Certain municipalities must adopt and submit a nonpoint source water pollution control and abatement program, follow commission recommendations if the program is disapproved, and limit waivers unless water quality would be demonstrably improved.
Sec. 26.180. NONPOINT SOURCE WATER POLLUTION CONTROL PROGRAMS OF CERTAIN MUNICIPALITIES. (a) This section applies to a municipality to which Section 42.903, Local Government Code, applies. (b) The municipality shall exercise the powers granted under state law to a municipality to adopt ordinances to control and abate nonpoint source water pollution or to protect threatened or endangered species. (c) The municipality by ordinance shall adopt a nonpoint source water pollution control and abatement program for the municipality and its extraterritorial jurisdiction before the municipality adopts a resolution or ordinance creating an extraterritorial jurisdiction under Section 42.903, Local Government Code. The municipality shall submit the ordinance creating the program to the commission. Notwithstanding any other law requiring the adoption of an ordinance creating an extraterritorial jurisdiction and approval by the commission, the ordinance creating the program becomes effective and is enforceable by the municipality on the 90th day after the date the municipality submits the ordinance unless the ordinance is disapproved by the commission during the 90-day period. (d) If the commission disapproves a program submitted under Subsection (c) of this section, the commission shall make recommendations to the municipality. The municipality shall adopt and incorporate the commission's recommendations in the program. (e) The nonpoint source water pollution controls of the municipality that had extraterritorial jurisdiction over an area before the area was included in the extraterritorial jurisdiction of another municipality under Section 42.903, Local Government Code, are effective during the 90-day period that the program is pending before the commission or until an amended program satisfactory to the commission is adopted. The municipality, including the area in its extraterritorial jurisdiction under Section 42.903, Local Government Code, shall enforce the controls during the 90-day period. (f) If a nonpoint source water pollution control and abatement program is adopted by a river authority that has boundaries that encompass the extraterritorial jurisdiction of the municipality, the standards under the program adopted by the municipality must meet or exceed the standards under the program adopted by the river authority. (g) The municipality may not grant a waiver to its nonpoint source water pollution control and abatement program unless granting the waiver would demonstrably improve water quality. Added by Acts 1991, 72nd Leg., ch. 16, Sec. 13.01(b), eff. Aug. 26, 1991. Renumbered from Water Code Sec. 26.178 by Acts 1995, 74th Leg., ch. 76, Sec. 17.01(52), eff. Sept. 1, 1995. Renumbered from Water Code Sec. 26.179 by Acts 1997, 75th Leg., ch. 165, Sec. 31.01(75), eff. Sept. 1, 1997. SUBCHAPTER F. CRIMINAL PROSECUTION