Transcript Highlights:

• If they can be safely used, let the fossil fuel industry reuse it for fracking.
• HB 207 as amended requires rules for reuse.
• It preserved the... did not require the WQCCC to approve discharge or reuse.
• My core, I value reducing waste and reusing resources where appropriate.
• And this is the water that is being reused in fracking.

Keywords: 996, all

Bills: SB1280, SB1392, SB1393, SB1395, SB1400, SB1405, SB1832, SB1839, SB1989, SB2001, SB2143

Keywords: excise tax, oil tax, natural gas tax, state revenue, Oklahoma Corporation Commission, income tax, tax credit, aerospace sector, employment, economic development, adaptive reuse, affordable housing, urban renewal, economic impact, program, housing, revitalization, urban development, income tax credit, manufacturing

Bills: HB 13, HB143, HB144, HB145, HB366, HB470, HB805, HB912, HB13, HB143, HB144, HB145

Keywords: emergency communication, infrastructure, first responders, grant program, interoperability, Texas Interoperability Council, local governments, HB 143, Texas Railroad Commission, Public Utility Commission of Texas, Natural Resources Code, oil and gas, well site, surface facility, electrical power line, National Electrical Code, NEC, electrical safety, utility disconnect, service disconnection

Bills: HB 13, HB143, HB144, HB145, HB366, HB470, HB805, HB912, HB13, HB143, HB144, HB145

Keywords: emergency communication, infrastructure, first responders, grant program, interoperability, Texas Interoperability Council, local governments, HB 143, Texas Railroad Commission, Public Utility Commission of Texas, Natural Resources Code, oil and gas, well site, surface facility, electrical power line, National Electrical Code, NEC, electrical safety, utility disconnect, service disconnection

Transcript Highlights:

• Then we reuse it later.
• Then we'll wrap this section up on water reuse.
• For that reuse of oil and gas drinking water?
• of water and how they reuse water?
• We want to reuse it.

Transcript Highlights:

• quickly, the bill would just allow an expanded use of HIBs that we heard earlier today for adapted reuse
• The bill would just allow an expanded use of HIBs that we heard earlier today for adapted reuse or building
• House File 1340 would expand the use of housing infrastructure bonds for the adaptive reuse of buildings
• around the state lack affordable housing options, and when school facilities become available for reuse
• <00:03:52.239> so uh building conversion adaptic reuse so uh building conversion adaptic reuse

Keywords: 919, house, all

Summary: The committee heard House File 1340, authored by Chair Lee, which would expand the use of housing infrastructure bonds to support the adaptive reuse or conversion of buildings into affordable housing. The author described the bill as a way to help nonprofit and other affordable housing developers compete for surplus buildings, especially when school districts are selling unused properties on the open market. Tom Parent of Minneapolis Public Schools testified in support, explaining that school districts manage facilities through separate capital budgets and that selling surplus property at fair market value helps offset future property tax burdens. He said districts often face tension between maximizing sale proceeds and meeting community needs, and pointed to Minneapolis examples where former school buildings are being converted to housing, including projects serving youth experiencing homelessness. He argued the bill could better align reuse of school properties with community housing needs while protecting local taxpayers. In response to a question from Representative Scraba, the author confirmed the bill does not allocate new dollars but instead expands eligible uses under the statute for housing infrastructure bonds. No vote or formal action was taken during the exchange, and the bill was presented as part of a broader bipartisan discussion about reuse of vacant buildings for housing and other community purposes.

Transcript Highlights:

• I show you registered as Noel George on behalf of Water Reuse, Texas, registered for the bill.
• Although Water Reuse, Texas is a trade association dedicated to the specific challenges of water reuse
• for Texas, and we request that non-potable reuse be included as well.
• I almost think that non-potable reuse can have an even bigger impact than potable.
• Water reuse projects and wastewater infrastructure projects in the Texas Water Fund.

Bills: HB16, HB16, HB1618, HB2692, HB2712, HB2970, HB3609, HB3628

Keywords: judicial administration, court reform, juvenile diversion, court security, mental health services, drug offenses, constitutional amendments, water infrastructure, Texas Water Development Board, financial assistance, water supply projects, rural municipalities, water access assessment, aquifer storage, Edwards Aquifer, water injection, environmental regulations, groundwater management, San Antonio River, pollution control

Transcript Highlights:

• system. ...backup from a reuse system.
• However, the next step is to actually have a reuse plan.
• However, the next step is to actually have a reuse plan.
• And like, we hear a lot about public access reuse, and public access reuse has its downside when we get
• It presents perfect opportunities for the reuse that we can capture, that we can reuse it to a benefit

Summary: The Committee on Environment and Natural Resources met to hear a panel discussion on implementation of Senate Bill 64 (2021), which requires elimination of non-beneficial wastewater discharges to surface waters by 2032. Department of Environmental Protection staff reported that utility plans have been approved, about 570 million gallons per day are expected to be eliminated under the plans, and roughly 176 million gallons per day have already been eliminated. The department emphasized ongoing annual reporting, continued coordination with utilities, and the need for projects such as reuse, indirect potable reuse, wet-weather backup discharges, groundwater recharge, and other beneficial uses to meet the law’s 90% reuse requirement in applicable cases. Representatives from Flagler Beach, Atlantic Beach, JEA, and Hillsborough County described how the law affects different utilities. Smaller and coastal systems said they face major cost, space, salinity, and infrastructure constraints, with limited reuse opportunities and expensive alternatives such as deep well injection or regional transfer. Larger systems described substantial capital programs already underway, including public access reuse, indirect potable reuse, regional recharge projects, and saltwater intrusion barrier wells, with costs ranging from tens of millions to billions of dollars. Members and witnesses discussed the need for flexibility, regional solutions, and case-by-case permitting, and the Florida Rural Water Association asked the committee to consider hardship provisions and funding or exemption adjustments for smaller systems. The committee then took up SPB 7002, a proposed bill by the Environment and Natural Resources Committee relating to water management districts. Senator Broder explained that the bill would increase transparency, improve planning and budgeting oversight, create a gift ban, support local referendum authority for certain ad valorem funding, and provide record-level funding for Everglades restoration. After a question from Senator Smith about whether the ad valorem language was expansive or restrictive, Senator Broder said it would add a new funding tool for districts. The committee adopted a motion to submit SPB 7002 as a committee bill, and it was reported favorably by roll call vote. The meeting then adjourned.

Transcript Highlights:

• IF YOU HAVE A REUSE SYSTEM YOU WOULD HAVE TO HAVE WHAT WEATHER DISCHARGES.
• THE GOAL IS A MINIMUM OF 90 PERCENT OF YOUR ANNUAL AVERAGE FLOW BE REUSED.
• HOWEVER, THE NEXT STEP IS TO HAVE A REUSE PLAN.
• WE HEAR A LOT ABOUT PUBLIC ACCESS REUSE.
• CAN CAPTURE THE REUSE THAT WE WOULD REUSE IT TO A BENEFIT BUT WE HAD THE CONSTRAINTS THAT WOULD COME

Keywords: 999, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• <00:42:00.079> component this has a storm water reuse component this has a storm water reuse
• is needed if it is to be safely reused. is needed if it is to be safely reused.
• sophisticated guidance on how to reuse sophisticated guidance on how to reuse storm<00:45:56.560
• <00:48:32.240> storm come into contact with uh reused storm come into contact with uh reused
• sprayed with or irrigated with reused sprayed with or irrigated with reused storm<00:48:42.359><

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• That's all going to beneficial reuse recyclable products.
• That's all going to beneficial reuse recyclable products.
• That's all going to beneficial reuse recyclable products.
• That's all going to beneficial reuse recyclable products.
• I'm the executive director of Reuse Minnesota.

Keywords: 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• It could significantly increase its reuse and recycling of existing water supplies.
• How is the DFW region doing in terms of building reuse into their systems?
• , our water districts, who many are engaged in reuse efforts.
• First, it would punish using conservation and reuse to delay new supplies.
• Reuse is a useful strategy, but it's limited. You have a decay when you have reuse.

Bills: HB1523, HB2109, HB2694, HB3525, HB3898, HB4646, HB5188, HB5219, HB5320, HB5651, HB5655, HB5659, HB5662, HB5672

Keywords: aquifer conservation, Class V injection well, environmental regulation, groundwater protection, municipal water supply, temporary prohibition, water management, reservoir construction, state water plan, Texas Water Code, environmental impact, Brazoria Drainage District, commissioners, elections, vacancies, resignation, HB 3525, North Texas Groundwater Conservation District, groundwater permit, permit amendment

Summary: The Committee on Natural Resources heard House Bill 2109, which would remove certain long-proposed reservoir projects from the state water plan after 50 years without progress. Chairman Van Deaver and many landowners, local officials, timber interests, and conservation advocates testified in support, arguing that the Marvin Nichols Reservoir has burdened Northeast Texas landowners for decades with the threat of eminent domain, depressed property values, and uncertainty over homes, farms, ranches, schools, churches, and cemeteries. Supporters also said the project would flood tens of thousands of acres, require extensive mitigation, harm timber and agriculture, and that Texas now has better alternatives such as conservation, reuse, aquifer storage and recovery, and desalination. Several members expressed sympathy for the affected families and questioned whether a project could remain in the plan indefinitely without progress. Opposition came from North Texas water interests, including the North Texas Commission, Tarrant Regional Water District, and the Texas Water Association, who argued that the bill would interfere with the state’s long-term water planning process and remove needed future supply options for a fast-growing region. They said Region C faces major projected shortages by 2070, that conservation and reuse have already delayed the need for new supplies, and that reservoirs remain one tool in the state’s water-planning toolbox. TWDB staff explained the existing inter-regional conflict process and noted that the substitute would affect several unique reservoir sites, not just Marvin Nichols. After testimony, Chairman Van Deaver closed by urging passage of the bill, but the committee withdrew the substitute and left HB 2109 pending. The committee then took up House Bill 5188, a brackish groundwater bill. The author said the bill would reduce permitting burdens for wells in designated brackish groundwater production zones, and the committee substitute added requirements on monitoring, groundwater-rights ownership, and allocation of pumpage limits while removing some exclusions and export-fee provisions. Texas Wildlife Association testified against the bill, warning that the exemptions could weaken groundwater conservation districts’ ability to protect freshwater resources and surface-owner rights. San Antonio Water System testified in favor, saying brackish groundwater is a key future supply and that the substitute would help speed development of desalination and brackish projects. The Texas Alliance of Groundwater Districts testified neutrally but raised concerns about reduced district oversight, especially around injection-well exclusions and the loss of export fees, and said discussions on the bill were ongoing.

Transcript Highlights:

• The best use of produced water is in the oil and gas field, the reuse.
• We all recognize the potential of produced water and beneficial reuse for our.
• So there is certainly a market for treating produced water. ...reusing it.
• So other than just reuse, you know, cleaning it up a little bit, I guess being able to reuse it again
• It is suitable, and I think it limits itself to suitable for beneficial reuse, whatever that reuse happens

Bills: HB48, HB49, HB 1169, HB1971, HB2584, HB2663, HB2890, HB48, HB49

Keywords: HB 48, oilfield theft, organized theft, petroleum products, oil and gas equipment, DPS, Department of Public Safety, Texas, Railroad Commission, criminal justice, energy resources, theft prevention, organized crime, border region, El Paso, law enforcement task force, asset recovery, pipeline theft, drilling equipment, equipment theft

Transcript Highlights:

• and reused. and reused.
• . reuse. reuse.
• make local control of stormwater reuse make local control of stormwater reuse more<01:03:25.280>
• for stormwater reuse. for stormwater reuse.
• <01:10:07.480> was judgment on whether that reuse was judgment on whether that reuse was likely

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• The way to handle this is to start cleaning up and reusing the produced water.
• and water reuse.
• promote water conservation and water reuse.
• Other similarly situated states have determined the reuse of produced water is not safe.
• “If we’re so uncertain about the risks and impacts of reusing produced water that we feel we need to

Bills: SB3074, HB49, HB2440, HB3556, HB3619, HB3866, HB4042, HB4112, HB4271, HB4413, HB4426, HB5033

Keywords: SB 3074, TCEQ, Texas Commission on Environmental Quality, Water Code, permit applications, environmental permitting, administrative record, ex parte communications, legislative communications, governor, lieutenant governor, state legislators, district projects, public records, recusal, conflict of interest, substantial interest, agency transparency, environmental regulation, permit renewal

Summary: The committee heard and laid out several natural resources and environmental bills, with testimony focused on balancing development, public health, wildlife protection, and regulatory authority. SB 3074 would allow the governor, lieutenant governor, and legislators to communicate in writing with TCEQ about matters before the commission, with safeguards requiring the communication to be part of the record and allowing other parties to respond; a committee substitute narrowed it to written communications about permits only, limited legislator communications to facilities in their districts, and adjusted conflict-of-interest rules. HB 3556, as substituted, would require notice to Texas Parks and Wildlife for certain very tall structures in specified coastal counties and give TPWD a limited right to seek injunctive relief if mitigation is insufficient to prevent material harm to migratory birds; supporters said it would address ignored wildlife recommendations and protect key flyways, while opponents argued the bill was too broad, singled out wind energy, and gave one agency unusually strong enforcement power. HB 49 would expand liability protections for produced-water recycling and beneficial use; supporters said it would encourage reuse of a large wastewater stream and reduce disposal pressures, while opponents warned it could shield operators from responsibility before the science and standards are mature. HB 4413 would authorize mass-balance accounting for renewable biomass feedstocks, and HB 3866 would regulate intermediate bulk container recycling facilities near homes, with a committee substitute adding a grandfather clause and making implementation contingent on funding. The committee also heard bills affecting air and energy regulation. HB 5033 would create a trigger to end vehicle emissions inspections if federal law changes to allow it; the substitute removed a Supreme Court-related trigger, and the lone public witness opposed the bill, warning it would worsen air quality and harm nonattainment areas. HB 4112 would clarify that on-site storage of high-level radioactive waste is allowed at current and future nuclear reactors and university research reactors only for waste generated at that site; the substitute clarified the language and removed an inoperative permit condition, and witnesses from environmental and nuclear groups said the clarification was needed to prevent unintended restrictions while avoiding off-site storage. HB 2440 would prohibit state agencies from using air-quality rules to ban or restrict vehicles based on energy source, including internal combustion vehicles, and no public testimony was offered. HB 4271 would require TCEQ to hold public meetings on request for composting facility authorizations; the substitute limited the requirement to future applications and was presented as a transparency measure after a denied local request and extensive public comments. Additional bills addressed landowner protections and Railroad Commission oversight. HB 3619 would require the Railroad Commission to restore surface land after plugging or replugging operations and indemnify landowners from damages tied to authorized entry; a witness supported the bill but urged fixing a separate statutory loophole that he said allowed operators to enter unrelated tracts without notice. HB 4042 would extend Railroad Commission pipeline safety and fee provisions to propane distribution systems by removing the word “natural” from the relevant definitions. HB 4426 would set a 10-year permit term for commercial surface disposal facilities, allow renewal based on compliance history, and require renewal applications 120 days before expiration. The committee took no votes because a quorum was not initially present, and each bill was left pending after testimony and discussion.

Transcript Highlights:

• and emphasize our water-energy nexus, the emphasis we place on that, and our capabilities in water reuse
• an emphasis on our water-energy nexus, the emphasis we place on that, and our capabilities in water reuse
• So what Nalco Water and Ecolab do is we help fabs reuse water as much as possible.
• We can take those streams and reuse them.
• We can take wastewater from that process, clean it up, and reuse that.

Bills: SB1041

Keywords: electronic monitoring, nursing care, assisted living, resident rights, privacy, consent, surveillance, 1182, all

Summary: The committee convened and announced that Senate Bill 1041 would not be heard, with the meeting limited to a presentation to keep the schedule moving. Brian Jenkins of Nalco Water, part of Ecolab, gave an informational presentation on the company’s work in the semiconductor industry, especially in Arizona. He described Ecolab’s role in helping chip manufacturers maximize production while reducing water and energy use, including data management, water reuse and recycle systems, and energy optimization for fabs. He also discussed anticipated semiconductor growth in Arizona, citing SEMI data projecting four additional fabs in the state over the next several years. Jenkins emphasized the high water and energy demands of semiconductor fabrication, explaining that fabs can use billions of gallons of water annually and that chip features have become extremely small, increasing the need for precise, resource-intensive manufacturing. He outlined technologies Ecolab uses to identify reusable water streams, model treatment options, and design and operate reuse systems, including treatment of hydrogen fluoride, CMP wastewater, and neutralized acid waste. He gave an example of a fab where Ecolab’s work reduced water consumption by 11 million gallons per year, cut contaminant discharge by 64%, and saved about $675,000 annually. Members thanked Jenkins for the presentation and referenced a prior tour of the facility. They discussed the importance of water conservation for Arizona’s growth in chip manufacturing and data centers, and encouraged follow-up conversations outside the meeting. Jenkins invited members to visit Ecolab’s facility in Naperville, Illinois. No votes were taken, and the meeting concluded after the presentation, followed by adjournment as the room was prepared for House members to join.

Transcript Highlights:

• Legislature to ensure that as close to 100% as possible of lithium-ion batteries in the state are reused
• Legislature to ensure that as close to 100% as possible of lithium-ion batteries in the state are reused
• So, do you know the difference between reuse and repurpose? Well, yes.
• There's a hierarchy of best use, and obviously reuse, followed by repurpose and recycling.
• It's part of why you saw... ...repurpose them, reuse them, recycle them, et cetera.

Summary: The Assembly Environmental Safety and Toxic Materials Committee heard SB 615 by Senator Allen, which would create a Department of Toxic Substances Control program for end-of-life electric vehicle battery management. The bill is intended to promote reuse, repurposing, recycling, tracking, and responsible handling of EV batteries, with producer responsibility and certification of recyclers as key features. Supporters, including the Union of Concerned Scientists, California State Association of Counties, automakers, recyclers, and environmental groups, said the measure would help prevent hazardous waste problems, reduce illegal dumping, and prepare for a coming wave of battery retirements. Opponents, including Tesla, Rivian, the California Chamber of Commerce, and others, raised concerns about liability, burdens on smaller entities, and the bill’s structure, while some groups supported it if amended. Committee members discussed the current low recycling rate for EV batteries, the difference between reuse, repurpose, and recycling, and whether the bill appropriately places responsibility on producers rather than consumers. The author said the bill builds on prior work and stakeholder input and is designed to create a workable system without overburdening DTSC. After quorum was established, the committee voted SB 615 out on a 5-1 vote, with one member voting no. The committee also took up a consent calendar containing SB 39, SB 454, SB 724, and SCR 3, and those measures were approved. The hearing then adjourned.

Transcript Highlights:

• However, without it, many adaptive reuse However, without it, many adaptive reuse projects<00:21
• We are reusing material.
• We are reusing material. When you labor. We are reusing material.
• think very importantly, we're reusing think very importantly, we're reusing buildings<00:33:14.080
• The office market has been hit reuse.

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Alignment disposition process for qualifying projects within the area of the Concord Reuse Project Area
• The Concord Reuse Project Area Plan anticipates no fewer than 10,000 housing units with 25% of units
• The City of Concord is the local reuse authority for the base closure process.
• In 2012, the city adopted the addendum to the EIR and approved the area plan, incorporating the reuse
• In 2010, I was mayor when we passed the reuse plan.

Keywords: 987, senate, all

Summary: The committee heard several bills related to energy, environmental regulation, recycling, and border pollution. SB 925 would direct the California Energy Commission to develop a statewide roadmap for fusion energy; the author and co-sponsor said it would help California retain fusion investment and jobs, while supporters emphasized the state’s leadership in fusion and the need for a future regulatory and permitting strategy. SB 1350 would allow renewable portfolio standard credit for power plants using green hydrogen, and testimony split between supporters who said it would support reliability, emissions reductions, and jobs, and opponents who warned about greenwashing, resource shuffling, and NOx emissions from combustion. SB 1145 would streamline CEQA and federal base-closure review for qualifying projects in the Concord Reuse Project Area; the author said it would advance a long-planned housing and mixed-use redevelopment with substantial prior environmental review, and the committee chair noted amendments limiting streamlining to projects consistent with existing plans. SB 1341 would let CalRecycle reduce processing fees for wine and spirits bag-in-a-box containers if collections exceed what is needed for recycling-center payments; supporters said the current fee increase was abrupt and excessive, while opponents argued the fee should remain tied to recycling costs and warned against giving CalRecycle too much discretion. SJR 13 urged the federal government to seek enforceable commitments to eliminate transboundary sewage pollution at the upcoming USMCA review, with strong support from border and farmworker advocates and no opposition heard. SB 1033 would require protein product manufacturers to test for and disclose heavy metals; supporters cited Consumer Reports findings of lead, cadmium, and arsenic in protein powders and shakes, while opponents sought narrower scope, QR-code labeling, and thresholds tied to health standards. SB 1010 would create a manufacturer-funded system for refrigerant recovery from discarded appliances; supporters said it would reduce greenhouse gases and shift costs away from local governments, while opponents argued existing federal and state rules already address the issue and that the bill could raise appliance costs and disrupt recycling markets. The committee took up votes after a quorum was established. SB 1010 was voted out 3-1 and kept on call, with the chair and several members supporting it and one member voting no. The consent calendar, including SB 899, SB 1313, SB 1253, and SB 1300, was approved and kept on call. SJR 13, SB 981, SB 1033, SB 925, SB 1350, SB 1145, and SB 1341 were each moved out on committee votes and kept on call. The chair repeatedly noted that several bills would be voted formally once the committee had a quorum, and the author of SB 1183 was heard after the voting sequence. SB 1183 would require the Governor’s Office of Land Use and Climate Innovation to study the environmental, land-use, and economic impacts of industrial solar in the Central Valley and make recommendations to ensure local communities benefit. The author and supporters, including the California Farm Bureau and American Farmland Trust, said the bill is meant to assess how large-scale solar development affects agricultural land, farmworker communities, and local economies. Opponents from the solar industry argued the bill duplicates existing work, understates the benefits of utility-scale solar, and should instead build on prior state studies; the author responded that the Valley is already seeing major solar siting pressure and that the study is needed to understand impacts as groundwater constraints and land-use changes accelerate.

Transcript Highlights:

• How is the DFW region doing in terms of building reuse into their systems?
• our cities. ...our water districts, many of which are engaged in reuse efforts.
• First, it would punish using conservation and reuse to delay new supplies.
• Reuse is a useful strategy, but it's limited. You have a decay when you have reuse.
• The incoming water and you just reuse it, that decays pretty quickly.

Bills: HB1523, HB2109, HB2694, HB3525, HB3898, HB4646, HB5188, HB5219, HB5320, HB5651, HB5655, HB5659, HB5662, HB5672

Keywords: aquifer conservation, Class V injection well, environmental regulation, groundwater protection, municipal water supply, temporary prohibition, water management, reservoir construction, state water plan, Texas Water Code, environmental impact, Brazoria Drainage District, commissioners, elections, vacancies, resignation, HB 3525, North Texas Groundwater Conservation District, groundwater permit, permit amendment