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HB 912, if passed, would amend the Water Code (Subchapter B,
Chapter 26) by adding a new section (26.0284). This section would cause the
Texas Commission on Environmental Quality to automatically dismiss protests
filed by municipalities, regarding wastewater discharge permits, if the
municipality itself is subject to less stringent requirements than the permit
in question.
HB 912 is an excellent bill. One might hope that this sort
of language would be unnecessary but unfortunately, such an addition to code is
needed in order to prevent hypocrisy on the part of local governments. HB 912
prevents obstruction by essentially voiding a variety of protest methods
against wastewater permits (four total, all described in the bill) by stating
that a protest is illegitimate and will be ignored by the TCEQ if the standards
in the permit are at least as stringent as those in the municipality. HB 912 is
a concise, and pointed bill which will decrease obstruction. We support the
bill.
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