SB1145 - Relating to the authority of the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality to issue permits for the land application of water produced from certain mining and oil and gas extraction operations.

      S.B. No. 1145         AN ACT   relating to the authority of the Texas Commission on Environmental   Quality to issue permits for the land application of water produced   from certain mining and oil and gas extraction operations.          BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:          SECTION 1.  Section 26.131, Water Code, as effective until   delegation of authority under the Resource Conservation and   Recovery Act of 1976 (42 U.S.C. Section 6901 et seq.) to the   Railroad Commission of Texas, is amended by amending Subsection (b)   and adding Subsection (e) to read as follows:          (b)  Except as provided by Subsections [ Subsection ] (d) and   (e) , the Railroad Commission of Texas may issue permits for the   discharge of waste resulting from the activities described by   Subsection (a), and the discharge of waste into water in this state   resulting from those activities must meet the water quality   standards established by the commission.           (e)     The commission may issue permits for the land   application of produced water resulting from activities described   by Subsection (a) that has been treated for beneficial use.   The   commission shall adopt standards for the land application of water   under this section, including standards that prevent the pollution   of surface and subsurface water.          SECTION 2.  Section 26.131, Water Code, as effective on   delegation of authority under the Resource Conservation and   Recovery Act of 1976 (42 U.S.C. Section 6901 et seq.) to the   Railroad Commission of Texas, is amended by amending Subsection (b)   and adding Subsection (d) to read as follows:          (b)  Except as provided by Subsections [ Subsection ] (c) and   (d) , the Railroad Commission of Texas may issue permits for the   discharge of waste resulting from the activities described by   Subsection (a), and the discharge of waste into water in this state   resulting from those activities must meet the water quality   standards established by the commission.           (d)     The commission may issue permits for the land   application of produced water resulting from activities described   by Subsection (a) that has been treated for beneficial use.   The   commission shall adopt standards for the land application of water   under this section, including standards that prevent the pollution   of surface and subsurface water.          SECTION 3.  The change in law made by this Act applies only   to a permit, the application for which is filed on or after the   effective date of this Act.  A permit, the application for which is   filed before the effective date of this Act, is subject to the law   in effect on the date the application is filed, and that law is   continued in effect for that purpose.          SECTION 4.  This Act takes effect September 1, 2025.             ______________________________ ______________________________      President of the Senate Speaker of the House                 I hereby certify that S.B. No. 1145 passed the Senate on   March 12, 2025, by the following vote:  Yeas 31, Nays 0.       ______________________________   Secretary of the Senate                I hereby certify that S.B. No. 1145 passed the House on April   29, 2025, by the following vote:  Yeas 137, Nays 9, two present not   voting.       ______________________________   Chief Clerk of the House            Approved:     ______________________________                Date       ______________________________              Governor