HB4329 - Relating to a study by the Texas Water Development Board on the costs of developing flood infrastructure in this state.

  89R18614 CMO-F     By: Lopez of Cameron, González of El Paso, H.B. No. 4329       Longoria, Guerra, Martinez, et al.       A BILL TO BE ENTITLED   AN ACT   relating to a study by the Texas Water Development Board on the   costs of developing flood infrastructure in this state.          BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:          SECTION 1.  DEFINITIONS. In this Act:                (1)  "Artificial drainage system" means a man-made   system used to remove floodwater in a community that lacks   topographic relief, slope, or naturally defined floodways.                (2)  "Board" means the Texas Water Development Board.                (3)  "High-cost drainage zone" means an area where the   construction, maintenance, or improvement of flood infrastructure   requires significant financial investment due to natural,   regulatory, or logistical factors.          SECTION 2.  STUDY. The board, in coordination with the Texas   Department of Transportation, the Texas Commission on   Environmental Quality, the General Land Office, the Federal   Emergency Management Agency, and regional flood planning groups,   drainage districts, and local governments, shall conduct a study on   the costs of developing flood infrastructure in this state. The   study must:                (1)  identify and map high-cost drainage zones across   this state;                (2)  analyze flood infrastructure cost drivers that   affect the development and maintenance of flood infrastructure by   contributing to the cost of planning, constructing, or maintaining   flood mitigation systems, including:                      (A)  right-of-way acquisition;                      (B)  soil conditions and topographic limitations;                      (C)  regulatory compliance and permitting;                      (D)  material and labor costs; and                      (E)  long-term maintenance and sediment control;                (3)  analyze historical flood infrastructure project   costs and compare variations across regions in this state;                (4)  based on the data gathered under Subdivision (3),   develop a flood infrastructure cost heat map that visually   represents the cost variation in developing flood infrastructure   across the state;                (5)  include cost estimates and evaluate the return on   investment for various flood mitigation strategies, including:                      (A)  expanding artificial drainage systems;                      (B)  restoring natural drainage features;                      (C)  implementing regional flood water detention   facilities;                      (D)  enhancing flood water conveyance   infrastructure; and                      (E)  improving the regulatory framework for   floodplain management;                (6)  establish projections for future flood mitigation   costs, urbanization, and regulatory updates by incorporating   precipitation frequency estimates from the 14th and 15th volumes of   the Precipitation-Frequency Atlas of the United States published by   the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration; and                (7)  provide recommendations for cost-effective flood   mitigation strategies and potential funding mechanisms to support   communities located in high-cost drainage zones.          SECTION 3.  REPORT. Not later than September 1, 2026, the   board shall:                (1)  prepare and submit to the legislature a written   report of the findings of the study and the recommendations   required under Section 2 of this Act; and                (2)  make the report required by Subdivision (1)   publicly available by publishing the report on the board's Internet   website.          SECTION 4.  EXPIRATION. This Act expires January 1, 2027.          SECTION 5.  EFFECTIVE DATE. This Act takes effect September   1, 2025.