Bill > HB852

This bill establishes a new requirement for air quality permits for concrete batch plants in specific urban areas of Texas, specifically in municipalities without zoning regulations with populations over 2 million and unincorporated areas of counties with populations over 4.5 million (which likely refers to Harris County, which includes Houston). Under the new law, the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ) must send a copy of any concrete batch plant permit application to the local governing body (city council or county commissioners) and cannot issue the permit for at least 30 days after sending the application. Additionally, if the local governing body explicitly rejects the application within that 30-day period, the TCEQ is prohibited from issuing the permit. The bill applies only to permit applications filed on or after its effective date of September 1, 2025, and gives local governments more input and potential veto power over concrete batch plant permits in their jurisdictions, potentially providing a check on industrial development in areas without existing zoning protections.

Agriculture and Natural Resources

https://capitol.texas.gov/BillLookup/History.aspx?LegSess=89R&Bill=HB852