By: Brown S.B. No. 652
73R5102 LJR-F
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
1-1 AN ACT
1-2 relating to the powers of the Gulf Coast Waste Disposal Authority.
1-3 BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
1-4 SECTION 1. Section 1.02, Chapter 409, Acts of the 61st
1-5 Legislature, Regular Session, 1969 (Article 7621d-2, Vernon's Texas
1-6 Civil Statutes), is amended to read as follows:
1-7 Sec. 1.02. FINDINGS AND DECLARATION OF POLICY. It is hereby
1-8 found and declared that the quality of waters in Chambers,
1-9 Galveston, and Harris Counties is materially affected by the
1-10 disposal of wastes throughout those counties; that regional
1-11 approaches to studying water pollution in these counties, to
1-12 planning corrective and preventive measures, to providing
1-13 coordinated facilities for waste disposal, and to regulating waste
1-14 disposal would be far more effective than efforts on a county-wide,
1-15 city-wide, or smaller scale; that solid wastes, as well as other
1-16 kinds of waste, may impair water quality by seepage, drainage, and
1-17 otherwise; that regional approaches to testing, investigating, and
1-18 studying automotive vehicle air pollution in these counties, to
1-19 planning corrective and preventive measures, and to providing
1-20 coordinated facilities for automotive vehicle inspection and
1-21 maintenance and for reduction of automotive vehicle air emissions
1-22 would be far more effective than efforts on a countywide, citywide,
1-23 or smaller scale; that creation of the Gulf Coast Waste Disposal
1-24 Authority would advance the established policy of the state to
2-1 maintain the quality of the air and waters in the state consistent
2-2 with the public health and public enjoyment thereof, the
2-3 propagation and protection of terrestrial and aquatic life, the
2-4 operation of existing industries, and the economic development of
2-5 the state; and that impending shortage of water in the district for
2-6 beneficial uses requires that all reasonable measures be taken to
2-7 prevent and abate water pollution, and to reclaim polluted water
2-8 for beneficial uses.
2-9 SECTION 2. Section 1.03(a)(22), Chapter 409, Acts of the
2-10 61st Legislature, Regular Session, 1969 (Article 7621d-2, Vernon's
2-11 Texas Civil Statutes), is amended to read as follows:
2-12 (22) "Outside the district" means the area contained
2-13 in counties adjacent to the district and Orange County.
2-14 SECTION 3. Section 3.24, Chapter 409, Acts of the 61st
2-15 Legislature, Regular Session, 1969 (Article 7621d-2, Vernon's Texas
2-16 Civil Statutes), is amended to read as follows:
2-17 Sec. 3.24. COOPERATIVE AGREEMENTS. The authority may enter
2-18 into cooperative agreements with other local governments, state
2-19 agencies, or agencies of the United States of America
2-20 (1) to perform water quality and waste disposal
2-21 management, inspection, and enforcement functions and give
2-22 technical aid and education services to any entity that is a party
2-23 to the agreement; <and>
2-24 (2) to design, construct, and operate vehicular air
2-25 emissions inspection programs and facilities within or outside the
2-26 district to test, evaluate, and reduce vehicular air pollution; and
2-27 (3) to transfer money or property to any entity that
3-1 is a party to the cooperative agreement for the purpose of water
3-2 quality and waste disposal management, inspection, enforcement, and
3-3 technical aid and education and for the purpose of designing,
3-4 constructing, and operating vehicular air emissions inspection
3-5 programs and facilities.
3-6 SECTION 4. The importance of this legislation and the
3-7 crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an
3-8 emergency and an imperative public necessity that the
3-9 constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several
3-10 days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended,
3-11 and that this Act take effect and be in force from and after its
3-12 passage, and it is so enacted.