TCEQ Senate Bill 3 permitting guidelines draft

In 2007, the 80th Legislature enacted House Bill 3 (HB 3), relating to the management of the water resources of the state, including the protection of instream flows and freshwater inflows; and Senate Bill 3 (SB 3), relating to the development, management, and preservation of the water resources of the state. Both of these bills amended Texas Water Code (TWC) �11.1471 to require the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (commission or TCEQ) to adopt rules related to environmental flow standards. On April 20, 2011, the commission adopted rules for the Sabine and Neches Rivers and Sabine Lake and the Trinity and San Jacinto Rivers and Galveston Bay. On August 8, 2012, the commission adopted rules for the Colorado and Lavaca Rivers and Matagorda and Lavaca Bays and the Guadalupe, San Antonio, Mission, and Aransas Rivers and Mission, Copano, Aransas, and San Antonio Bays. On February 12, 2013, the commission adopted rules for the Nueces River and Corpus Christi and Baffin Bays, Brazos River and its associated bay and estuary system, and the Rio Grande, the Rio Grande estuary, and the Lower Laguna Madre.