House Committee on Natural Resources

Committee Leadership

Chair

Cody Harris (R)

House District 8

Palestine

Vice Chair

Armando Martinez (D)

House District 39

Weslaco

Committee Composition

Committee Membership

Harris, Cody (R) House District 8 Palestine Martinez, Armando (D) House District 39 Weslaco Ashby, Trent (R) House District 57 Pearland Barry, Jeff (R) House District 29 Pearland Bell Jr., Cecil (R) House District 3 Magnolia Buckley, Brad (R) House District 54 Salado Fairly, Caroline (R) House District 67 Amarillo Gámez, Erin (D) House District 38 Brownsville Garcia, Josey (D) House District 124 San Antonio González, Mary (D) House District 75 San Elizario Romero Jr., Ramon (D) House District 90 Fort Worth Villalobos, Denise (R) House District 34 Corpus Christi Zwiener, Erin (D) House District 45 Driftwood

Most Recent Session Activity

Metrics reflect activity during the most recent legislative session.

Interim Charges

• Monitoring: Monitor the implementation and associated rulemaking of all legislation passed by the Committee and enacted by the 89th Legislature, including the following:
  • HJR 7, proposing a constitutional amendment to dedicate a portion of state sales and use tax revenue to the Texas water fund;
  • HB 2078, relating to the joint planning of desired future conditions in groundwater management areas;
  • SB 7, relating to the oversight and financing of certain water infrastructure matters under the jurisdiction of the Texas Water Development Board; and
  • SB 1169, relating to the provision of water or sewer service by public entities operating jointly or concurrently.
• Groundwater Management: Study groundwater regulation and make recommendations to ensure groundwater management is adequately focused on protecting the long-term viability of the state’s aquifers. Specifically address whether desired future conditions provide sufficient protection of groundwater resources, the adequacy of groundwater conservation districts’ authority to address impacts from large-scale production projects, the need for increased investment in groundwater data and modeling tools, and how groundwater production in unregulated portions of the state impacts existing district management efforts.
• Innovative Water Supply Strategies: Study the feasibility of the various project types eligible under the New Water Supply for Texas Fund. Identify project impediments and strategies to increase their implementation and contribution to the state’s overall water supply.
• Brackish Groundwater Production: Monitor the status of brackish groundwater production zone (BGPZ) designations by the Texas Water Development Board and the development of brackish groundwater projects within designated BGPZs. Study the adequacy of scientific understanding of the use and development of brackish aquifers, including current regulatory measures and monitoring requirements to encourage use while preserving fresh groundwater resources.
• Data Center Water Use and Conservation: Examine the total water usage of data center operations in Texas, including direct and indirect uses. Evaluate regulatory, permitting, and infrastructure considerations for water-efficient data center development, particularly in water-stressed regions. Consider policy options to optimize water resources and enhance water stewardship in the data center sector.
• Program Capacity: Assess the capacity of existing state and federal water infrastructure financial assistance programs, including the State Water Implementation Fund for Texas. Evaluate strategies to leverage the dedicated revenue stream established by Proposition 4 (HJR 7, 89th Regular Session) to meet identified capital needs and develop recommendations to mitigate any possible short-term funding shortfalls.
• Regional Water Planning: Study the state and regional water planning process, data used to project long-term water needs and available water supplies, criteria used to adopt water supply projects and management strategies, and progress made to address water supply deficits. Make recommendations to improve the state and regional water planning process.
• Rio Grande Compact: Evaluate the impact of groundwater pumping in southern New Mexico on the availability of surface water supply in the El Paso region. Study the history and merit of claims made by the State of Texas arising from the 1938 Rio Grande Compact and evaluate the Compact Decree pending before the U.S. Supreme Court. Determine if the Compact Decree fairly provides for Texas to receive its equitable apportionment of water from New Mexico.
• Agency Oversight: Monitor the agencies under the Committee’s jurisdiction, including for fraud, waste, and abuse, where applicable. The jurisdiction of the Natural Resources Committee includes the following agencies:
  • The Texas Commission on Environmental Quality as it relates to the regulation of water resources;
  • The Office of Canadian River Compact Commissioner for Texas; The Office of Pecos River Compact Commissioner for Texas;
  • The Office of Red River Compact Commissioner for Texas; The Office of Rio Grande Compact Commissioner for Texas;
  • The Office of Sabine River Compact Commissioners for Texas; The Southwestern States Water Commission; and
  • The Texas Water Development Board.