By: Isaac, Rodriguez of Travis H.B. No. 3405
        (Senate Sponsor - Campbell)
         (In the Senate - Received from the House May 11, 2015;
  May 15, 2015, read first time and referred to Committee on
  Agriculture, Water, and Rural Affairs; May 20, 2015, reported
  adversely, with favorable Committee Substitute by the following
  vote:  Yeas 6, Nays 0; May 20, 2015, sent to printer.)
Click here to see the committee vote
 
  COMMITTEE SUBSTITUTE FOR H.B. No. 3405 By:  Perry
 
 
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
 
AN ACT
 
  relating to the territory, jurisdiction, board composition,
  elections, and powers of the Barton Springs-Edwards Aquifer
  Conservation District, including its authority to regulate certain
  wells for the production of groundwater; imposing a cap on certain
  fees.
         BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
         SECTION 1.  Section 8802.003, Special District Local Laws
  Code, is amended to read as follows:
         Sec. 8802.003.  DISTRICT TERRITORY. (a) The district is
  composed of:
               (1)  the territory described by the Texas Water
  Commission's August 15, 1986, order, as that territory may have
  been modified:
                     (A)  by actions of the board through resolutions
  dated August 8, 1987, August 13, 1987, January 24, 2002, May 10,
  2002, and June 23, 2011; or
                     (B)  under:
                           (i) [(1)]  Subchapter J, Chapter 36, Water
  Code; or
                           (ii) [(2)]  other law;
               (2)  the shared territory described by Section
  8802.0035(a); and
               (3)  the territory described as follows: beginning at a
  point at the intersection of the northeastern district boundary as
  it existed on January 1, 2015, and the Colorado River, running east
  along the southern bank of the Colorado River to a point where the
  Colorado River intersects U.S. Highway 183, then south along U.S.
  Highway 183 to a point where U.S. Highway 183 intersects the current
  eastern boundary of the district, then generally west and north
  following along the district boundary as it existed on January 1,
  2015, to the place of beginning.
         (b)  Any boundary reference under Subsection (a)(3) to a
  highway, street, road, avenue, boulevard, or lane shall mean the
  centerline of the boundary.
         SECTION 2.  Subchapter A, Chapter 8802, Special District
  Local Laws Code, is amended by adding Section 8802.0035 to read as
  follows:
         Sec. 8802.0035.  SHARED TERRITORY; JURISDICTION. (a)  The
  territory of the district includes any territory that is:
               (1)  inside the boundaries of the Edwards Aquifer
  Authority;
               (2)  in Hays County; and
               (3)  not within the boundaries existing as of January
  1, 1989, of any other district with the authority to regulate
  groundwater under Chapter 36, Water Code, or prior laws.
         (b)  The Edwards Aquifer Authority has jurisdiction over any
  well that is drilled to produce water from the Edwards Aquifer in
  the shared territory described by Subsection (a).
         (c)  The district has jurisdiction over groundwater and any
  well that is drilled to produce water from any aquifer other than
  the Edwards Aquifer in the shared territory described by Subsection
  (a).
         (d)  The district has jurisdiction over groundwater and any
  well that is drilled to produce water from the Edwards Aquifer or
  any other aquifer in the territory described by Section
  8802.003(a)(1) or (3).  For territory annexed in accordance with
  board resolutions dated January 24, 2002, the district shall share
  jurisdiction with the Plum Creek Conservation District, which also
  includes that territory. Jurisdiction shall be shared under the
  terms of an agreement authorized by Chapter 791, Government Code,
  in a manner that ensures that the districts do not exercise their
  jurisdiction in the shared territory at the same time and for the
  same purpose.
         (e)  The district's jurisdiction over any well that is
  drilled to produce water in the territory described in Section
  8802.003(a)(1), including a well that is used to recover water that
  has been injected as part of an aquifer storage and recovery
  project, applies to the territory described by Section
  8802.003(a)(3) and all wells for which the district has
  jurisdiction in the shared territory described by this section.
         SECTION 3.  Sections 8802.051 and 8802.052, Special District
  Local Laws Code, are amended to read as follows:
         Sec. 8802.051.  DIRECTORS; TERMS. (a) The district is
  governed by a board of seven [five] directors who serve staggered
  four-year terms.
         (b)  Three [At least two] directors must be elected by voters
  residing in the territory composed of:
               (1)  director districts four and five as adopted by the
  district on November 17, 2011; and
               (2)  the territory described by Section 8802.003(a)(3)
  [city of Austin].
         (c)  Four directors must be elected by voters residing
  outside the territory described by Subsection (b) and two of the
  four directors must reside in Hays County.
         Sec. 8802.052.  ELECTION DATE. An election shall be held to
  elect the appropriate number of directors on the [spring] uniform
  election date in November of each even-numbered year.
         SECTION 4.  Section 8802.053, Special District Local Laws
  Code, is amended by amending Subsections (a), (c), and (d) and
  adding Subsection (f) to read as follows:
         (a)  The district is divided into seven [five] numbered,
  single-member districts for electing directors.
         (c)  As soon as practicable after the publication of each
  federal decennial census, the board shall revise the single-member
  districts as the board considers appropriate to reflect population
  changes.  When the board revises the single-member districts under
  this subsection, the board shall place three [two] of the districts
  entirely inside and four of the districts entirely outside the
  territory described by Section 8802.051(b) [:
               [(1)     entirely within the boundaries of the city of
  Austin, as those boundaries exist at that time; or
               [(2)     within the boundaries of the city of Austin, as
  those boundaries exist at that time, but also including
  unincorporated areas or other municipalities that are surrounded
  wholly or partly by the boundaries of the city of Austin if the
  areas or municipalities are noncontiguous to the territory of any
  other single-member district].
         (d)  If the district is required to create single-member
  districts that do not comply with Sections 8802.051(b) and (c) to
  satisfy standards under federal law, the board shall revise the
  single-member districts as the board considers appropriate under
  the federal law standards [Changes in the boundaries of the city of
  Austin between revisions of the single-member districts under
  Subsection (c) do not affect the boundaries of the single-member
  districts].
         (f)  At the first regularly scheduled election of directors
  after the board is expanded from five to seven directors, directors
  elected to fill any vacant positions shall cast lots to determine
  which of those directors shall serve a two-year term and which shall
  serve a four-year term. Lots must be determined so that not more
  than four directors' terms expire in any even-numbered year.
         SECTION 5.  Section 8802.1045, Special District Local Laws
  Code, is amended by adding Subsection (g) to read as follows:
         (g)  Notwithstanding Subsection (b), before January 1, 2017,
  the board may not charge an annual production fee higher than the
  rates set forth under Subsection (a) for a well located in the
  territory described by Section 8802.003(a)(3) or 8802.0035(a). The
  district may increase the annual production fee under this
  subsection by not more than 10 cents per thousand gallons per year
  beginning January 1, 2018, for water permitted for nonagricultural
  purposes, until the annual production fee is equal to the maximum
  amount set forth in Subsection (b).
         SECTION 6.  Section 8802.105, Special District Local Laws
  Code, is amended by amending Subsection (a) and adding Subsection
  (a-1) to read as follows:
         (a)  In this section, "Consumer Price Index" means the annual
  revised Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers, as published
  by the Bureau of Labor Statistics of the United States Department of
  Labor or a similar index if that index is unavailable. For
  calculation purposes, the beginning base month is December 2014.
         (a-1)  Each year the board may assess against the City of
  Austin a water use fee in an amount not to exceed the lesser of $1
  million as adjusted to reflect the percentage change during the
  preceding year in the Consumer Price Index or 60 percent of the
  total funding the district expects to receive for the next fiscal
  year from water use fees assessed against Austin and other
  nonexempt users in that year as computed [, subject to the
  computation] under Subsection (b).
         SECTION 7.  Subchapter C, Chapter 8802, Special District
  Local Laws Code, is amended by adding Sections 8802.111 and
  8802.112 to read as follows:
         Sec. 8802.111.  AUTHORITY TO CONSIDER MITIGATION PLAN. (a)
  If an applicant for a permit or permit amendment submits to the
  district with the permit application or permit amendment
  application a plan for mitigating any negative impacts to
  groundwater resources or to other wells that may arise from the
  production of groundwater by the well or wells for which the permit
  or permit amendment is sought, the district may:
               (1)  consider the plan for mitigation in deciding
  whether to grant or deny the application; and
               (2)  include special terms and conditions requiring
  mitigation in a permit or permit amendment that is approved by the
  board for the applicant.
         (b)  Regardless of whether an applicant for a permit or
  permit amendment submits to the district a plan for mitigation, the
  district and an applicant may negotiate a plan to mitigate any
  negative impacts to groundwater resources or to other wells that
  may arise from the production of groundwater by the well or wells
  for which the permit or permit amendment is sought, and the district
  may include the negotiated mitigation plan as a special term or
  condition of the permit or permit amendment. The district may not
  require an applicant to agree to a mitigation plan that was not
  submitted by the applicant.
         (c)  A mitigation plan described by Subsection (a) or (b) may
  include payment of a fee by the applicant for a permit or permit
  amendment to the district in an amount sufficient to mitigate the
  effects of reduced artesian pressure or the drawdown of the water
  table on other wells in the district. If the mitigation plan is
  approved by the district as a special term or condition of the
  permit as submitted by, or as negotiated with, the applicant, the
  district shall establish written procedures for the use of revenue
  derived from fees paid by the applicant as part of the mitigation
  plan and shall include the written procedures as a special term or
  condition of the permit or permit amendment. The written
  procedures may include use of the mitigation plan fee revenue to
  deepen water wells or to lower pumps, to drill and equip new wells,
  or to take other measures to mitigate impacts on water wells that
  are negatively impacted by the production of groundwater by the
  well or wells for which the permit or permit amendment is approved
  by the district.
         (d)  Nothing in this section shall be construed to limit the
  authority of the district to include as a special term or condition
  of a permit a requirement that the permit holder reduce or cease
  groundwater production during certain hydrological conditions.
         Sec. 8802.112.  CERTAIN PERMITS; REDUCTION ORDERS;
  CONTESTED CASE HEARINGS.  (a) In this section, "maximum production
  capacity" means the maximum production capacity of a well, which
  may be based on a 36-hour pump test conducted at the time the well
  was initially constructed or placed into service.
         (b)  A person operating a well before the effective date of
  the Act enacting this section or who has entered into a contract
  before that date to drill or operate a well that is or will be
  located in the territory described by Section 8802.003(a)(3) or
  8802.0035(a) that is subject to the jurisdiction of the district
  shall file an administratively complete permit application with the
  district not later than three months after the effective date of the
  Act enacting this section for the drilling, equipping, completion,
  or operation of any well if the well requires a permit under the
  rules or orders of the district. The person may file the permit
  application for an amount of groundwater production not to exceed
  the maximum production capacity of the well.
         (c)  The district shall issue a temporary permit to a person
  who files an application under Subsection (b) without a hearing on
  the application not later than the 30th day after the date of
  receipt of the application. The district shall issue the temporary
  permit for the groundwater production amount set forth in the
  application. The temporary permit issued under this subsection
  shall provide the person with retroactive and prospective
  authorization to drill, operate, or perform another activity
  related to a well for which a permit is required by the district for
  the period of time between the effective date of the Act enacting
  this section and the date that the district takes a final,
  appealable action on issuance of a regular permit pursuant to the
  permit application if:
               (1)  the person's drilling, operating, or other
  activities associated with the well are consistent with the
  authorization sought in the permit application;
               (2)  the person timely pays to the district all
  administrative fees and fees related to the amount of groundwater
  authorized to be produced pursuant to the temporary permit in the
  same manner as other permit holders in the district; and
               (3)  the person complies with other rules and orders of
  the district applicable to permit holders.
         (d)  The temporary permit issued under Subsection (c) does
  not confer any rights or privileges to the permit holder other than
  those set forth in this section. After issuing the temporary
  permit, the district shall process the permit application for
  notice, hearing, and consideration for issuance of a regular permit
  consistent with this section. The district, after notice and
  hearing, shall issue an order granting the regular permit
  authorizing groundwater production in the amount set forth in the
  temporary permit unless the district finds that authorizing
  groundwater production in the amount set forth in the temporary
  permit issued under Subsection (c) is causing a failure to achieve
  applicable adopted desired future conditions for the aquifer.
         (e)  To reduce the amount of groundwater authorized to be
  produced under a temporary permit issued under Subsection (c) or a
  regular permit issued under Subsection (d), the district must show
  by a preponderance of the evidence that the amount of groundwater
  being produced under the permit is causing a failure to achieve
  applicable adopted desired future conditions for the aquifer. A
  person who relies on the temporary permit granted by Subsection (c)
  to drill, operate, or engage in other activities associated with a
  water well assumes the risk that the district may grant or deny,
  wholly or partly, the permit application when the district takes
  final action after notice and hearing to issue a regular permit
  pursuant to the application.
         (f)  The holder of a temporary permit or a regular permit
  subject to a district order under this section to reduce the amount
  of groundwater production from the permitted well may contest any
  reduction in the amount of production from the permitted well by
  requesting a contested case hearing on the reduction order to be
  conducted by the State Office of Administrative Hearings in the
  manner provided by Sections 36.416, 36.4165, and 36.418, Water
  Code. The district shall contract with the State Office of
  Administrative Hearings to conduct the hearing as provided by those
  sections of the Water Code. To the extent possible, the State Office
  of Administrative Hearings shall expedite a hearing under this
  subsection.
         (g)  For the State Office of Administrative Hearings to
  uphold a district order reducing the amount of groundwater
  authorized to be produced under a temporary or regular permit, the
  district must demonstrate by a preponderance of the evidence that
  the reduction is necessary to prevent a failure to achieve
  applicable adopted desired future conditions for the aquifer.
         SECTION 8.  (a)  The legislature validates and confirms all
  acts and proceedings of the board of directors of the Barton
  Springs-Edwards Aquifer Conservation District that were taken
  before the effective date of this Act.
         (b)  Subsection (a) of this section does not apply to any
  matter that on the effective date of this Act:
               (1)  is involved in litigation if the litigation
  ultimately results in the matter being held invalid by a final
  judgment of a court; or
               (2)  has been held invalid by a final judgment of a
  court.
         SECTION 9.  (a)  Not later than three months after the
  effective date of this Act, the board of directors of the Barton
  Springs-Edwards Aquifer Conservation District shall appoint one
  temporary director to the board to represent the territory
  described by Section 8802.003(a)(3), Special District Local Laws
  Code, as added by this Act, and one temporary director to represent
  the territory described by Section 8802.0035(a), Special District
  Local Laws Code, as added by this Act.
         (b)  The temporary directors appointed under Subsection (a)
  of this section shall serve at large until the next general election
  of directors of the district under Section 8802.052, Special
  District Local Laws Code, as amended by this Act.
         (c)  The board of directors of the Barton Springs-Edwards
  Aquifer Conservation District shall adjust the board member terms
  of office to conform to the new election date under Section
  8802.052, Special District Local Laws Code, as amended by this Act.
         SECTION 10.  (a) The legal notice of the intention to
  introduce this Act, setting forth the general substance of this
  Act, has been published as provided by law, and the notice and a
  copy of this Act have been furnished to all persons, agencies,
  officials, or entities to which they are required to be furnished
  under Section 59, Article XVI, Texas Constitution, and Chapter 313,
  Government Code.
         (b)  The governor, one of the required recipients, has
  submitted the notice and Act to the Texas Commission on
  Environmental Quality.
         (c)  The Texas Commission on Environmental Quality has filed
  its recommendations relating to this Act with the governor, the
  lieutenant governor, and the speaker of the house of
  representatives within the required time.
         (d)  All requirements of the constitution and laws of this
  state and the rules and procedures of the legislature with respect
  to the notice, introduction, and passage of this Act are fulfilled
  and accomplished.
         SECTION 11.  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.
 
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