Bill Text: TX SB1148 | 2011-2012 | 82nd Legislature | Introduced


Bill Title: Relating to the authority of the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality to authorize certain injection wells that transect or terminate in the Edwards Aquifer.

Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Republican 1-0)

Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2011-04-19 - Left pending in committee [SB1148 Detail]

Download: Texas-2011-SB1148-Introduced.html
  82R5476 SMH-D
 
  By: Wentworth S.B. No. 1148
 
 
 
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
 
AN ACT
  relating to the authority of the Texas Commission on Environmental
  Quality to authorize certain injection wells that transect or
  terminate in the Edwards Aquifer.
         BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
         SECTION 1.  Section 26.046(a), Water Code, is amended to
  read as follows:
         (a)  As used in this section, "Edwards Aquifer":
               (1)  means that portion of an arcuate belt of porous,
  waterbearing limestones composed of the Comanche Peak, Edwards, and
  Georgetown formations trending from west to east to northeast
  through Kinney, Uvalde, Medina, Bexar, Kendall, Comal, and Hays
  counties, respectively, and as defined in the most recent rules of
  the commission for the protection of the quality of the potable
  underground water in those counties; and
               (2)  does not include the saline portion of the Edwards
  Aquifer as defined by Section 27.051(i).
         SECTION 2.  Subsection (h), Section 27.051, Water Code, as
  added by Chapter 966 (S.B. 2), Acts of the 77th Legislature, Regular
  Session, 2001, is redesignated as Subsection (i) and amended to
  read as follows:
         (i)  Except as otherwise provided by this subsection, the
  [(h) The] commission may not authorize by rule or permit an
  injection well that transects or terminates in the Edwards Aquifer.
  The commission by rule may authorize injection of groundwater
  withdrawn from the Edwards Aquifer, or injections of water derived
  from other natural sources, including storm water, flood water, or
  groundwater, through wells, improved sinkholes, or caves located in
  karst topographic areas. The commission by rule may authorize the
  injection of desalination concentrate in a well that transects or
  terminates in the saline portion of the Edwards Aquifer. The
  commission by rule may authorize the injection of fresh water in a
  well that transects or terminates in the saline portion of the
  Edwards Aquifer as part of an aquifer storage and recovery
  facility. For purposes of this subsection:
               (1)[,] "Edwards Aquifer" has the meaning assigned by
  Section 26.046(a), except that the term includes the saline portion
  of the Edwards Aquifer.
               (2)  "Fresh water" means water that contains a total
  dissolved solids concentration of less than 1,000 milligrams per
  liter and is otherwise suitable as a source of drinking water
  supply.
               (3)  "Saline portion of the Edwards Aquifer" means the
  part of the Edwards Aquifer that contains only groundwater with a
  total dissolved solids concentration of at least 1,000 milligrams
  per liter.
         SECTION 3.  This Act takes effect September 1, 2011.
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