Natural Resources

HB 4042 amends Texas law to adjust regulatory fees and safety provisions for gas distribution pipelines operated by utilities. It requires pipeline operators to pay annual fees based on service lines ($1 per line) or master metered systems ($100 per system), due March 15 or June 30 each year. Operators must recover these fees through rate surcharges, excluding them from municipal franchise fees, certain taxes, and sales tax calculations. The bill directly affects investor-owned and cooperative natural gas distribution companies in Texas. These changes take effect September 1, 2025.

HB 4426 sets a maximum 10-year term for permits issued by the Railroad Commission of Texas to commercial surface disposal facilities (like waste management sites). It requires renewal applications to be submitted 120 days before expiration and allows the Commission to consider an applicant's compliance history - including past inspections, reports, and rule adherence - when determining permit terms for new, amended, or renewal applications. The law applies only to permits issued, amended, or renewed on or after September 1, 2025, leaving existing permits governed by prior rules. This changes how long facilities can operate under a single permit and influences renewal decisions based on their regulatory track record.

HB 5033 removes Texas' requirement for a motor vehicle emissions inspection and maintenance program. It states that the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality and the Department of Public Safety are no longer obligated to implement or enforce emissions inspections under state law. The bill only takes effect if Congress repeals or significantly amends the federal Clean Air Act, or if the U.S. Constitution is amended to grant states authority to prohibit such programs. This change directly affects vehicle owners who would previously have needed emissions inspections for registration.

HB 49 limits legal liability for businesses and landowners handling oil and gas waste in Texas. It shields parties who treat or reuse this waste (e.g., for drilling operations) from tort claims related to subsequent use, unless they acted with gross negligence or failed to follow environmental rules. The law specifically protects those who generate, transport, or treat waste, including surface estate owners, but does not cover cases involving intentional misconduct or negligence. Signed into law on June 20, 2025, and effective September 1, 2025, it directly affects oil and gas operators, waste treatment facilities, and landowners managing such waste.

This bill prohibits Texas from issuing permits for new facilities to store or dispose of high-level radioactive waste, except at the nuclear power plants or university research reactors where the waste originated. It amends the Health and Safety Code to block permits under federal water pollution programs (like the Clean Water Act) for such facilities, with exceptions only for waste generated at existing reactor sites. The law does not affect current storage at nuclear facilities but prevents new off-site disposal or storage operations. It takes effect September 1, 2025.