SHB0090HS001 TATE(CORRECTED OFCOPY) WPage YOMING4-line 26LSO-02976 HOUSEDelete BILL"2026" NO.and insert "2028".

HB0090Page State4-line engineer-consumptive13 waterDelete use"2027" study.and insert "2029".

SponsoredPage by:4-line 17 Delete "2027" and insert "2029".

Representative(s)WINTER, Strock,CHAIRMAN Allemand,1 Banks, Campbell, K, Johnson, Schmid and Wharff and Senator(s) Boner, French and Steinmetz A BILL for AN ACT relating to water;

requiring the state engineer to conduct a study on water use as specified;

requiring a report;

providing an appropriation;

and providing for an effective date.

6 Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Wyoming:

8 Section 1.

(a) As used in this section:

(i) "Consumptive water use" includes electrolysis, plasma dissociation, thermochemical splitting, the chemical dissociation of water into its elemental components or the use of water as a feedstock in HB0090 STATE OF WYOMING 26LSO-0297 the production of hydrogen fuel or other chemical compounds;

4 (ii) "Hydrological cycle" means the natural process by which water circulates between the earth's surface, atmosphere and subsurface, including evaporation, condensation, precipitation, runoff, infiltration and groundwater recharge.

(b) The state engineer shall conduct a study of the potential impacts on the state of Wyoming and water users in Wyoming from current and future consumptive water uses that remove water from the hydrological cycle as provided in this section as well as the potential impacts from large scale industrial water use.

(c) The study required by this section shall focus on:

(i) Large scale industrial water use by data centers or other large scale industrial water uses including carbon capture technologies.

This paragraph shall not include uses that result in normal evaporation losses HB0090 STATE OF WYOMING 26LSO-0297 incidental to irrigation, reservoir operation, domestic use or industrial cooling other than large scale industrial cooling that may prevent the return of water to the hydrological cycle;

6 (ii) The use of water for hydrogen production;

8 (iii) Other consumptive water uses that prevent the return of water to the hydrological cycle.

(d) The study required by this section shall include at a minimum:

(i) An analysis of any current large scale industrial or consumptive water use occurring in Wyoming and the impact of that use on other water users;

(ii) Recommendations on how to limit the impact of current and future large scale industrial and consumptive water use on existing and future water users in Wyoming for all beneficial uses, including but not limited to municipal, domestic, agricultural, industrial, instream flows, hydroelectric power and recreational purposes.

HB0090 STATE OF WYOMING 26LSO-0297 2 (e) The results of the study required under this section along with any recommendations for legislation shall be reported to the joint agriculture, state and public lands and water resources interim committee not later than November 1, 2026.

8 (f) There is appropriated five hundred thousand dollars ($500,000.00) from the general fund to the state engineer's office for the purpose of conducting the study required under this section.

This appropriation shall be for the period beginning with the effective date of this act and ending June 30, 2027.

This appropriation shall not be transferred or expended for any other purpose and any unexpended, unobligated funds remaining from this appropriation shall revert as provided by law on June 30, 2027.

It is the intent of the legislature that this appropriation not be included in the state engineer's standard budget for the immediately succeeding fiscal biennium.

4 HB0090 STATE OF WYOMING 26LSO-0297 Section 2.

This act is effective immediately upon completion of all acts necessary for a bill to become law as provided by Article 4, Section 8 of the Wyoming Constitution.

(END) HB0090