commission |
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| 25 | 25 | | shall not approve interconnection of a wind power facility, |
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| 26 | 26 | | transmission, or distribution facility located offshore, if the |
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| 27 | 27 | | commission has reason to believe that such a facility may: |
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| 28 | 28 | | (1) negatively impact previously established |
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| 29 | 29 | | industries, violating preestablished community values relying on |
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| 30 | 30 | | such industries, including but not limited to: |
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| 31 | 31 | | (A) shipping routes; |
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| 32 | 32 | | (B) general tourism; and |
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| 33 | 33 | | (C) recreational and commercial fishing; |
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| 34 | 34 | | (2) negatively impact environmental factors, including but |
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| 35 | 35 | | not limited to: |
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| 36 | 36 | | (A) general welfare of wildlife; and |
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| 37 | 37 | | (B) disruption of migratory patterns; |
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| 38 | 38 | | (3) present a risk to the life and safety of residents, |
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| 39 | 39 | | nearby industries, and wildlife, if located within an area with |
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| 40 | 40 | | historical exposure to natural disasters; or |
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| 41 | 41 | | (4) be deemed unnecessary, in accordance with Section |
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| 42 | 42 | | 37.056, Public Utilities Code, due to lack of need for additional |
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| 43 | 43 | | service and the presence of adequate existing services in the area |
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| 44 | 44 | | adjacent to the offshore wind power facility. |
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| 45 | 45 | | SECTION 2. This Act takes effect immediately if it receives |
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| 46 | 46 | | a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as |
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| 47 | 47 | | provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution. If this |
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| 48 | 48 | | Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this |
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| 49 | 49 | | Act takes effect September 1, 2025. |
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