2007 Senate Bill 722

Expand commercial/industrial groundwater restrictions and regulations

Introduced in the Senate

Sept. 5, 2007

Introduced by Sen. Samuel B. Thomas (D-4)

To give the Department of Environmental Quality the authority to impose water conservation procedures on commercial or industrial facilities that have the capacity to withdraw 100,000 gallons of groundwater per day. The specific conservation procedures would depend on the type of facility. The bill would also give the DEQ the discretion and authority to order facilities to perform activities to mitigate hydrologic impacts of water withdrawals. The bill is part of a legislative package consisting of Senate Bills 721 to 729 and House Bills 5065 to 5073 that would restrict and subject to extensive regulation the use of groundwater by industrial and commercial businesses.

Referred to the Committee on Natural Resources and Environmental Affairs