HBA-LJP C.S.H.B. 2847 77(R) BILL ANALYSIS Office of House Bill AnalysisC.S.H.B. 2847 By: Averitt Natural Resources 4/3/2001 Committee Report (Substituted) BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE Under current law, the Brazos River Authority (authority) develops and manages the surface water of the Brazos River. The long term water supply of the authority is under contract and the authority may need an additional water supply besides the surface water. Also, groundwater is often interconnected with surface water and can have a significant impact on the quality and quantity of the surface water. C.S.H.B. 2847 provides for the authority's development and management of groundwater in the Brazos River Basin for use of its customers. RULEMAKING AUTHORITY It is the opinion of the Office of House Bill Analysis that this bill does not expressly delegate any additional rulemaking authority to a state officer, department, agency, or institution. ANALYSIS C.S.H.B. 2847 amends law to provide that the Brazos River Authority (authority) has the authority to discover, develop, produce and use groundwater in the Brazos River Basin for the use of its customers. The bill also provides that the Brazos River Conservation and Reclamation District has the powers of control and employment of the groundwater and unappropriated flow waters of the district in the prescribed manner for the greatest practicable measure of the conservation and beneficial utilization of groundwater. EFFECTIVE DATE September 1, 2001. COMPARISON OF ORIGINAL TO SUBSTITUTE C.S.H.B. 2847 modifies the original to provide that the Brazos River Authority has authority over the Brazos River Basin for use of its customers, rather than the Brazos River Authority has authority over the Brazos River Basin and environs. The substitute includes the power and control of unappropriated flow waters in the authority of the Brazos River Conservation and Reclamation District.