Bill Text: TX HB1972 | 2015-2016 | 84th Legislature | Introduced
Bill Title: Relating to certain exemptions from the requirement to obtain a permit from a groundwater conservation district.
Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Republican 1-0)
Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2015-03-12 - Referred to Natural Resources [HB1972 Detail]
Download: Texas-2015-HB1972-Introduced.html
84R9367 SLB-D | ||
By: Keffer | H.B. No. 1972 |
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relating to certain exemptions from the requirement to obtain a | ||
permit from a groundwater conservation district. | ||
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: | ||
SECTION 1. Section 36.117, Water Code, is amended by | ||
amending Subsections (b) and (d) and adding Subsections (f-1) and | ||
(m) to read as follows: | ||
(b) Except as provided by this section, a district shall | ||
provide an exemption from the district requirement to obtain a | ||
permit for: | ||
(1) drilling or operating a well used solely for | ||
domestic use or for providing water for livestock or poultry if the | ||
well is: | ||
(A) located or to be located on a tract of land | ||
larger than 10 acres; and | ||
(B) drilled, completed, or equipped so that it is | ||
incapable of producing more than 25,000 gallons of groundwater a | ||
day; | ||
(2) drilling a water well used [ |
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water for [ |
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exploration operations, including completion operations, for an | ||
oil or gas well permitted by the Railroad Commission of Texas | ||
provided that the person holding the permit is responsible for | ||
drilling and operating the water well [ |
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(3) drilling a water well authorized under a permit | ||
issued by the Railroad Commission of Texas under Chapter 134, | ||
Natural Resources Code, or for production from the well to the | ||
extent the withdrawals are required for mining activities | ||
regardless of any subsequent use of the water. | ||
(d) A district may cancel a previously granted exemption, | ||
and may require an operating permit for or restrict production from | ||
a well, if: | ||
(1) the well is located in the Hill Country Priority | ||
Groundwater Management Area and the groundwater withdrawals that | ||
were exempted under Subsection (b)(1) are no longer used solely for | ||
domestic use or to provide water for livestock or poultry; | ||
(2) the groundwater withdrawals that were exempted | ||
under Subsection (b)(2) are no longer used [ |
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for [ |
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operations, including completion operations, for an oil or gas well | ||
permitted by the Railroad Commission of Texas; or | ||
(3) the groundwater withdrawals that were exempted | ||
under Subsection (b)(3) are no longer necessary for mining | ||
activities or are greater than the amount necessary for mining | ||
activities specified in the permit issued by the Railroad | ||
Commission of Texas under Chapter 134, Natural Resources Code. | ||
(f-1) The owner or operator of a water well exempt under | ||
Subsection (b)(2) shall comply with rules adopted by the district | ||
with uniform application to all wells in the district, except wells | ||
described by Subsection (b)(1), including rules that govern: | ||
(1) registration of wells; | ||
(2) production and spacing requirements under Section | ||
36.116; | ||
(3) payment of production fees assessed by the | ||
district based on the amount of water actually withdrawn from a | ||
well; and | ||
(4) recordkeeping and reporting related to | ||
groundwater withdrawals. | ||
(m) In this section, "completion operation" means the work | ||
conducted to establish the production of a well after the | ||
production-casing string has been set, cemented, and | ||
pressure-tested. | ||
SECTION 2. 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, 2015. |