The history of natural resource protection by the State of Texas is one of gradual evolution from protecting the right of access to natural resources (principally surface water) to a broader role in protecting public health and conserving natural resources for future generations of Texans. Natural resource programs were established in Texas at the turn of the 20th century, motivated initially by concerns over the management of water resources and water rights. In parallel with developments in the rest of the nation, and at the federal level, state natural resource efforts broadened at mid-century to include the protection of air and water resources, and later to the regulation of hazardous and non-hazardous waste generation.

During the 1990s, the Texas Legislature moved to make natural resource protection more efficient by consolidating programs. This trend culminated in the creation of the Texas Natural Resource Conservation Commission in the fall of 1993 as a comprehensive environmental protection agency.  Sunset legislation passed by the Texas Legislature  in 2000 directed that the agency change its name to Texas Commission on Environmental Quality on Sept. 1, 2002.

Time Line

See a flowchart of predecessor agencies.

The following time line reflects the highlights of state laws, federal laws, and agency initiatives that have affected the scope of agency operations. Federal items of importance are in bold.

Most of the links below point to the Handbook of Texas Online.

1905

• The Legislature authorizes the creation of the first drainage districts.

1913

• The Irrigation Act creates the Texas Board of Water Engineers to establish procedures for determining surface water rights.

1914

• The Texas Board of Water Engineers publishes their first rules and regulations.

1917

• A constitutional amendment authorizes the creation of conservation and reclamation districts as needed.

1919

• The Legislature provides for the creation of freshwater supply districts.

1925

• The Legislature provides for the organization of water control and improvement districts.

1929

• The Legislature creates the first river authority (Brazos River Authority).

1933

• The Legislature creates water supply districts.

1945

• Legislation authorizes the Texas Department of Health to enforce drinking water standards for public water supply systems.

1949

• State legislation declares that groundwater is private property.
• The Legislature creates underground water conservation districts.

1952

• The Department conducts the first air study in Texas.

1953

• The Legislature creates the Texas Water Pollution Control Advisory Council, in the Department of Health, as the first state body charged with dealing with pollution related issues.

1956

• Congress passes the Federal Water Pollution Control Act.
• Texas' first air quality initiative is established when the State Department of Health begins air sampling in the state.

1957

• The Legislature creates the Texas Water Development Board to forecast water supply needs and provide funding for water supply and conservation projects.

1961

• The Texas Pollution Control Act establishes the Texas Water Pollution Board, and eliminates the Water Pollution Advisory Council, creating the state's first true pollution control agency.
• A water well drillers advisory group is established.
• The Injection Well Act is passed authorizing the Texas Board of Water Engineers to regulate waste disposal (other than that from the oil and gas industry) into the subsurface through injection wells.

1962

• The Texas Board of Water Engineers becomes the Texas Water Commission, with additional responsibilities for water conservation and pollution control.
• The Texas Water Pollution Board adopts its first rules and regulations.

1963

• Congress enacts the Federal Clean Air Act.

1965

• Congress passes the Federal Water Resources Planning Act.
• The Texas Clean Air Act establishes the Texas Air Control Board, in the Department of Health, to monitor and regulate air pollution in the state.
• The Texas Water Commission becomes the Texas Water Rights Commission and functions not related to water rights are transferred to the Texas Water Development Board.
• The Water Well Drillers Act establishes the Water Well Drillers Board.

1966

• The first Texas Air Control Board members are appointed. 

1967

• The Texas Water Quality Act establishes the Texas Water Quality Board (TWQB), assuming all functions of the Water Pollution Control Board. TWQB adopts its first rules.
• The Texas Air Control Board adopts first air regulations.

1969

• Texas takes over most federal air monitoring.
• The Texas Solid Waste Disposal Act authorizes the Texas Water Quality Board to regulate industrial solid waste, and the Texas Department of Health to regulate municipal solid waste.
• A presidential order creates the Federal Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

1970

• The Federal Clean Air Act is amended requiring states to develop State Implementation Plans (SIP).

1971

• EPA adopts National Ambient Air Quality Standards.
• The legislature first authorizes municipal utility districts.
• The Texas Air Control Board establishes air permits program.

1972

• Congress passes the Federal Clean Water Act.
• The Texas Air Control Board submits the first State Implementation Plan to the EPA. It also deploys the first continuous air monitoring station.

1973

• The Legislature removes the Texas Air Control Board from the Department of Health, making it an independent state agency.

1974

• Texas et al vs. the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency challenges EPA's plan for controlling ozone in Texas.
• The Texas Air Control Board completes deployment of first continuous monitoring network.
• Congress enacts the Safe Drinking Water Act.

1975

• Texas Air Control Board proposes Texas' Five-Point Plan amendment to the Federal Clean Air Act.

1976 (-1979)

• Congress passes the Federal Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA), to govern the disposal of all types of solid and hazardous wastes.

1977

• Federal Clean Air Act and Clean Water Act are amended.
• The Legislature creates the Texas Department of Water Resources (TDWR) by combining the three existing water agencies in an effort to consolidate the state's water programs. A six-member board is set up as a policymaking body for the new agency. The TWDB is retained as the legislative, or policy-making body. The Water Rights Commission is renamed the Texas Water Commission and sits as a quasi-judicial body that rules on permits. The Water Quality Board is abolished.

1978

• The EPA establishes National Ambient Air Quality Standards for lead.

1979

• The Texas Air Control Board submits revisions of the State Implementation Plan to the EPA. 

1980

• Congress enacts the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act (CERCLA), better known as Superfund, to provide funding for the cleanup of contaminated sites.
• The Texas Air Control Board submits plan to address lead pollution to the EPA.

1981

• The Legislature creates the Texas Low-Level Radioactive Waste Disposal Authority, with responsibility for siting operating, and decommissioning a disposal facility for commercial low-level radioactive waste.

1982

• The Texas Air Control Board submits Harris County ozone plan to the EPA. It also reorganizes monitoring network and relocates continuous air monitoring stations.
• Texas receives primary Underground Injection Control (UIC) authorization from the EPA.

1984

• Congress passes the Federal Hazardous and Solid Waste Amendments (HSWA) to RCRA.
• Texas receives final Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA) authorization.

1985

• The Legislature dissolves the Department of Water Resources and transfers regulatory enforcement to the recreated Texas Water Commission, and planning and finance responsibilities to the recreated Water Development Board.
• The Legislature moves the Water Rates and Utilities Services Program from the Public Utility Commission of Texas to the newly created Texas Water Commission.
• The Texas Air Control Board mobile sampling laboratory is first deployed.

1986

• Congress passes the Federal Superfund Amendments and Reauthorization Act (SARA), re-authorizes CERCLA, and creates the Toxic Release Inventory (TRI).
• Congress amends the Federal Safe Drinking Water Act.

1987

• Congress passes the Federal Water Quality Act of 1987.
• Texas establishes a U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)-approved state wellhead protection program.

1989

• The Legislature expands and funds Petroleum Storage Tank (PST) Program.
• The Texas Radiation Control Act authorizes the Texas Department of Health to license the disposal of radioactive waste.

1990

• Texas Water Commission receives initial federal Hazardous and Solid Waste Amendments (HSWA) authorization.

1991

• Federal Clean Air Act Amendments of 1990 are implemented and expansion of Texas Air Control Board staff begins in support of the act.
• The Legislature, in special session, creates the Texas Natural Resource Conservation Commission to be effective Sept.1, 1993.  Preparation begins for the consolidation of the Texas Water Commission and the Texas Air Control Board into the TNRCC.

1992

• Texas Water Commission acquires responsibility for drinking water, municipal solid waste, and the licensing of radioactive substances from the Texas Department of Health.
• The Water Well Drillers Board and the Board of Irrigators are merged into the the Texas Water Commission.

1993

• The Texas Natural Resource Conservation Commission begins operation, bringing together for the first time regulatory programs for air, water, and waste.

1996

• Congress adopts the Federal Safe Drinking Water Act re-authorization.

1997

• The Legislature transfers water well drillers regulation from the TNRCC to the Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation.
• The Legislature returns uranium mining, processing and by-product disposal oversight functions to the Texas Department of Health.
• TNRCC concludes a Performance Partnership Agreement with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, allowing limited flexibility in federally funded program organization and funding.  Aim of agreement is to allocate resources most appropriately throughout Texas on a regional basis.
• The Legislature adopts Senate Bill 1, mandating water conservation planning for large water users and requiring development of drought contingency plans by public water suppliers.

1998

• The state of Texas assumes the authority to administer the National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) program in Texas on Sept 14, becoming the Texas Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (TPDES) administered by the TNRCC.

1999

• The Legislature transfers the functions of the Texas Low-Level Radioactive Waste Disposal Authority to the TNRCC.

2001

• The Legislature transfers responsibility for environmental laboratory accreditation, and certification of residential water treatment specialists from the Texas Department of Health to the TNRCC.
• The Texas Environmental Health Institute is created by joint agreement between the TNRCC and the Texas Department of Health to identify health conditions related to living near a federal or state Superfund site.
• Texas Emissions Reduction Plan (TERP) established by the Legislature to be administered by the TNRCC, the Comptroller, the Public Utility Commission of Texas, and the Texas Council on Environmental Technology.
• The 77th Legislature passes HB 2912 adopting the Sept. 2000 recommendation of the Sunset Advisory Committee to continue the agency for 12 years. It includes a provision to change the TNRCC's name to the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ) by Jan. 1, 2004.

2002

• The agency formally changes its name on September 1 from the TNRCC to the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality.

2003

• The Legislature establishes a dry cleaning regulation and remediation program at TCEQ.
• Technology research and development program transferred by the Legislature from the Texas Council on Environmental Technology to the TCEQ.
• Texas Emissions Reduction Plan (TERP) is fully funded by the Legislature.
• The Legislature authorizes the licensing of a low-level radioactive waste (LLRW) disposal facility and establishes procedures for the TCEQ to accept and assess license applications.
• TCEQ implements the Permit Time-Frame Reduction Project to shorten the review period for major uncontested permits.

2004

• TCEQ initiates the Environmental Monitoring and Response System (EMRS).

2006

• The TCEQ adopts major revision, streamlining, and improvement in state municipal solid waste regulations.