HBA-MPM C.S.H.B. 3288 76(R)BILL ANALYSIS Office of House Bill AnalysisC.S.H.B. 3288 By: Greenberg Environmental Regulation 4/12/1999 Committee Report (Substituted) BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE Sewage sludge treated to Class A standards as defined by the Texas Natural Resource Conservation Commission (TNRCC) may be used by the general public as fertilizer and soil enhancement. Under current law, TNRCC must impose a fee for all solid waste, regardless of the level of treatment it has received. C.S.H.B. 3288 eliminates the fee for sewage sludge that has been treated to Class A standards, thereby allowing municipalities and utilities to sell this treated sludge to reduce management costs, divert waste from landfills, and recycle a valuable product. RULEMAKING AUTHORITY It is the opinion of the Office of House Bill Analysis that this bill does not expressly delegate any additional rulemaking authority to a state officer, department, agency, or institution. SECTION BY SECTION ANALYSIS SECTION 1. Amends Section 361.013(i), Health and Safety Code, to include among other fees that the Texas Natural Resource Conservation Commission (TNRCC) is prohibited from charging under Subsection (a) (regarding fees charged for solid waste that is disposed of within this state) a fee for the disposal of sewage sludge that has been treated to reduce the density of pathogens to the lowest level provided by TNRCC rules and complies with TNRCC rules regarding metal concentration limits, pathogen reduction, and vector attraction reduction. Makes conforming and nonsubstantive changes. SECTION 2. Effective date: September 1, 1999. SECTION 3. Emergency clause. COMPARISON OF ORIGINAL TO SUBSTITUTE C.S.H.B. 3288 differs from the original bill in SECTION 1 (Section 361.013(i), Health and Safety Code), to prohibit TNRCC from charging a fee under Subsection (a) (regarding fees charged for solid waste that is disposed of within this state) for the disposal of sewage sludge that has been treated to reduce the density of pathogens to the lowest level provided by commission rules, rather than sludge treated to reduce the density of pathogens to an undetectable level.