The authority may:

1. (1) promote, construct, maintain and operate, make practicable, or aid and encourage the construction, maintenance, and operation of navigable canals or waterways and all navigational systems or facilities auxiliary to navigable canals or waterways using the natural bed and banks of the San Antonio River, where practicable, and then traversing a route the authority may find to be more feasible and practicable to connect the San Antonio River with any new navigable canals to be constructed in the lower reaches of the San Antonio River or to connect the San Antonio River with the Gulf Intracoastal Waterway, the San Antonio Bay, or the Gulf of Mexico;

2. (2) construct a system of artificial waterways and canals, together with all locks and other works, structures, and artificial facilities as may be necessary and convenient for the construction, maintenance, and operation of:

   1. (A) navigable canals or waterways; and
   2. (B) all navigational systems and facilities auxiliary to navigable canals or waterways; and

3. (3) in the case of construction of navigable canals or waterways and all auxiliary navigational systems or facilities by the federal government or otherwise:

   1. (A) construct, maintain, and operate lateral connecting canals and turning basins to serve local needs; and
   2. (B) provide, construct, acquire, take over, maintain, operate, develop, lease, regulate, or by franchise control wharves, docks, warehouses, grain elevators, bunkering facilities, belt or terminal railroads, floating plants, lighterage, towing facilities, and all other facilities incident to or in aid of the efficient operation and development of canals or waterways and all navigational systems or auxiliary facilities and ports, whether on land or water.

Added by Acts 2025, 89th Leg., R.S., Ch. 240 (H.B. 2692), Sec. 1, eff. May 29, 2025.