Bill Text: TX SB699 | 2021-2022 | 87th Legislature | Engrossed
Bill Title: Relating to a study of the conversion of surface mine pits and quarries to water storage reservoirs in order to enhance this state's available water supply.
Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Republican 1-0)
Status: (Engrossed - Dead) 2021-05-03 - Referred to House Administration [SB699 Detail]
Download: Texas-2021-SB699-Engrossed.html
By: Hughes | S.B. No. 699 |
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relating to a study of the conversion of surface mine pits and | ||
quarries to water storage reservoirs in order to enhance this | ||
state's available water supply. | ||
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: | ||
SECTION 1. (a) The legislature shall establish a joint | ||
interim committee to study the conversion of surface mine pits and | ||
quarries to water storage reservoirs in order to enhance this | ||
state's available water supply. | ||
(b) The joint interim committee is composed of: | ||
(1) members of the Senate Natural Resources and | ||
Economic Development Committee appointed by the lieutenant | ||
governor; | ||
(2) members of the Senate Water, Agriculture and Rural | ||
Affairs Committee appointed by the lieutenant governor; | ||
(3) members of the House Natural Resources Committee | ||
appointed by the speaker of the house of representatives; and | ||
(4) members of the House Energy Resources Committee | ||
appointed by the speaker of the house of representatives. | ||
(c) The lieutenant governor or the speaker of the house of | ||
representatives, as applicable, may not appoint more than three | ||
members from a committee described by Subsection (b) of this | ||
section to the joint interim committee. | ||
(d) The lieutenant governor and the speaker of the house of | ||
representatives shall jointly designate a chair or, alternatively, | ||
designate two co-chairs from among the committee membership. | ||
(e) The committee may adopt rules as necessary to carry out | ||
the committee's duties under this Act. | ||
(f) The Texas Commission on Environmental Quality, the | ||
Railroad Commission of Texas, and the Texas Water Development Board | ||
shall provide administrative support and resources to the | ||
committee. | ||
(g) Not later than December 1, 2022, the committee shall | ||
prepare and deliver a report to the governor and the legislature | ||
that: | ||
(1) provides an overview of: | ||
(A) the lignite industry in this state and final | ||
reclamation practices of that industry; and | ||
(B) large sand and gravel producers in this | ||
state; | ||
(2) identifies surface mine pits and quarries that | ||
could potentially be used as water storage reservoirs and provides | ||
the following information for each location: | ||
(A) the volume of water that could be stored at | ||
the location; | ||
(B) the predicted water quality of a reservoir | ||
created at the location; | ||
(C) the predicted effect on watersheds | ||
surrounding a reservoir created at the location; | ||
(D) the sustainability of a reservoir created at | ||
the location; | ||
(E) the reclamation status of the location; | ||
(F) information needed to assess ownership | ||
issues at the location, including any constraint that the ownership | ||
of the property may impose on the use of the property as a | ||
reservoir; and | ||
(G) a comparison of the estimated cost of | ||
converting the location into a reservoir and the estimated cost of | ||
filling in and regrading the location to the approximate original | ||
contour; | ||
(3) contains a map of the locations identified under | ||
Subdivision (2) of this subsection; | ||
(4) provides a review of the regulatory issues and | ||
constraints associated with converting surface mine pits and | ||
quarries into reservoirs; and | ||
(5) summarizes the effect that a statewide initiative | ||
to convert surface mine pits and quarries into reservoirs would | ||
have on state water resources. | ||
(h) The committee is abolished and this Act expires January | ||
10, 2023. | ||
SECTION 2. This Act takes effect September 1, 2021. |