Sec. 15.436. PRIORITIZATION OF PROJECTS BY REGIONAL WATER PLANNING GROUPS. (a) Each regional water planning group shall prioritize projects in its respective regional water plan for the purposes of Section 15.435. At a minimum, a regional water planning group must consider the following criteria in prioritizing each project:

(1) the decade in which the project will be needed;

(2) the feasibility of the project, including the availability of water rights for purposes of the project and the hydrological and scientific practicability of the project;

(3) the viability of the project, including whether the project is a comprehensive solution with a measurable outcome;

(4) the sustainability of the project, taking into consideration the life of the project; and

(5) the cost-effectiveness of the project, taking into consideration the expected unit cost of the water to be supplied by the project.

(b) In prioritizing projects, each regional water planning group shall include projects that meet long-term needs as well as projects that meet short-term needs.

(c) The board shall create a stakeholders committee composed of the presiding officer or a person designated by the presiding officer of each regional water planning group to establish uniform standards to be used by the regional water planning groups in prioritizing projects under this section. Uniform standards established under this subsection must be approved by the board. The board shall consult the stakeholders committee from time to time regarding regional prioritization of projects.

(d) Each regional water planning group shall submit to the board the prioritization developed by the group under this section together with the group's respective regional water plan developed and submitted under Section 16.053.

Added by Acts 2013, 83rd Leg., R.S., Ch. 207 (H.B. 4), Sec. 2.02, eff. November 5, 2013.