The bill, H.B. No. 279, amends the procedural requirements for uranium mining production area authorizations under the Water Code. It establishes that applications for authorizations or amendments that permit mining and restoration activities in designated production zones are considered uncontested matters, exempt from contested case hearings and the hearing requirements of Chapter 2001, Government Code. To qualify for this status, the application must include a range table of groundwater quality restoration values for each production zone, ensure that the proposed groundwater quality restoration values do not exceed the established upper limit, and incorporate baseline groundwater characteristics as required by commission rules.

Additionally, the bill repeals Sections 27.0513(f) and (g) of the Water Code, streamlining the authorization process. The changes will only apply to applications submitted to the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality on or after the effective date of the Act, which is set for September 1, 2025. Applications submitted prior to this date will continue to be governed by the previous law.

Statutes affected:
Introduced: Water Code 27.0513 (Water Code 27)
House Committee Report: Water Code 27.0513 (Water Code 27)