Relating to public comments on matters subject to a hearing under the jurisdiction of the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality.

HB 3217 requires the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ) to respond to public comments on environmental permit applications. It mandates that TCEQ staff provide written responses to each public comment during the comment period and transmit these responses, along with the permit application and hearing instructions, to applicants, commenters, and mailing list subscribers. The bill ensures the TCEQ considers all public comments when making final permit decisions. This applies only to applications filed on or after September 1, 2025, not to older applications. The bill changes the process for handling public input but does not alter environmental regulations or permit standards.