Bill Text: TX HB2867 | 2017-2018 | 85th Legislature | Introduced
Bill Title: Relating to the contracts of the Edwards Aquifer recharge, storage, and recovery projects.
Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 1-0)
Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2017-03-29 - Referred to Natural Resources [HB2867 Detail]
Download: Texas-2017-HB2867-Introduced.html
85R8311 DMS-D | ||
By: Lucio III | H.B. No. 2867 |
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relating to the contracts of the Edwards Aquifer recharge, storage, | ||
and recovery projects. | ||
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: | ||
SECTION 1. Sections 1.44(a), (b), and (c), Chapter 626, | ||
Acts of the 73rd Legislature, Regular Session, 1993, are amended to | ||
read as follows: | ||
(a) The authority may contract with any investor-owned | ||
utility or political subdivision of the state under Chapter 791, | ||
Government Code, to provide for artificial recharge of the aquifer, | ||
through injection wells or with surface water subject to the | ||
control of the investor-owned utility or political subdivision, for | ||
the subsequent retrieval of the water by the investor-owned utility | ||
or political subdivision or its authorized assignees for beneficial | ||
use within the authority. | ||
(b) The authority may not unreasonably deny a request to | ||
enter into a cooperative contract under this section if the | ||
investor-owned utility or political subdivision agrees to: | ||
(1) file with the authority records of the injection | ||
or artificial recharge of the aquifer; and | ||
(2) provide for protection of the quality of the | ||
aquifer water and of the rights of aquifer users in designating the | ||
location of injection wells or recharge dams, the methods of | ||
injection or recharge, and the location and type of retrieval | ||
wells. | ||
(c) The investor-owned utility or political subdivision | ||
causing artificial recharge of the aquifer is entitled to withdraw | ||
during any 12-month period the measured amount of water actually | ||
injected or artificially recharged during the preceding 12-month | ||
period, as demonstrated and established by expert testimony, less | ||
an amount determined by the authority to: | ||
(1) account for that part of the artificially | ||
recharged water discharged through springs; and | ||
(2) compensate the authority in lieu of users' fees. | ||
SECTION 2. This Act takes effect September 1, 2017. |