HB 279

This bill modifies the procedural requirements for uranium mining production area authorizations in Texas by exempting certain applications from contested case hearings. Specifically, applications for authorizations or amendments that allow permit holders to conduct mining and restoration activities in production zones will not be subject to contested case hearings if they meet specific criteria: the authorization incorporates a range table of groundwater quality restoration values, the application includes restoration values at or below the upper limit of that range, and the authorization incorporates baseline groundwater characteristics as required by commission rules. The bill takes effect September 1, 2025, and only applies to applications submitted to the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality on or after that date, while applications submitted before remain governed by existing law.