Honorable Tracy O. King, Chair, House Committee on Natural Resources
FROM:
Jerry McGinty, Director, Legislative Budget Board
IN RE:
HB2426 by Murr (Relating to water quality protection areas.), As Introduced
The fiscal impact to the state cannot be determined because the penalty revenue collected, gifts, grants and donations that would be deposited to the credit of the Reclamation and Restoration Fund Account established by the bill cannot be estimated.
The bill would amend the Water Code to include the Coke Stevenson Scenic Riverway in a pilot program for water quality protection areas.
The bill would require visual inspection and water sampling activities in the Coke Stevenson Scenic Riverway. The bill would require these activities be coordinated between the agency, the Brazos River Authority or the Lower Colorado River Authority, and the Parks and Wildlife Department.
The bill would create the Reclamation and Restoration Fund Account in the General Revenue Fund administered by the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ) to be used for the reclamation and restoration of the beds, bottoms, and banks of water bodies affected by unlawful discharges. The account would consist of penalties and money received from enforcement actions, gifts and grants. According to the TCEQ and the Comptroller of Public Accounts, penalty revenue deposited to the newly established General Revenue–Dedicated account cannot be estimated.
Based on information provided by the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality and Parks and Wildlife Department, it is assumed that all other duties and responsibilities associated with implementing the provisions of the bill could be accomplished utilizing exiting resources.
This legislation would do one or more of the following: create or recreate a dedicated account in the General Revenue Fund, create or recreate a special or trust fund either with or outside of the Treasury, or create a dedicated revenue source. The fund, account, or revenue dedication included in this bill would be subject to funds consolidation review by the current Legislature.
The bill would take effect September 1, 2021.
Local Government Impact
Based on the analysis of TCEQ, any local or other governmental entities operating quarries would be subject to additional regulatory requirements and associated costs resulting from this bill.
Based on information provided by the Lower Colorado River Authority, it is assumed that no significant fiscal impact would be realized with implementing the provisions of the bill.
Source Agencies:
304 Comptroller of Public Accounts, 582 Commission on Environmental Quality, 802 Parks and Wildlife Department, LCR Lower Colorado River Authority