Texas HB 1093: Relating to planning and financial responsibility requirements for certain aggregate production operations; providing for the imposition of an administrative penalty.

Bill Text

By:AACunninghamH.B.ANo.A1093
A BILLTO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT
relatingto planningand financialresponsibilityrequirementsfor
certainaggregateproductionoperations;providingforthe
impositionof an administrativepenalty.
BE IT ENACTEDBY THE LEGISLATUREOF THE STATEOF TEXAS:
SECTION
A1.AATheheadingto  Chapter28A,WaterCode,is
amendedto readas follows:
CHAPTER28A.[REGISTRATIONAND INSPECTIONOF CERTAIN]AGGREGATE
PRODUCTIONOPERATIONS
SECTION
A2.AAChapter28A,WaterCode,is amendedby adding
SubchapterD to readas follows:
SUBCHAPTERD. PLANNINGAND FINANCIALRESPONSIBILITY
Sec.
A28A.151.AADEFINITION.In thissubchapter,"waterbody"
meansa navigablewatercourse,river,stream,or lake.
Sec.
A28A.152.AAAPPLICABILITY.Thissubchapterappliesonly
to an aggregateproductionoperationat a sitelocatednot morethan
1,500feetfromthe San JacintoRiver.
Sec.
A28A.153.AARESTORATIONPLAN.(a)In thissection,
"restore"meansto changethephysical,chemical,or biological
qualitiesof a receivingwaterbodyin orderto returnthewater
bodyto  itsbackgroundcondition,includingon-andoff-site
stabilizationto reduceor eliminatean unauthorizeddischargeor a
substantialthreatof an unauthorizeddischarge.
(b)
AAThe initialapplicationthe responsiblepartyfilesto
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registeran  aggregateproductionoperationmustincludethe
responsibleparty
’s proposedplanto restorea receivingwaterbody
affectedby an unauthorizeddischargefromtheoperation.The
responsiblepartyshallupdatetheplanas necessarywitheach
operationregistrationrenewal.
(c)
AAThe restorationplanmust:
(1)
AAidentifyreceivingwaterbodiesat riskof an
unauthorizeddischargefromthe aggregateproductionoperation;
(2)
AAdescribethe processto be usedin documentingthe
existingphysical,chemical,and biologicalbackgroundconditions
of eachadjacentreceivingwaterbody;
(3)
AAprovidea scheduleforcompletingthebackground
conditionsdocumentationof eachreceivingwaterbodyandfor
futureupdatingof backgroundconditions,as appropriate;
(4)
AAidentifythegoalsandobjectivesof potential
restorationactions;
(5)
AAprovidea  reasonablerangeofrestoration
alternativesand the preferredrestorationalternativethatmay be
implementedto returnaffectedreceivingwaterbodiesto background
conditionsin the eventof an unauthorizeddischarge;
(6)
AAdescribetheprocessformonitoringthe
effectivenessof  thepreferredrestorationaction,including
performancecriteria,thatwillbe usedto determinethe successof
the restorationor needfor interimsitestabilization;
(7)
AAidentifya processforpublicinvolvementin the
selectionof therestorationalternativeto be implementedto
restorethe receivingwaterbodiesto backgroundconditions;and
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(8)AAprovidea  detailedestimateofthemaximum
probablecostof completinga restorationaction,giventhe size,
location,anddescriptionof theoperationandthenatureof the
receivingwaterbodies,basedon the costof conductingthe action
by a thirdpartywithouta financialinterestor ownershipin the
operation.
(d)
AATheresponsiblepartymustsubmitto thecommission
certificationof the restorationplan,withinthe appropriatearea
ordiscipline,issuedbya  licensedengineerorlicensed
geoscientist.Componentsoftherestorationplanmaybe
independentlycertified,as appropriate.
Sec.
A28A.154.AARECLAMATIONPLAN.(a)In thissection,
"reclaim"meansto  uselandtreatmentprocessesdesignedto
minimizedegradationof waterquality,damageto fishor wildlife
habitat,erosion,andotheradverseeffectsfromaggregate
productionoperationsand includesbackfilling,soilstabilization
andcompacting,grading,erosioncontrolmeasures,appropriate
revegetation,or othermeasures,as appropriate.
(b)
AAThe initialapplicationthe responsiblepartyfilesto
registeran  aggregateproductionoperationmustincludethe
responsibleparty
’s proposedplanto reclaimthe areadisturbedby
theoperation.Theresponsiblepartyshallupdatetheplanas
necessarywitheachoperationregistrationrenewal.
(c)
AAThe reclamationplanmust:
(1)
AAprovidea descriptionof theproposeduseof the
disturbedareafollowingreclamation;
(2)
AAdevelopsite-specificreclamationstandards
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appropriateto the proposeduse thataddress:
(A)
AAremovalor finalstabilizationof allraw
material,intermediatematerial,finalproduct,wasteproduct,
byproduct,and ancillarymaterial;
(B)
AAremovalof wasteor closureof allwaste
disposalareas;
(C)
AAremovalof structures,whereappropriate;
(D)
AAremovalandreclamationof  alltemporary
roadsand railroads;
(E)
AAbackfilling,regrading,and recontouring;
(F)
AAslopestabilityforremaininghighwallsand
detentionponds;
(G)
AArevegetationof thereclaimedarea,giving
considerationto speciesdiversityand the use of nativespecies;
(H)
AAestablishmentof wildlifehabitat;
(I)
AAestablishmentof drainagepatterns;
(J)
AAestablishmentofpermanentcontrol
structures,suchas retentionponds,wherenecessaryto address
erosion,siltation,and runofffrompost-aggregateproductionand
reclaimedareas;and
(K)
AA