The commission may hold a public hearing on a permit application, and must hold one if a local government or affected person requests it for certain injection well applications.
Sec. 27.018. HEARING ON PERMIT APPLICATION. (a) If it is considered necessary and in the public interest, the commission may hold a public hearing on the application. The commission shall hold a hearing on a permit application for an injection well to dispose of industrial and municipal waste if a hearing is requested by a local government located in the county of the proposed disposal well site or by an affected person. In this subsection, "local government" has the meaning provided for that term by Chapter 26 of this code. (b) The commission by rule shall provide for giving notice of the opportunity to request a public hearing on a permit application. The rules for notice shall include provisions for giving notice to local governments and affected persons. The commission shall define "affected person" by rule. (c) Before the commission begins to hear testimony in a contested case as defined by Chapter 2001, Government Code, evidence must be placed in the record to demonstrate that proper notice regarding the hearing was given to affected persons. If mailed notice to an affected person is required, the commission or other party to the hearing shall place evidence in the record that notice was mailed to the address of the affected person included in the appropriate county tax rolls at the time of mailing. For the purposes of this subsection, the affidavit of the commission employee responsible for the mailing of the notice, attesting to the fact that notice was mailed to the address included in the tax rolls at the time of mailing, shall be prima facie evidence of proper mailing. The commission may not proceed with receipt of testimony in a contested case until there is compliance with this subsection. (d) An application for an injection well to dispose of hazardous waste shall be subject to the pre-application local review process established by Section 361.063, Health and Safety Code, and to the requirements of Section 361.0791, Health and Safety Code. (e) In addition to the requirements of Subsection (c), before any testimony is heard in a contested case regarding an application for a permit for an injection well to dispose of industrial and municipal waste that is proposed to be located in the territory of a groundwater conservation district, the record of the proceeding must include evidence that: (1) a copy of each draft permit proposed by the executive director was provided to the governing body of the groundwater conservation district; and (2) notice of the contested case hearing was mailed to the governing body of the groundwater conservation district. Amended by Acts 1977, 65th Leg., p. 2207, ch. 870, Sec. 1, eff. Sept. 1, 1977; Acts 1981, 67th Leg., p. 3161, ch. 830, Sec. 1, eff. June 17, 1981; Acts 1985, 69th Leg., ch. 566, Sec. 15, eff. Sept. 1, 1985; Acts 1985, 69th Leg., ch. 795, Sec. 1.115, eff. Sept. 1, 1985; Acts 1987, 70th Leg., ch. 638, Sec. 4, eff. Sept. 1, 1987; Acts 1991, 72nd Leg., ch. 14, Sec. 284(77), eff. Sept. 1, 1991; Acts 1991, 72nd Leg., ch. 296, Sec. 1.22, eff. June 7, 1991; Acts 1995, 74th Leg., ch. 76, Sec. 5.95(49), eff. Sept. 1, 1995. Amended by: Acts 2011, 82nd Leg., R.S., Ch. 106 (H.B. 444), Sec. 2, eff. May 21, 2011.