Tex. Water Code § 26.503 (2026)

Sec. 26.503. REGULATION OF CERTAIN CONCENTRATED ANIMAL FEEDING OPERATION WASTES. (a) The commission may authorize the construction or operation of a new concentrated animal feeding operation, or an increase in the animals confined under an existing operation, only by a new or amended individual permit.

(b) The individual permit issued or amended under Subsection (a) must:

(1) provide for management and disposal of waste in accordance with Subchapter B, Chapter 321, Title 30, Texas Administrative Code;

(2) require that 100 percent of the collectible manure produced by the additional animals in confinement at an expanded operation or all of the animals in confinement at a new operation must be:

(A) disposed of or used outside of the watershed;

(B) delivered to a composting facility approved by the executive director;

(C) applied as directed by the commission to a waste application field owned or controlled by the owner of the concentrated animal feeding operation, if the field is not a historical waste application field;

(D) put to another beneficial use approved by the executive director; or

(E) applied to a historical waste application field that is owned or operated by the owner or operator of the concentrated animal feeding operation only if:

(i) results of representative composite soil sampling conducted at the waste application field and filed with the commission show that the waste application field contains 200 or fewer parts per million of extractable phosphorus (reported as P); or

(ii) the manure is applied, with commission approval, in accordance with a detailed nutrient utilization plan approved by the commission that is developed by:

(a) an employee of the United States Department of Agriculture's Natural Resources Conservation Service;

(b) a nutrient management specialist certified by the United States Department of Agriculture's Natural Resources Conservation Service;

(c) the State Soil and Water Conservation Board;

(d) the Texas Agricultural Extension Service;

(e) an agronomist or soil scientist on the full-time staff of an accredited university located in this state; or

(f) a professional agronomist or soil scientist certified by the American Society of Agronomy.

(c) The commission may approve a detailed nutrient utilization plan approved by the commission that is developed by a professional agronomist or soil scientist certified by the American Society of Agronomy only if the commission finds that another person listed by Subsection (b)(2)(E)(ii) cannot develop a plan in a timely manner.

(d) The commission may not issue a general permit to authorize the discharge of agricultural waste into or adjacent to waters in this state from an animal feeding operation if such waters are within a major sole source impairment zone.

(e) The commission and employees or agents of the commission may enter public or private property at any reasonable time for activities related to the purposes of this subchapter. The commission may enforce this authority as provided by Section 7.032, 7.051, 7.052, or 7.105.

(f) This section does not limit the commission's authority to include in an individual or general permit under this chapter provisions necessary to protect a water resource in this state.

Added by Acts 2001, 77th Leg., ch. 965, Sec. 12.02, eff. Sept. 1, 2001.