87R8347 SLB-D     By: Morales Shaw H.B. No. 2990       A BILL TO BE ENTITLED   AN ACT   relating to a requirement to make certain environmental and water   use permit applications available online.          BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:          SECTION 1.  Section 5.552, Water Code, is amended by   amending Subsection (b) and adding Subsection (b-1) to read as   follows:          (b)  Not later than the 30th day after the date the executive   director determines the application to be administratively   complete:                (1)  the applicant shall:                      (A)  post a copy of the application on a publicly   accessible Internet website and provide to the commission the   address of that website; and                      (B)  publish, [notice of intent to obtain a   permit] at least once in the newspaper of largest circulation in the   county in which the facility to which the application relates is   located or proposed to be located or, if the facility to which the   application relates is located or proposed to be located in a   municipality, at least once in a newspaper of general circulation   in the municipality, a notice of intent to obtain a permit that   includes the Internet website address provided under Paragraph (A);   and                (2)  the chief clerk of the commission shall mail   notice of intent to obtain a permit to:                      (A)  the state senator and representative who   represent the general area in which the facility is located or   proposed to be located;                      (B)  the mayor and health authorities of the   municipality in which the facility is located or proposed to be   located;                      (C)  the county judge and health authorities of   the county in which the facility is located or proposed to be   located; and                      (D)  the river authority in which the facility is   located or proposed to be located if the application is under   Chapter 26[, Water Code].          (b-1)  The applicant shall:                (1)  post at the Internet website address described by   Subsection (b)(1) any subsequent revision or supplement to the   application as the revision or supplement becomes available; and                (2)  maintain the posting at the Internet website   address described by Subsection (b)(1) until the commission takes   final action on the application.          SECTION 2.  Section 11.124, Water Code, is amended by adding   Subsection (g) to read as follows:          (g)  The applicant shall post a copy of the application, the   map, and any supporting materials required by this subchapter on a   publicly accessible Internet website and provide the commission   with the address of that website in the application sent to the   commission under this section. The applicant shall:                (1)  post any subsequent revision or supplement to the   application as the revision or supplement becomes available; and                (2)  maintain the posting until the commission takes   final action on the application.          SECTION 3.  Section 11.132(c), Water Code, is amended to   read as follows:          (c)  In the notice, the commission shall:                (1)  state the name and address of the applicant;                (2)  state the date the application was filed;                (3)  state the purpose and extent of the proposed   appropriation of water;                (4)  identify the source of supply and the place where   the water is to be stored or taken or diverted from the source of   supply;                (5)  identify any proposed alternative source of water,   other than state water, identified by the applicant;                (6)  specify the time and location where the commission   will consider the application;                (7)  provide the Internet website address of the posted   application, map, and supporting materials; and                (8) [(7)]  give any additional information the   commission considers necessary.          SECTION 4.  The changes in law made by this Act apply only to   an application received by the Texas Commission on Environmental   Quality on or after the effective date of this Act. An application   received before the effective date of this Act is governed by the   law in effect on the date the application was received, and the   former law is continued in effect for that purpose.          SECTION 5.  This Act takes effect September 1, 2021.