House Bill 613 amends Tennessee Code Annotated, Section 69-3-108(g), by adding a new requirement for the division of water resources within the department to report specific information regarding permit applications and compensatory mitigation mechanisms. This new subdivision mandates that, starting July 1, 2025, and annually thereafter, the division must provide a report to the governor, the comptroller of the treasury, and relevant legislative committee chairs. The report will include the number of permit applications filed and detailed information on the compensatory mitigation mechanisms used in permits that require them, such as mitigation banking, permittee-responsible mitigation, or in-lieu fee payments.

The report must also specify details for in-lieu fee programs and mitigation banking, including the sponsors of these programs, the number of mitigation credits sold for each permitted project, and the financial amounts received by the sponsors for those credits. This legislative change aims to enhance transparency and accountability in the permitting process related to water resources and mitigation efforts in Tennessee. The act will take effect upon becoming law.

Statutes affected:
Introduced: 69-3-108(g), 69-3-108