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 of Environment and Conservation. Starting July 1, 2025, and annually thereafter, the division must report specific information to key state officials, including the governor and the chairs of relevant legislative committees. The report will detail the number of permit applications filed and the mechanisms of compensatory mitigation for permits that require such provisions.

The bill specifies that if the compensatory mitigation mechanism is an in-lieu fee program, the report must include details about the fee instrument sponsor, the number of mitigation credits sold, and the total amount received. Similarly, for mitigation banking, the report must provide information about the bank sponsor, the number of credits sold, and the financial details associated with those credits. This new reporting requirement aims to enhance transparency and accountability in the permitting process related to water resources and mitigation efforts in Tennessee.

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