By:  Brown                                            S.R. No. 1006

                                  SENATE RESOLUTION

 1-1           WHEREAS, The State of Texas has long attempted to determine

 1-2     the best method by which to dispose of scrap tires for, whether

 1-3     taken to landfills or illegally dumped on roadways, these

 1-4     nondegradable products create a significant hazard that must be

 1-5     corrected; and

 1-6           WHEREAS, The dangerous conditions created by the accumulation

 1-7     of scrap tires include the potential for fire, the subsequent

 1-8     release of toxic chemicals into the air and groundwater, breeding

 1-9     grounds for mosquitoes, snakes, and rodents, and human health

1-10     problems; and

1-11           WHEREAS, With the repeal of the prohibition on tipping fees,

1-12     consumers will no longer be required to pay a $2 per tire fee on

1-13     the purchase of new or good used passenger tires or a $3.50 fee on

1-14     all truck tires and Texas will join all but one state in allowing

1-15     the free market to determine the cost of tire collection; and

1-16           WHEREAS, Texans have worked diligently to clean up the number

1-17     of illegal tire dumps across the state and to reduce the amount of

1-18     tires sitting in landfills, and it is imperative that we all do our

1-19     part to dispose of tires in the proper manner and to prevent scrap

1-20     tires from remaining a threat to our health and our environment;

1-21     now, therefore, be it

1-22           RESOLVED, That the Senate of the State of Texas, 75th

1-23     Legislature, hereby encourage the Texas Natural Resource

 2-1     Conservation Commission to provide stronger and enhanced

 2-2     enforcement to ensure that no additional illegal tire dump sites

 2-3     are created; and, be it further

 2-4           RESOLVED, That the commission be directed to use the

 2-5     emergency appropriation of $9 million to begin the cleanup of the

 2-6     remaining 300 illegal dumps and to clean up the state's West Texas

 2-7     tire collection sites; and, be it further

 2-8           RESOLVED, That the commission continue its work in developing

 2-9     end uses for scrap tires, with special emphasis on determining an

2-10     end use for the 1.7 billion pounds of shredded tires that are on

2-11     the ground in Texas today; and, be it further

2-12           RESOLVED, That an official copy of this resolution be

2-13     forwarded to the executive director of the Texas Natural Resource

2-14     Conservation Commission.

2-15                                  ______________________________________

2-16                                          President of the Senate

2-17                                       I hereby certify that the above

2-18                                  Resolution was adopted by the Senate

2-19                                  on June 2, 1997.

2-20                                  ______________________________________

2-21                                          Secretary of the Senate