LEGISLATIVE BUDGET BOARD
Austin, Texas
FISCAL NOTE, 76th Regular Session
February 24, 1999
TO: Honorable David Counts, Chair, House Committee on Natural
Resources
FROM: John Keel, Director, Legislative Budget Board
IN RE: HB1283 by Counts (Relating to general permits for the
discharge of wastewater.), As Introduced
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* Estimated Two-year Net Impact to General Revenue Related Funds for *
* HB1283, As Introduced: positive impact of $0 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. *
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General Revenue-Related Funds, Five-Year Impact:
****************************************************
* Fiscal Year Probable Net Positive/(Negative) *
* Impact to General Revenue Related *
* Funds *
* 2000 $0 *
* 2001 0 *
* 2002 0 *
* 2003 0 *
* 2004 0 *
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All Funds, Five-Year Impact:
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*Fiscal Probable Probable Revenue Change in Number of *
* Year Savings/(Cost) from Gain/(Loss) from State Employees from *
* Water Quality Water Quality FY 1999 *
* Account/ Account/ *
* GR-Dedicated GR-Dedicated *
* 0153 0153 *
* 2000 $(708,480) $708,480 12.0 *
* 2001 (1,930,956) 1,930,956 35.0 *
* 2002 (1,752,356) 1,752,356 35.0 *
* 2003 (1,752,356) 1,752,356 35.0 *
* 2004 (1,752,356) 1,752,356 35.0 *
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Technology Impact
Computers and software for the FTEs would cost $45,600 in fiscal year
2000 and $87,400 in fiscal year 2001.
Fiscal Analysis
The bill would expand the Texas Natural Resource Conservation
Commission's (TNRCC) general permitting authority for stormwater
discharges. Currently, TNRCC is authorized to issue general permits for
stormwater discharges up to 500,000 gallons in a 24 hour period. The
bill would eliminate the 500,000 gallon limit.
TNRCC has current statutory authority to assess a fee to cover the costs
of the general permitting program.
Methodology
TNRCC received delegation of the National Pollutant Discharge Elimination
System (NPDES) Stormwater Permit program in September 1998. The program
has not been funded. Under the provisions of House Bill 1283, the cost
of implementing the NPDES stormwater program would be $708,480 in fiscal
year 2000 and $1,930,956 in fiscal year 2001. Subsequent years would
cost $1,752,356.
The cost estimates are based on the number of permits to be addressed for
stormwater discharges and the number of full-time equivalents needed to
implement the permit process.
Local Government Impact
Local governments will be directly impacted by the bill. The fee revenue
raised to cover the costs of the stormwater discharge permitting program
would be assessed on permittees, i.e., local governments. Therefore,
the impact to local governments is $2,639,436 for the 2000-01 biennium.
Source Agencies:
LBB Staff: JK, DE, DM