Opinion ID: 1376983
Heading Depth: 3
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: Representation of Affected Persons

Text: Section 26.179 does not afford adequate representation to those affected by the landowners' actions. Therefore, this factor also weighs against the delegation. As discussed previously, the landowners' actions in creating and implementing water quality plans could adversely affect neighbors, downstream water users, and the public generally. The statute requires that the landowners give notice of zone designations to the municipality within whose ETJ a zone is located and the county in which the property is located. See Tex. Water Code § 26.179(f). But section 26.179 prohibits the TNRCC from requiring a public hearing on a water quality plan. See TEX. WATER CODE § 26.179(g). This is contrary to the TNRCC's general power to hold public hearings on the administration of chapter 26 of the Water Code, and the TNRCC's duty to hold public hearings on the TNRCC's water quality standards, on discharge permit applications, and on orders regulating the Edwards Aquifer. See TEX. WATER CODE §§ 26.020, .024, .028, .029, .046. The statute expressly provides landowners the right to appeal TNRCC denial of a water quality plan to a court of competent jurisdiction. See TEX. WATER CODE § 26.179(g). But the statute does not confer any party the right to appeal TNRCC approval of a plan or zone designation. Section 5.351 of the Water Code generally allows affected persons to seek a court order setting aside, modifying or suspending a ruling, order, decision, or other act of the TNRCC. See TEX. WATER CODE § 5.351(a). Nevertheless, a plain reading of section 26.179 leads us to conclude that the Legislature did not intend to confer a right to appeal any act under section 26.179 except TNRCC denial of a plan. That section 26.179(g) expressly confers a right to appeal the denial of a plan but is devoid of similar language allowing an appeal of a plan, its approval, or zone designation is significant. See Cameron v. Terrell & Garrett, Inc., 618 S.W.2d 535, 540 (Tex.1981) (holding that every word or phrase excluded from a statute must be presumed to have been excluded for a purpose). This is especially true given the language of section 26.177(d), which expressly confers a right to appeal to [a]ny person affected by any ruling, order, decision, ordinance, program, resolution, or other act of a city relating to water pollution control and abatement. Tex. Water Code § 26.177(d). Section 26.177(d) shows that the Legislature knows how to provide a right of appeal to persons affected by a water quality plan or government action relating to a plan. Yet, the Legislature chose not to provide such a right to persons affected by section 26.179 plans or TNRCC approval of plans. In addition, the landowners alone decide which municipal regulations cannot be enforced in their zones. The statute requires that landowners give applicable counties and municipalities notice of their zone designations, which includes a description of proposed land uses and a water quality plan. See TEX. WATER CODE § 26.179(e), (f). This provides constructive notice of the land use and water quality plans to affected members of the public. But the statute does not require the landowners to notify anyone, including neighboring property owners or downstream water users, about the municipal regulations that cannot be enforced on their property because they interfere with the land use or water quality plan. And, although affected persons retain their common law causes of action, the statute does not provide any right of review of the landowners' decisions about their land use or water quality plans to affected individuals or to the municipality. Because the statute provides inadequate representation of persons affected by the delegates' actions, this factor weighs against the delegation.