HB 4835

relating to the pipeline transport and geologic storage of certain
substances under the jurisdiction of the Railroad Commission of
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
SECTION 1.  Section 117.012, Natural Resources Code, is
amended by adding Subsection (j) to read as follows:
(j)  If a facility response plan described by Subsection (d)
or (e), a discharge prevention and response plan described by
Subsection (f), or a community liaison activity conducted with
fire, police, or other public emergency response officials for a
hazardous liquid or carbon dioxide pipeline facility indicates that
the appropriate emergency response officials are inadequately
equipped to satisfactorily respond to a worst case discharge from
the facility of hazardous liquids or carbon dioxide or to a
substantial threat of such a discharge from the facility that could
reasonably be expected to cause substantial harm to the
environment, the commission shall require the operator of the
facility to pay to each appropriate emergency response entity an
amount necessary to enable the entity to satisfactorily respond to
such a discharge or threat of discharge from the facility.  A
payment made under this subsection:
(1)  shall be deposited to a restricted fund under the
control of the governing body that is responsible for the budget of
the emergency response entity; and
(2)  may be used only to obtain equipment or training
necessary for the emergency response entity to satisfactorily
respond to a discharge or threat described by this subsection.
SECTION 2.  Subchapter C-1, Chapter 27, Water Code, is
amended by adding Section 27.0445 to read as follows:
Sec. 27.0445.  FACILITY RESPONSE PLAN; FEE.  (a)  An
applicant for a permit under this subchapter shall prepare and
submit for railroad commission approval a facility response plan
that includes plans for responding, to the maximum extent
practicable, to a worst case failure at the well or facility and to
a substantial threat of a discharge of anthropogenic carbon dioxide
that could reasonably be expected to cause substantial harm to the
(b)  In preparing the plan described by Subsection (a), the
applicant shall communicate and conduct liaison activities with
fire, police, and other appropriate public emergency response
officials in the area where the well or facility is proposed to be
located to assess the officials' preparedness to respond to a
discharge or threat described by Subsection (a).
(c)  If a facility response plan described by Subsection (a)
or a community liaison activity described by Subsection (b)
indicates that the appropriate emergency response officials are
inadequately equipped to satisfactorily respond to a discharge or
threat described by Subsection (a), the railroad commission shall
require the applicant to pay to each appropriate emergency response
entity an amount necessary to enable the entity to satisfactorily
respond to a discharge or threat described by Subsection (a).  A
payment made under this subsection:
(1)  shall be deposited to a restricted fund under the
control of the governing body that is responsible for the budget of
the emergency response entity; and
(2)  may be used only to obtain equipment or training
necessary for the emergency response entity to satisfactorily
respond to a discharge or threat described by Subsection (a).
SECTION 3.  (a)  Not later than March 1, 2026, the Railroad
Commission of Texas shall adopt any rules necessary to implement
Section 117.012(j), Natural Resources Code, and Section 27.0445,
Water Code, as added by this Act.
(b)  Section 27.0445, Water Code, as added by this Act,
applies only to a permit application submitted to the Railroad
Commission of Texas on or after the effective date of the applicable
rules adopted under Subsection (a) of this section.  A permit
application submitted before the effective date of the applicable
rules adopted under Subsection (a) of this section is governed by
the law in effect when the permit application was submitted, and the
former law is continued in effect for that purpose.
SECTION 4.  This Act takes effect September 1, 2025.