TWDB | AIPG-TX

07 May, 2019

The Wise Report

The State Legislature is now in session and bills are being filed and worked on. New information is listed in bold (0 new bills listed):

HB 223, by Reynolds, Relating to the funding through greenhouse gas emissions fees of energy efficiency programs administered by certain utilities; authorizing a fee. Referred to State Affairs, 2/19/2019. For more information go to: https://capitol.texas.gov/BillLookup/history.aspx?LegSess=86R&Bill=HB223

HB 225, by Reynolds, Relating to the analysis of inspection and maintenance requirements for air quality permits issued by the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality for certain oil and gas facilities. Regulates fugitive emissions from all oil field equipment, the use of venting and flaring, etc. Referred to Environmental Regulation, 2/19/2019. https://capitol.texas.gov/BillLookup/history.aspx?LegSess=86R&Bill=HB225

19 Mar, 2019

By AIPG-TX News

The Wise Report

The State Legislature is now in session and bills are being filed and worked on. New information is listed in bold (0 new bills listed):

House Bills:

11 Mar, 2019

By AIPG-TX News

The Wise Report

The State Legislature is now in session and bills are being filed and worked on. New information is listed in bold (34 new bills listed):

22 Jul, 2017

By AIPG-TX News

Petrossian and Team Release TWDB Transborder Aquifers Report

Rima Petrossian, Ph.D., P.G., C.P.G., Manager of the Groundwater Technical Assistance Group of the Texas Water Development Board and her team just released: Texas Water Development Board Groundwater Management Report 17-01; TWDB Trans-Border Aquifers Report: A Summary of Aquifer Properties, Policies, and Planning Approaches for Texas, Surrounding States, and Mexico (here). Dr. Petrossian also serves as Vice President – Western Texas, of the American Institute of Professional Geologists.

Groundwater in Texas is a valuable natural resource shared with eight national and international states: New Mexico, Oklahoma, Arkansas, and Louisiana, in the United States; and Tamaulipas, Nuevo León, Coahuila de Zaragoza, and Chihuahua, in Mexico. Of the 30 Texas aquifers that provide groundwater, 23 are shared with one or more other states. Internationally, Mexico and Texas share four major aquifers and three minor aquifers, based on the Texas definition of aquifers.

22 Jun, 2017

By AIPG-TX News

The Wise Report

The State Legislature is now out of session. Two of the bills we’ve been following were passed and the Governor has vetoed both of them:

HB 2377, by Larson and Lucio III, Relating to the development of brackish groundwater. A landowner may drill and operate a well for a single-family dwelling, a landowner may drill and operate a well if, among other things, the well is used only for outdoor watering of landscape plantings on the property. 6/15/2017 Vetoed by the Governor. For more information go to: http://www.capitol.state.tx.us/BillLookup/history.aspx?LegSess=85R&Bill=HB2377

SB 1525, by Perry, Relating to a study by the Texas Water Development Board of water needs and availability in this state. 6/15/2017 Vetoed by the Governor. For more information go to: http://www.capitol.state.tx.us/BillLookup/History.aspx?LegSess=85R&Bill=SB1525

Henry M. Wise, P.G.

13 Mar, 2017

By AIPG-TX News

The Wise Report

The State Legislature is now in session. The following is a list of bills of potential interest to geologists. There are 15 new bills of interest this week. The deadline for the unrestricted filing of bills and joint resolutions other than local bills, emergency appropriations, and bills that have been declared an emergency by the governor was Friday, March 10, 2017. Therefore, few new bills are anticipated this session, but we will continue to look for new bills of interest in case they come up. New information is listed in bold:

HB 484, by Spring, Relating to training required to qualify for or renew a license issued by the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality. The TCEQ must provide a location within 100 miles of the place of employment of a person who is required to receive the training, reimbursement for travel and lodging expenses incurred if training isn’t available within 100 miles, or online training. Scheduled for public hearing on 3/14/2017. For more information go to: http://www.capitol.state.tx.us/BillLookup/history.aspx?LegSess=85R&Bill=HB484

01 Dec, 2016

By AIPG-TX News

An Overview of Groundwater Management in Texas – So Secret, Occult, and Concealed

November 9, 2016 – Robert E. Mace, Ph.D., P.G., Deputy Executive Administrator, Water Science and Conservation, Texas Water Development Board, Austin, presented “An Overview of Groundwater Management in Texas – So Secret, Occult, and Concealed,” at the Houston Geological Society Environmental & Engineering Dinner Meeting & Seminar, HGS Announcement (here). PDF of Presentation Slides and Paper (more).

Glenn Lowenstein, P.G., CAPM, and President, Terrain Solutions, Inc. provided an ethics presentation prior to the lecture by Dr. Mace.

22 Aug, 2016

By AIPG-TX News

2016 Darcy Lecture: “Rethinking the Relationship Between Data, Models, and Decision-Making” to be Presented in Houston and Austin in September

The Groundwater Division of the Texas Water Development Board (TWDB) is pleased to sponsor the 2016 Darcy Lecture, “Rethinking the Relationship Between Data, Models, and Decision-making,” presented by Ty Ferré, Ph.D. of the University of Arizona.

The lecture will be held on Tuesday evening, September 13, 2016 in Houston and then again on Friday, September 16, 2016, in Austin at the Stephen F. Austin Building, 1700 North Congress Avenue, Room 170, at 10:00 a.m.

17 May, 2015

By AIPG-TX News

The Wise Report

Senate Bill (SB) 1532 was passed during the 83rd Texas Legislature in 2013. The intent of the legislation was to provide a statutory and regulatory basis to promote research that could make desalination of brackish groundwater and aquifer storage and recovery more viable in the Edwards Aquifer. Within the geographic aea circumscribed by the external boundaries of the Barton Springs-Edwards Aquifer Conservation District but not within the district’s territory, Texas Water Code (TWC), §27.0516 allows the commission to authorize, by rule or general permit, certain injection wells that transect or terminate in the Edwards Aquifer while providing a statutory and regulatory basis that is protective of the freshwater aquifer and supportive of desalination and aquifer storage and recovery. A summary of the rulemaking by the TCEQ can be found at: https://www.tceq.texas.gov/assets/public/legal/rules/rule_lib/adoptions/13056037_aex.pdf

A copy of the proposed rule can be found at: https://www.tceq.texas.gov/assets/public/legal/rules/rule_lib/adoptions/13053331_ado.pdf

10 May, 2015

By AIPG-TX News

The Wise Report

The following bills that may be of interest to Texas geoscientists have been filed. New information is listed in bold:

HB 30, by Larson, Relating to the development of brackish groundwater. 45/8/2015 Passed. For more information go to: http://www.capitol.state.tx.us/BillLookup/History.aspx?LegSess=84R&Bill=HB30