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.