By Hinojosa                                          H.C.R. No. 161

         75R9043 EFD-D                           

                             HOUSE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION

 1-1           WHEREAS, The goals of environmental regulation, to protect

 1-2     the health and safety of the public and to preserve the

 1-3     environmental resources of the planet, are of paramount importance

 1-4     to the citizens of the Lone Star State, who care greatly about the

 1-5     quality of the air they breathe, the water they drink, and the land

 1-6     they live on; and

 1-7           WHEREAS, In working toward these worthy goals, public

 1-8     officials must not neglect the concerns and needs of regulated

 1-9     business and industry in this state and must strive to promote

1-10     policies that help companies succeed in meeting measurable

1-11     objectives for environmental protection; and

1-12           WHEREAS, Recognizing that environmental needs vary from state

1-13     to state, the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)

1-14     has implemented the National Environmental Performance Partnership

1-15     System; this program allows  states to enter into agreements with

1-16     the EPA and take over many aspects of environmental regulation,

1-17     thereby gaining increased flexibility to tailor programs to the

1-18     unique needs of each state; and

1-19           WHEREAS, Texas is poised to enter into a partnership

1-20     agreement with the EPA, but the state does not have systems in

1-21     place to ensure that all statewide regulatory agencies make

1-22     decisions using the same framework to evaluate the effects of

1-23     activities on the environment and to set tangible and achievable

1-24     improvement objectives; and

 2-1           WHEREAS, To take on this challenge of innovation in

 2-2     regulation, the state must adopt indicators that measure

 2-3     environmental conditions and illustrate how those conditions

 2-4     change; to make wise environmental policy decisions, elected

 2-5     officials and the public must have a template that translates raw

 2-6     scientific data into the actual health, economic, and aesthetic

 2-7     effects that are felt in everyday life; now, therefore, be it

 2-8           RESOLVED, That the 75th Legislature of the State of Texas

 2-9     hereby direct the Texas Natural Resource Conservation Commission to

2-10     work in conjunction with the General Land Office, the Texas Water

2-11     Development Board, the Texas Department of Agriculture, the Texas

2-12     Department of Health, the Railroad Commission of Texas, and the

2-13     Parks and Wildlife Department to formulate a set of environmental

2-14     indicators to be used by state agencies in Texas; and, be it

2-15     further

2-16           RESOLVED, That these environmental indicators include the

2-17     effects on the health and safety of the public, the

2-18     cost-effectiveness of current regulatory practices for the

2-19     regulated community, and the impact of environmental activities on

2-20     the health and maintenance of naturally occurring ecosystems in

2-21     this state; and, be it further

2-22           RESOLVED, That the Texas Natural Resource Conservation

2-23     Commission submit a full report of its findings and recommendations

2-24     to the 76th Legislature when that legislature convenes in January

2-25     1999; and, be it further

2-26           RESOLVED, That the secretary of state forward an official

2-27     copy of this resolution to the chairman of the Texas Natural

 3-1     Resource Conservation Commission.