LEGISLATIVE BUDGET BOARD
                          Austin, Texas

                           FISCAL NOTE
                       74th Regular Session

                          April 3, 1995



 TO:     Honorable Warren Chisum, Chair         IN RE:  House Bill No. 2296
         Committee on Environmental Regulation          By: Jackson
         House of Representatives
         Austin, Texas







FROM: John Keel, Director

In response to your request for a Fiscal Note on House Bill No.
2296 (Relating to the creation of a voluntary cleanup program for
solid and hazardous wastes.) this office has determined the
following:

The bill would establish a voluntary cleanup program for sites
contaminated with solid and hazardous wastes. Sites subject to a
permit or enforcement order are excluded from program
participation.

 A person who desires to participate in the program would be
required to enter into a voluntary cleanup agreement which
provides for the recovery of the Texas Natural Resource
Conservation Commission's (TNRCC) reasonable cost in the review
and oversight of the person's workplan, reports and field
activities attributable to the cleanup agreement. If the
executive director of the TNRCC determines that the person has
successfully completed a voluntary cleanup, a certificate of
completion would be issued by the executive director releasing
the person from all liability to the state for the cleanup of all
areas covered by the certificate.

The bill would require that the TNRCC annually calculate its cost
to administer the voluntary cleanup program.  The TNRCC estimates
that 150-200 sites would be involved in the voluntary cleanup
program. 

The probable fiscal implication of implementing the provisions of
the bill during each of the first  five years following passage    




is estimated as follows:
 


            Fiscal  Probable Cost Out   Probable   Gain to      Change in    
             Year     of Other Funds       Other  Funds      Number of State 
                                                              Employees from 
                                                                 FY 1995     
                                                                             
          1996                $856,484             $956,484              15.0
          1997                 828,984              828,984              15.0
                                                                             
          1998                 828,984              828,984              15.0
                                                                             
          1999                 828,984              828,984              15.0
          2000                 828,984              828,984              15.0
                                                                             
                                                                             
                                                                             



Similar annual fiscal implications would continue as long as the
provisions of the bill are in effect.

No significant fiscal implication to units of local government is
anticipated.




Source:   Natural Resource Conservation Commission
          LBB Staff: JK, JB, DF