HB4055 - Relating to excepting certain fiber-optic cable projects from certain notice requirements for projects on state or local public land.

  89R8817 CXP-F     By: Metcalf H.B. No. 4055       A BILL TO BE ENTITLED   AN ACT   relating to excepting certain fiber-optic cable projects from   certain notice requirements for projects on state or local public   land.          BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:          SECTION 1.  Section 191.0525(e), Natural Resources Code, is   amended to read as follows:          (e)  There exist categorical exclusions since many   activities conducted on nonfederal public land have little, if any,   chance to damage archeological sites, and therefore should not   require notification under this section. The following are   categorical exclusions at a minimum:                (1)  water injection into existing oil and gas wells;                (2)  upgrading of electrical transmission lines when   there will be no new disturbance of the existing easement;                (3)  seismic exploration activity when there is no   ground penetration or disturbance;                (4)  building and repairing fences that do not require   construction or modification of associated roads, fire breaks, or   previously disturbed ground;                (5)  road maintenance that does not involve widening or   lengthening the road;                (6)  installation or replacement of meter taps;                (7)  controlled burning of fields;                (8)  animal grazing;                (9)  plowing, if the techniques are similar to those   used previously;                (10)  installation of monuments and sign posts unless   within the boundaries of designated historic districts;                (11)  maintenance of existing trails;                (12)  land sales and trades of land held by the   permanent school fund and permanent university fund;                (13)  permanent school fund and permanent university   fund leases, easements, and permits, including mineral leases and   pooling agreements, in which the lessee, grantee, or permittee is   specifically required to comply with the provisions of this   chapter;                (14)  oil, gas, or other mineral exploration,   production, processing, marketing, refining, or transportation   facility or pipeline project in an area where the project will cross   state or local public roads, rivers, and streams, unless they   contain a recorded archeological site or a designated state land   tract in Texas' submerged lands;                (15)  maintenance, operation, replacement, or minor   modification of an existing oil, gas, or other mineral exploration,   production, processing, marketing, refining, or transportation   facility or pipeline; [ and ]                (16)   installation, maintenance, operation,   replacement, or minor modification of buried fiber-optic cables   located in the right-of-way of an existing road; and                 (17)   any project for which a state permit application   has been made prior to promulgation of rules under this section.          SECTION 2.  This Act takes effect immediately if it receives   a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as   provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution.  If this   Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this   Act takes effect September 1, 2025.