Not sure why Phil King is in on this, since he doesn't have any nuclear power plants in HIS back yard! But anyway, this came from Ken Kramer of Sierra Club.

One of the more egregious bills introduced this session, HB 2721 by Rep. Flynn, was introduced last Friday (thus far, I've seen no Senate companion). This bill would "streamline" the state process for issuing wastewater discharge and water rights permits for nuclear power plants in Texas - basically requiring TCEQ to finish processing any such permit within one year after the permit application was ruled "administratively complete" (all the appropriate application paperwork filed and reviewed). More egregious, however, is the fact that the bill would PROHIBIT TCEQ from referring any such permit to the State Office for Administrative Hearings for a contested case. In other words no affected party (such as a nearby landowner or a downstream water rights holder) would be able to challenge a proposed wastewater discharge or water rights permit in a contested case before an administrative law judge. This is a blatant attempt to curtail citizen rights in raising legitimate concerns about the issuance of any of these permits for a nuclear power plant.

If you are concerned about the push for nuclear power and/or if you want to support the rights of citizens to contest pollution control and water rights permits, then please put this bill on your list of bills to monitor and oppose.

If any one has information about why Rep. Flynn (whose district includes Greenville and Commerce) is carrying this legislation, I would appreciate getting that information. His district does not include any nuclear power plants, and - as far as I know - there is no nuclear power plant proposed for his area.

and here's the bill