LEGISLATIVE BUDGET BOARD
                              Austin, Texas
                                     
                    FISCAL NOTE, 76th Regular Session
  
                              March 22, 1999
  
  
          TO:  Honorable Ron Lewis, Chair, House Committee on Energy
               Resources
  
        FROM:  John Keel, Director, Legislative Budget Board
  
       IN RE:  HB480 by Seaman (Relating to notice and hearing for an
               application for a permit for a land treatment or other
               disposal facility.), As Introduced
  
**************************************************************************
*  Estimated Two-year Net Impact to General Revenue Related Funds for    *
*  HB480, As Introduced:  negative impact of $(641,946) through the      *
*  biennium ending August 31, 2001.                                      *
*                                                                        *
*  The bill would make no appropriation but could provide the legal      *
*  basis for an appropriation of funds to implement the provisions of    *
*  the bill.                                                             *
**************************************************************************
  
General Revenue-Related Funds, Five-Year Net Impact:
  
          ****************************************************
          *  Fiscal Year  Probable Net Positive/(Negative)   *
          *               Impact to General Revenue Related  *
          *                             Funds                *
          *       2000                           $(320,973)  *
          *       2001                            (320,973)  *
          *       2002                            (320,973)  *
          *       2003                            (320,973)  *
          *       2004                            (320,973)  *
          ****************************************************
  
All Funds, Five-Year Impact:
  
***************************************************************************
*Fiscal    Probable Savings/(Cost) from     Change in Number of State     *
* Year         General Revenue Fund           Employees from FY 1999      *
*                      0001                                               *
*  2000                        $(320,973)                             5.0 *
*  2001                         (320,973)                             5.0 *
*  2002                         (320,973)                             5.0 *
*  2003                         (320,973)                             5.0 *
*  2004                         (320,973)                             5.0 *
***************************************************************************
  
Fiscal Analysis
  
The bill would require that applicants for a permit to land treat or land
spread oil and gas waste publish notice of the application in a
newspaper of general circulation in the county where the proposed
treatment would take place.  The Railroad Commission (RRC) would be
required to hold a public hearing in the county where the proposed
treatment would take place if requested prior to the RRC's determination
on the application.
  
  
Methodology
  
The RRC assumes that the bill pertains to both commercial and
non-commercial permit applicants, estimated to total 750 annually, of
which 728 would be non-commercial.  The RRC currently does not regulate
non-commercial applicants.  It is projected that one-fourth of the
permits would require a public hearing.  The RRC anticipates that funding
for additional FTEs and travel would be needed to conduct the requested
hearings.

No additional costs were assumed for changes to rules, anticipated
increases in the number of phone calls related to hearings, or copying
additional transcripts for contested case hearings.
  
  
Local Government Impact
  
No fiscal implication to units of local government is anticipated.
  
  
Source Agencies:   
LBB Staff:         JK, DE, MF