Current through Reg. 49, No. 38; September 20, 2024
(a) For purposes of this chapter and Chapter
26 of this title (relating to Coastal Management Program), the following is an
exclusive list of proposed individual agency actions that may adversely affect
a coastal natural resource area (CNRA) and that therefore must be consistent
with the CMP goals and policies:
(1) for the
General Land Office (GLO), the School Land Board, or a board for lease of
state-owned lands when issuing or approving:
(A) a mineral lease plan of
operations;
(B) a geophysical or
geochemical permit;
(C) a
miscellaneous easement;
(D) a
surface lease;
(E) a structure
registration;
(F) a coastal
easement;
(G) a coastal
lease;
(H) a cabin
permit;
(I) a navigation district
lease;
(J) certification of a
subdivision beach access or dune protection plan or plan amendments;
or
(K) an agency or subdivision
wetlands mitigation bank.
(2) for the Public Utility Commission of
Texas (PUC) when issuing a certificate of convenience and necessity.
(3) for the Railroad Commission of Texas
(RRC) when issuing:
(A) a wastewater
discharge permit;
(B) a waste
disposal storage pit permit; or
(C)
a certification of a federal permit for the discharge of dredge or fill
material.
(4) for the
Texas Transportation Commission when approving:
(A) an acquisition of a site for the
placement or disposal of dredge material from, or the expansion, relocation, or
alteration of, the Gulf Intracoastal Waterway; or
(B) an environmental document for a
transportation construction project or maintenance program.
(5) for the Texas Historical
Commission (THC) when issuing:
(A) a permit
for destruction, alteration, or taking of a coastal historic area; or
(B) a review of a federal undertaking
affecting a coastal historic area.
(6) for the Texas Commission on Environmental
Quality (TCEQ) when issuing or approving:
(A)
a wastewater discharge permit;
(B)
a permit for a new concentrated animal feeding operation located one mile or
less from a critical area or coastal waters;
(C) a permit for solid or hazardous waste
treatment, storage, or disposal;
(D) creation of a special purpose district or
approval of bonds to construct infrastructure on coastal barriers;
(E) levee improvement or flood control
projects;
(F) a certification of a
federal permit for the discharge of dredge or fill material;
(G) a declaration of an emergency and request
for an emergency release of water;
(H) a new permit for an annual appropriation
of:
(i) 5,000 or more acre-feet of water
within the program boundary; or
(ii) 10,000 or more acre-feet of water
outside the program boundary but within 200 stream miles of the
coast;
(I) an amendment
to a water permit for an increase in the annual appropriation of:
(i) 5,000 or more acre-feet of water within
the program boundary; or
(ii)
10,000 or more acre-feet of water outside the program boundary but within 200
stream miles of the coast;
(J) a change in the purpose of use of an
annual appropriation of water to a more consumptive use of:
(i) 5,000 or more acre-feet of water within
the program boundary; or
(ii)
10,000 or more acre-feet of water outside the program boundary but within 200
stream miles of the coast.
(7) for the Texas Parks and Wildlife
Department (TPWD) when issuing or approving:
(A) an oyster lease or certificate of
location;
(B) a permit for taking,
transporting, or possessing threatened or endangered species;
(C) a permit for disturbing marl, sand,
shell, or gravel on state-owned land; or
(D) development by a person other than the
TPWD that requires the use or taking of any public land in a state park,
wildlife management area or preserve.
(b) For purposes of this chapter and Chapter
26 of this title, the following is an exclusive list of proposed agency
rulemaking actions that must be consistent with the CMP goals and policies:
(1) a GLO rule governing the prevention of,
response to, or remediation of a coastal oil spill;
(2) TCEQ rules governing air pollutant
emissions, on-site sewage disposal systems, or underground storage
tanks;
(3) a State Soil and Water
Conservation Board rule governing agricultural or silvicultural nonpoint source
pollution;
(4) any rule governing
an individual action described in subsection (a) of this section, including
thresholds for referral.
(c) An agency's promulgation of rules
governing or authorizing actions listed in subsection (a) or (b) of this
section constitutes an action subject to the CMP as provided in Subchapter B of
this chapter (relating to Commissioner Review and Certification of Agency
Rules).
(d) An action to renew,
amend, or modify an existing permit, certificate, lease, easement, approval or
other action is not an action under this section if the action is taken
pursuant to rules that the commissioner has certified as consistent under
Subchapter B of this chapter (relating to Commissioner Review and Certification
of Agency Rules) and:
(1) for a wastewater
discharge permit, if the action is not a major permit modification that would
increase pollutant loads to coastal waters or would result in relocation of an
outfall to a critical area;
(2) for
solid and hazardous waste permits, if the action is not a Class III
modification as defined in TCEQ rules; or
(3) for any other action, if the action only
extends the time period of the existing authorization without authorizing new
or additional work or activities or is not directly relevant to the CMP goals
and policies.
(e)
Whenever more than one state agency is involved in issuing a consistency
determination for a single project, consideration should be given to the
preparation of one consistency determination for all state agencies involved.
(1) Where multiple state consistency
determinations are required, state agencies should consider coordinated
preparation of the consistency determinations or designation of a lead agency
for development of a single consistency determination. In the case where a
single consistency determination will be prepared, such determination must be
completed before final action is taken on any permit or authorization listed in
subsection (a) of this section and required for the project. The single
consistency determination must indicate whether each of the proposed actions
listed in subsection (a) of this section and required for the project is
consistent with the CMP goals and policies and must include information on each
proposed action sufficient to support the consistency determination.
(2) An applicant, project sponsor, or other
entity undertaking a project which requires more than one action listed in
subsection (a) of this section may request in writing to the CMP coordinator
either coordinated preparation of the consistency determinations or designation
of a lead agency for development of a single consistency
determination.
(3) To avoid
duplication and time delays, it is the intent of the commissioner, whenever
possible, to provide for coordinated consistency determinations where multiple
determinations are required. The commissioner may direct the CMP coordinator to
respond to the request and facilitate coordinated consistency determinations or
preparation of a single determination by a lead agency, under guidance issued
by the commissioner.