(The Center Square) – Of the roughly 1,200 bills that passed the legislature this legislative session, several were identified as emergency priorities of Gov. Greg Abbott. Two he will sign into law include expanding the state’s water infrastructure and nuclear power capabilities.
Abbott highlighted making a “Texas-size investment” of $1 billion to improve and expand the state’s water infrastructure in February. Four months later, he’s set to sign into law SB 7 and House Joint Resolution 7, filed by state Sens. Brian Birdwell, R-Granbury, and Joan Huffman, R-Houston, which passed the legislature with bipartisan support.
“With the dramatic population growth that Texas continues to experience, our water supplies are drying up, impacting Texans and communities across our great state,” Abbott said. “This Texas-size water package is critical to fix broken and leaking pipes and give our agriculture producers in the Rio Grande Valley and West Texas the water they need to grow their crops.”
The bill was filed after a 2022 State Water Plan found that “water user groups face a potential water shortage of 6.9 million acre-feet per year in 2070 in drought-of-record conditions,” according to the bill analysis. Compounded by the ongoing increase of Texas’ population and economic development, drought severity and water shortfalls are expected.
According to the Texas Farm Bureau, lack of water for irrigation from the Rio Grande River resulting from Mexico’s refusal to honor a treaty for decades has a total annual agricultural impact of $993 million in losses to Texas farmers. Under the Trump administration, Mexico was forced to comply, The Center Square reported. Mexico’s failure to comply forced Texas’ last sugar mill to close under the Biden administration, The Center Square reported.
As infrastructure expands and more people keep moving to Texas, the Texas Association of Manufacturers has expressed concern that not having enough water may cost Texas $55 billion worth of economic development opportunities and 400,000 manufacturing jobs if a supply issue isn’t addressed, the bill analysis notes.
The Texas Chemistry Council has also explained that any new petrochemical industry investment is dependent on water supply; the Texas Rural Water Association notes that half of those who responded from 342 of Texas’ approximately 4,700 rural water systems said they expect to exhaust their current water supplies within 20 years. They serve over one million residents.
The bill amends state water code to require the Texas Water Development Board to implement a range of projects and oversight to address the issue. It also expands the New Water Supply for Texas Fund to provide financial assistance for a range of projects.
HJR 7 asks voters to approve the TWDB using the Texas Water Fund to transfer money to a flood infrastructure fund, to funds for economically distressed areas, and to an agricultural water conservation fund.
Another bill Abbott plans to sign into law creates nuclear energy development in Texas.
HB 14, filed by state Rep. Cody Harris, R-Palestine, passed the legislature with bipartisan support to support the development of the nuclear energy industry in Texas. The bill creates the Texas Advanced Nuclear Energy Office within the governor’s office and a workforce development program. It also creates the Texas Advanced Nuclear Development Fund and Completion Grant Program, administered by the governor’s office. At least $350 million of taxpayer money has been allocated to fund grants to be awarded to companies to develop and construct nuclear projects.
“Texas is the energy capital of the world, and this legislation will position Texas at the forefront of America’s nuclear renaissance,” Abbott said. “By creating the Texas Advanced Nuclear Energy Office and investing $350 million – the largest national commitment – we will jumpstart next-generation nuclear development and deployment. This initiative will also strengthen Texas’ nuclear manufacturing capacity, rebuild a domestic fuel cycle supply chain, and train the future nuclear workforce.”
The bill was filed after several years of initiatives led by the governor’s office.
In August 2023, Abbott directed the Public Utility Commission of Texas to form a working group to study and plan for advanced nuclear reactors to be built and used in Texas. Over the following year, the working group developed key recommendations and strategies. Last November, it published a final report describing its plan “to build a world-leading advanced nuclear power industry to enhance electric reliability and energy security, promote economic development, and unleash new opportunities for the growing Texas workforce.” The legislation incorporates those recommendations.
