Tex. Rev. Civ. Stat. art. 5415e-4

Current with legislation from the 2023 Regular and Special Sessions signed by the Governor as of November 21, 2023.

Section 5415e-4 - Dredge Materials Act

Sec. 1. SHORT TITLE. This Act may be cited as the Dredge Materials Act.

Sec. 2. POLICY.

(a) It is the declared policy of the state to seek, to the fullest extent permissible under all applicable federal law or laws, the delegation to the state of the authority which the corps of engineers exercises under Section 404, as defined in this Act, over the discharge of dredged or fill material in the navigable waters of the State of Texas.

(b) It is the declared policy of the state that the state should not duplicate the exercise of such authority by the corps of engineers, but should instead exercise such authority in lieu of the corps of engineers, so that no permit application is subject to duplicate levels of regulation.

Sec. 3. DEFINITIONS. As used in this Act, unless the context clearly requires otherwise:

(a) "Agency" means the Texas Water Quality Board.

(b) "Agreement" means a written agreement or contract between the State of Texas and the United States, authorizing the State of Texas, through (name of an existing agency), to regulate the discharge of dredged or fill material in the navigable waters of the state under the authority granted by Section 404, as defined in this Act.

(c) "Corps of engineers" means the United States Army Corps of Engineers.

(d) "Discharge of dredged or fill material" has the same meaning as it has in Section 404 as defined in this Act.

(e) "Navigable waters" has the same meaning within the boundaries of the State of Texas as it has in Section 404 as defined in this Act.

(f) "Section 404" means Section 404, Federal Water Pollution Control Act Amendments of 1972 (33 U.S.C. Section 1344) , as it may be amended, and such regulations as may be from time to time promulgated thereunder.

Sec. 4. LIMITATIONS.

(a) Nothing in this Act shall be construed as authorizing any state agency or political subdivision to regulate the discharge of dredged or fill material in the navigable waters of the state in any manner different from or inconsistent with the requirements of Section 404.

(b) Nothing in this Act shall be construed as authorizing any state agency or political subdivision to regulate the discharge of dredged or fill material in the navigable waters of the state:

(1) by the corps of engineers;

(2) by persons operating under contract with the corps of engineers;

(3) when the corps of engineers certifies that such discharge is incidental to a project undertaken by the corps of engineers or persons operating under contract with the corps of engineers, and that such incidental discharge was announced and reviewed at the same time and under the same conditions as such project; or

(4) by cities which own and operate deepwater port facilities, or by navigation districts or port authorities, or by persons operating under contract with such cities, navigation districts, or port authorities, when such discharges are part of or incidental to a navigation project to be paid for with public funds or when such navigation project is to be owned by such cities, navigation districts, or ports.

(c) Nothing in this Act shall be construed as authorizing any state agency or political subdivision to regulate the discharge of dredged or fill material in the navigable waters of the state in any manner unless and until an agreement as described in this Act is validly entered into and in effect.

(d) Nothing in this Act shall be construed as authorizing any state agency or political subdivision to exercise any authority under this Act except in accordance with an executive order of the governor.

(e) Nothing in this Act shall be construed as authorizing any state agency or political subdivision to regulate the discharge of dredged or fill material in the navigable waters of the state in any manner different from, or inconsistent with, the agreement described in this Act.

(f) Nothing in this Act shall be construed as affecting any application for a permit from the corps of engineers to discharge dredged or fill material in the navigable waters of the state if such application is received by the corps of engineers or postmarked before the effective date of the agreement described in this Act.

Sec. 5. AGREEMENT.

(a) The governor is hereby authorized to enter into an agreement on behalf of the State of Texas, with the United States, acting through its authorized officials, under the terms of which the agency will regulate the discharge of dredged or fill material in the navigable waters of the state.

(b) The governor is expressly authorized to include whatever terms and conditions in such agreement he may deem to be in the best interest of the state, including provisions regarding the termination of such agreement.

(c) The authority of the governor under the Act to enter into such an agreement shall not be delegated.

(d) The legislature expressly finds that the provisions of this section are necessary to enable the governor to carry out his responsibilities under this Act.

Sec. 6. NOT SEVERABLE. The provisions of this Act are expressly declared not to be severable, and if any provision of this Act shall be found to be invalid, the entire Act shall be null and void and of no further force or effect.

Tex. Rev. Civ. Stat. Ann. art. 5415e-4

Acts 1977, 65th Leg., p. 1906, ch. 759, eff. 8/29/1977.