SRC-PNG S.B. 1504 76(R) BILL ANALYSIS Senate Research Center S.B. 1504 76R933 JJT-DBy: Truan Natural Resources 4/7/1999 As Filed DIGEST Currently, the Texas Natural Resource Conservation Commission (TNRCC) does not have general authority to award grants for certain activities within TNRCC's mission. This bill would authorize TNRCC to award grants for certain activities, including projects that demonstrate new techniques for pollution prevention, energy or resource conservation, or waste management. PURPOSE As proposed, S.B. 1504 authorizes Texas Natural Resource Conservation Commission to award grants for certain activities, including projects that demonstrate new techniques for pollution prevention, energy or resource conservation, or waste management. RULEMAKING AUTHORITY Rulemaking authority is granted to the Texas Natural Resource Conservation Commission in SECTION 1 (Section 5.124, Water Code) of this bill. SECTION BY SECTION ANALYSIS SECTION 1. Amends Chapter 5D, Water Code, by adding Section 5.124, as follows: Sec. 5.124. AUTHORITY TO AWARD GRANTS. Authorizes the executive director of the Texas Natural Resource Conservation Commission (TNRCC) to award grants for any purpose regarding resource conservation or environmental protection in accordance with this section, with the consent of TNRCC. Requires TNRCC to establish, by rule, procedures for awarding grants, making any determinations related to awarding a grant, and making grant payments. Requires each activity funded by a grant to be directly related to a purpose specified in the grant. Authorizes a grant to be awarded only for a purpose consistent with TNRCC's jurisdiction and purposes under law. Authorizes a grant to be awarded to any person that meets the eligibility requirements of the grant. Requires the executive director to establish eligibility requirements for each grant appropriate to the purposes of and activities under the grant and the method of selecting the recipient. Requires the selection of grant recipients to be by solicitation of a proposal or application except as provided by Subsections (f) and (g). Authorizes the executive director to specify any selection criterion the executive director considers relevant to the grant. Sets forth required selection criteria. Authorizes the grant to be made by direct award only if certain criteria is met. Provides that if a solicitation of a proposal is made for the purpose of identifying a partner for a joint application for a federal grant that is subsequently awarded to TNRCC, the executive director is not required to make an additional solicitation for entering into a pass-through grant with an identified partner. Requires the executive director to publish information regarding a solicitation related to a grant to be awarded under this section on TNRCC's electronic business daily in the manner provided by Section 2155.074, Government Code. Authorizes TNRCC to use certain monies for a grant awarded under this section. SECTION 2. Makes application of this Act prospective. SECTION 3. Effective date: September 1, 1999. SECTION 4. Emergency clause.