Transcript Highlights:

• It additionally requires an SMR co-located with a large industrial energy user.
• I'm a water attorney, and I work regularly with recharge topics.
• to be recovered is Colorado River water?
• This essentially creates a water mound in the aquifer, saying there's more water here because it's been
• , whether that's surface water effluent.

Bills: SB1202, SB1287, SB1418, SB1785, SCM1007

Keywords: groundwater, water conservation, Arizona water resources, drought management, water quality, irrigation, active management area, domestic use, stock watering, water rights, small modular reactors, energy regulation, environmental compatibility, utility construction, agricultural use, industrial users, water storage, recovery well, Arizona Revised Statutes, water management

Transcript Highlights:

• </c> pledge to us. pledge to us.
• And they reached out to us, and I tried to get us started on it, and Idaho got there in front of us and
• And they reached out to us, and I tried to get us started on it, and Idaho got there in front of us and
• And they reached out to us, and I tried to get us started on it, and Idaho got there in front of us and
• </c> reached out to us and I tried to get us reached out to us and I tried to get us started<00:54:29.839

Bills: HB0116, HB0056

Keywords: water rights, beneficial use, industrial production, hydrogen, applications, public welfare, carbon capture, energy standards, public utilities, environmental regulation, state law, 916, all

Transcript Highlights:

• use of water.
• </c> constitute a beneficial use of water. constitute a beneficial use of water.
• use that water. water. water.
• </c> uses as off-limits uses for water? uses as off-limits uses for water?
• We can use it how water law backing us.

Bills: HB0116, HB0056

Keywords: water rights, beneficial use, industrial production, hydrogen, applications, public welfare, carbon capture, energy standards, public utilities, environmental regulation, state law, 916, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Senator Boner, go ahead and bring us home here or bring us starting here.
• Senator Boner, go ahead and bring us home here or bring us starting here. >> Well, I'll um, Mr.
• </c> be told what we can do with our water. be told what we can do with our water.
• </c> water right holders and senior water water right holders and senior water right<00:09:02.880><c>
• It is about allowing junior water users to exchange water with senior water users. That is true.

Bills: SF0050, SF0068, SF0084, HB0087, HB0029, HB0061, HB0090

Keywords: groundwater, water resource management, state engineer, aquifer study, corrective controls, monitoring wells, public reporting, irrigation, water management, funding, maintenance projects, tax assessments, state law, water conservation, Colorado River, drought, water rights, voluntary program, interstate agreements, water development

Transcript Highlights:

• And I think it's very important we check to see how all these industries are going to be using our water
• </c> flying blind when it comes to water use. flying blind when it comes to water use.
• So, that's pretty specific what we're looking at here, and consumptive water use, not industrial use.
• water use.
• And that's where industrial water use.

Bills: SF0050, SF0068, SF0084, HB0087, HB0029, HB0061, HB0090

Keywords: groundwater, water resource management, state engineer, aquifer study, corrective controls, monitoring wells, public reporting, irrigation, water management, funding, maintenance projects, tax assessments, state law, water conservation, Colorado River, drought, water rights, voluntary program, interstate agreements, water development

Transcript Highlights:

• </c> water use reductions. water use reductions.
• </c> program, he cannot use any water. program, he cannot use any water.
• You get to use your water, not use your water. It really depends.
• You get to use your water, not use<00:33:57.120><c> your</c><00:33:57.279><c> water.
• <c> uses</c> shepherd water when released water uses shepherd water when released water uses the<01:14

Bills: SF0050, SF0084, HB0133, HB0116, HB0011, HB0044

Keywords: groundwater, water resource management, state engineer, aquifer study, corrective controls, monitoring wells, public reporting, water conservation, Colorado River, drought, irrigation, water rights, voluntary program, interstate agreements, conservation districts, supervisors, elections, agriculture, local governance, beneficial use

Bills: SF0050, SF0084, HB0133, HB0116, HB0011, HB0044

Keywords: groundwater, water resource management, state engineer, aquifer study, corrective controls, monitoring wells, public reporting, water conservation, Colorado River, drought, irrigation, water rights, voluntary program, interstate agreements, conservation districts, supervisors, elections, agriculture, local governance, beneficial use

Transcript Highlights:

• , and if data centers and other industrial users can use produced water, communities like Cresta, Taos
• Data centers and high-tech industries driven by the AI boom should not use fresh water.
• water. ...counts, then we should question why the oil and gas industry is still using so much fresh
• Yesterday, I pulled OCD statistics on water report use, and only 55% of the water that the industry is
• , and if data centers and other industrial users can use produced water like communities around northern

Bills: HM45, HB276, HB300

Keywords: Taos County, Questa, produced water, treated produced water, water reuse, water quality control commission, freshwater conservation, rural communities, acequias, Indian nations, tribes, pueblos, water rights, industrial water use, data centers, artificial intelligence, AI, quantum computing, economic development, renewable energy

Summary: The committee first heard House Memorial 45, which asked the Water Quality Control Commission to promptly hear a petition seeking consideration of the beneficial reuse of treated produced water. The sponsor and supporters argued that produced water could help conserve freshwater, support agriculture and rural communities, and potentially aid compact obligations with Texas and industrial users. The committee also heard extensive opposition from acequia leaders, environmental groups, and residents who said the science is not yet sufficient, the water contains unknown or proprietary contaminants, and the memorial could pressure regulators or shift pollution burdens to other communities. After questions focused on the meaning of a memorial, the status of the petition, and the role of the Produced Water Research Consortium, a motion to table HM 45 passed, with members explaining they wanted the petition in hand before acting. The committee then took up House Bill 276, which appropriates $3.3 million to NMSU for the New Mexico Department of Agriculture to support celebration of the 400-year anniversary of winemaking in New Mexico. Supporters described the bill as a statewide agritourism and economic development effort tied to New Mexico’s long wine history, with marketing, signage, and tourism promotion intended to benefit wineries across the state. Members asked about the funding source, the anniversary date, and whether the effort would include wineries outside the south; the sponsor said the campaign would highlight wineries statewide. The committee voted do pass on HB 276. Finally, the committee heard House Bill 300, which would appropriate funds for the care and management of free-roaming horses and related domestic horse management, with an emphasis on tribal and local herd-control efforts using fertility control and trained community members. Supporters said the program would help address overpopulation, grazing impacts, and roadway safety, while opponents questioned relocation plans and whether the money should be spread across more counties. The sponsor and expert witness said trained personnel were already in place and the funds would support implementation. After discussion, the committee voted do pass on HB 300. The meeting ended with notice that the committee would meet again Saturday to hear House Bill 207.

Transcript Highlights:

• , and if data centers and other industrial users can use produced water, communities like Cresta, Taos
• Data centers and high-tech industries driven by the AI boom should not use fresh water.
• water. ...counts, then we should question why the oil and gas industry is still using so much fresh
• Yesterday, I pulled OCD statistics on water report use, and only 55% of the water that the industry is
• produce water to be used for non-potable uses.

Bills: HM45, HB276, HB300

Keywords: Taos County, Questa, produced water, treated produced water, water reuse, water quality control commission, freshwater conservation, rural communities, acequias, Indian nations, tribes, pueblos, water rights, industrial water use, data centers, artificial intelligence, AI, quantum computing, economic development, renewable energy

Transcript Highlights:

• or special use permit in these commercial or mixed-use areas.
• The regulations must either incentivize ground-floor commercial uses within mixed-use and commercial
• It's not going to be very useful.
• housing in our mixed use areas.
• the right use of the space.

Bills: SB5820, SB5995, SB5467

Keywords: freight rail, rail corridor, short-line railroad, rail-dependent uses, industrial land use, growth management act, GMA, comprehensive plan, transportation element, land use planning, local government, county planning, city planning, critical areas, agricultural lands, forest lands, mineral resource lands, urban growth area, development regulations, notice on permits

Transcript Highlights:

• by water sewer districts.
• Kellan, would you please brief the bill for us?
• lands if the uses do not require urban government services.
• Generally, freight rail-dependent uses are buildings and infrastructure used in the fabrication, processing
• I mean, at the end of the day, the freight rail dependent uses are not agricultural dependent uses.

Bills: SB5820, SB5467, SB5995

Keywords: freight rail, rail corridor, short-line railroad, rail-dependent uses, industrial land use, growth management act, GMA, comprehensive plan, transportation element, land use planning, local government, county planning, city planning, critical areas, agricultural lands, forest lands, mineral resource lands, urban growth area, development regulations, notice on permits

Transcript Highlights:

• that are navigable and Public waters that are navigable and should be open for public use.
• They use the public water for fishing recreation, and they manage the lake.
• I mean, it's not about us and them; it's mainly just trying to protect the one and only water source
• say, all right, we've made X off of all of our licenses to use the water, which gives us the money to
• Water is important for us.

Bills: HB471, HB473

Keywords: water authority, sewer management, fire protection, local governance, board of directors, local officers, water recreation, public access, water bodies, recreational use, water commissions, 1136, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Industry sees that there's a global trend to move away from the use of forever chemicals.
• use for cover crop establishment and section 2, subdivision 7, related to water permit transfers.
• Even though the water permit was already in place, the water use never changed.
• Clear and predictable permit transfers do not increase water use.
• Chair and members, I think what you just asked would be a change in the use of the water.

Bills: HF4253, HF4257, HF3236, HF4264, HF4149, HF4019

Keywords: boat storage structures, public waters, natural resources, rule amendments, watercraft canopy, PFAS, environmental regulation, manufacturers, public health, product safety, groundwater, water appropriation, water-use permit, water permit, aquifer test, aquifer, well construction, groundwater permit, Department of Natural Resources, DNR

Transcript Highlights:

• That would provide us the ability to permanently protect approximately 200 acre-feet of senior water
• use before they reach the point of overpumping their water-use authorizations.
• And the rancher, they're out there with livestock that's using water.
• The state assesses a penalty of $5,000 a day for violations of the use of the state's water.
• This is a penalty of $5,000 a day for violations of the use of the state's water.

Bills: HB4530, HB4931, HB5559, HB5560

Keywords: water rights, Texas Water Trust, water bank, environmental conservation, water quality, instream flows, aquifer, water injection, Edwards Aquifer, environmental regulation, groundwater, Texas Commission on Environmental Quality, water conservation, drought, utility regulation, water use restrictions, Public Utility Commission, civil penalties, drought contingency, environmental protection

Summary: The Committee on Natural Resources met with a quorum present and first took up several pending bills for reconsideration and committee substitute adoption. House Bill 2692, relating to codification and clarification of local laws concerning the San Antonio River Authority, was reported favorably to the full House and sent to the Committee on Local and Consent Calendars by an 11-0 vote. House Bills 1407, 1520, 1535, 2970, 4153, 291, 3663, and 3915 were also reconsidered or laid out as pending business, with committee substitutes adopted where needed and each bill reported favorably, generally by unanimous vote, to the full House and then to Calendars or Calendars/Calendars-related referral as applicable. The committee then heard House Bill 4530, which would expand the Texas Water Trust framework to include groundwater rights, require Texas Water Development Board review and approval of groundwater dedications, and notify local groundwater districts when groundwater rights are placed in the trust. The bill’s author and witnesses from the Environmental Defense Fund, The Nature Conservancy, and Chispa Texas supported the measure as a conservation tool and a way to create a clear process for voluntary donations; a Texas Water Development Board witness testified neutrally. The bill was left pending. House Bill 4931, relating to an aquifer storage and recovery project in Medina County, drew support from the author, the Medina County judge, and a regional water alliance witness, who described severe stress on the Edwards Aquifer, low levels at Medina Lake, and the need for a local water-supply tool. The bill was left pending. House Bill 5559, which would clarify enforcement of drought contingency plans for investor-owned water utilities and involve the PUC in model plan development, received support from groundwater district representatives but also concerns from water company and utility witnesses about enforcement authority, approval procedures, and potential conflicts with existing obligations to provide continuous service; the committee substitute was withdrawn and the bill was left pending. House Bill 5560, which would raise the maximum civil penalty for certain groundwater conservation district enforcement actions from $10,000 to $25,000 per violation, prompted debate over whether current law is already sufficient; supporters said the higher cap would better deter overpumping, while opponents argued existing penalties are already severe. That bill was also left pending, and the committee adjourned subject to call of the chair.

Transcript Highlights:

• Development Board on the board's internet website regarding the use of the state water implementation
• It's cost-effective, environmentally sound, and it gives us local control over our own water security
• use before they reach the point of overpumping their water use authorizations.
• suppliers must include procedures for enforcement of mandatory water use restrictions and that IOUs
• supply corporation with a distinctive client base where they're reselling that water, not using that

Bills: HB 4530, HB 4931, HB 5559, HB 5560

Keywords: water rights, Texas Water Trust, water bank, environmental conservation, water quality, instream flows, aquifer, water injection, Edwards Aquifer, environmental regulation, groundwater, Texas Commission on Environmental Quality, water conservation, drought, utility regulation, water use restrictions, Public Utility Commission, civil penalties, drought contingency, environmental protection

Transcript Highlights:

• Sawyer, tell us about the first bill on the calendar.
• It's collected in the spring of the year after the water is used when the water users file their annual
• But we always expected that after 2030 we should still be able to use CAP water; we would just have to
• Brittany, close us up. Mr.
• for our water projects.

Bills: SB1041, SB1363, SB1418, SB1419, SB1445, SB1447, SB1488, SB1519, SB1523, SB1560, SB1580

Keywords: electronic monitoring, nursing care, assisted living, resident rights, privacy, consent, surveillance, marijuana, rural opportunity, dispensary, economic development, licensing, social equity, unserved communities, Arizona, small modular reactors, energy regulation, environmental compatibility, utility construction, agricultural use

Transcript Highlights:

• And my concern is the impact on other industries when we are using an air permit to address a... geological
• Us any concerns.
• Come back to us and tell us, here's the issue. I think you still need BEG.
• I studied their water studies in the 2022 state water forecast, and they are excellent analysts.
• industry, you name it.

Bills: SB2037, SB1757, SB1758, SB1759, HB29

Keywords: rock crushing, permits, air quality, environmental monitoring, aggregate production, seismicity, public meeting, land use, SB 1758, cement kiln, portland cement, aggregate production operation, aggregate quarry, semiconductor wafer manufacturing, chip fabrication, semiconductor plant, vibration, seismic disturbance, liability limitation, TCEQ

Transcript Highlights:

• as an industry to explain the importance and need for us to have practical regulation that's protective
• of both the industry and the communities that we serve and at the same time allow us a third option
• We're not looking to shut the industry down. We all use the products.
• We're there, we're not looking to shut the industry down. We all use the products.
• We would add a level of burden which would prevent us from successfully using this permit for anything

Bills: SB2037, SB1757, SB1758, SB1759

Keywords: rock crushing, permits, air quality, environmental monitoring, aggregate production, seismicity, public meeting, land use, SB 1758, cement kiln, portland cement, aggregate production operation, aggregate quarry, semiconductor wafer manufacturing, chip fabrication, semiconductor plant, vibration, seismic disturbance, liability limitation, TCEQ

Summary: The Senate Committee on Natural Resources took public testimony on Senate Bill 1757 and its committee substitute, a measure dealing with aggregate production operations and a new permitting option for rock crushers/aggregate facilities. Testimony centered on whether the bill should remain focused on air permitting or also include broader quarry operations such as stormwater, reclamation, monitoring, and public participation requirements. Supporters of the substitute, including representatives of the Texas Aggregate and Concrete Association and Associated General Contractors, said the bill would provide a voluntary third permitting option, preserve existing authorizations, and create a more practical regulatory path for Texas growth. Opponents and critics, including representatives of Texas for Responsible Aggregate Mining, Job Materials, and Public Citizen, argued the bill as written was too weak or too broad in the wrong ways. They said best management practices should be set in statute or through negotiated rulemaking rather than left to TCEQ rulemaking, and they raised concerns about limited monitoring periods, vague air-monitoring standards, public notice procedures, and the inclusion of non-air requirements in an air permit. Several witnesses said the bill should better balance industry needs with neighborhood impacts and public health protections. Chair Birdwell questioned witnesses about ongoing negotiations between industry groups and said the bill was intended to be a practical compromise. After testimony and questions, public testimony was closed. The committee left SB 1757 and its committee substitute pending, with no vote taken.

Transcript Highlights:

• Use reclamation as a terminology.
• as an industry to explain the importance and need. ...for us to have practical regulation that's protective
• of both the industry and the communities that we serve, and at the same time, allow us a third option
• We're not looking to shut the industry down. We all use the products.
• We'd add a level of burden which would prevent us from successfully using this permit for anything.

Bills: SB2037, SB1757, SB1758, SB1759, HB29

Keywords: rock crushing, permits, air quality, environmental monitoring, aggregate production, seismicity, public meeting, land use, SB 1758, cement kiln, portland cement, aggregate production operation, aggregate quarry, semiconductor wafer manufacturing, chip fabrication, semiconductor plant, vibration, seismic disturbance, liability limitation, TCEQ

Transcript Highlights:

• I want to start off with prayer and ask Representative Hassell to lead us in a word of prayer.
• up a natural and navigable waterway within Mobile County back to recreational and natural resource use
• </c> recreational and natural resource use. recreational and natural resource use.
• Is it not already able to use for recreation at all?
• those type issues, in order to keep from having every water system in the state against the bill.

Bills: HB387, HB387

Keywords: sales tax, food taxation, local government, financial growth, tax reduction, water recreation, public use, water bodies, sewer commissions, public interest, 1136, house, all