LEGISLATIVE BUDGET BOARD
Austin, Texas
FISCAL NOTE, 76th Regular Session
May 10, 1999
TO: Honorable J.E. "Buster" Brown, Chair, Senate Committee on
Natural Resources
FROM: John Keel, Director, Legislative Budget Board
IN RE: HB 3079 by Kuempel (Relating to the development and
financing of a statewide aquatic vegetation management
plan.), As Engrossed
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* Estimated Two-year Net Impact to General Revenue Related Funds for *
* HB3079, As Engrossed: negative impact of $(3,037,500) 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 $(219,498) *
* 2001 (2,818,002) *
* 2002 (1,536,000) *
* 2003 (1,536,000) *
* 2004 (1,536,000) *
****************************************************
All Funds, Five-Year Impact:
***********************************************************************
*Fiscal Probable Probable Probable Probable Change in *
* Year Savings/ Revenue Savings/ Revenue Number of *
* (Cost) from Gain/(Loss) (Cost) from Gain/(Loss) State *
* General from New - New - GR from Water Employees *
* Revenue GR Dedicated - Assistance from FY 1999 *
* Fund Dedicated - Aquatic Fund *
* 0001 Aquatic Vegetation 0480 *
* Vegetation Management *
* Management Fund *
* Fund *
* 2000 $(219,498) $219,498 $(219,498) $0 2.0 *
* 2001 (2,818,002) 2,818,002 (2,818,002) 37,500 3.0 *
* 2002 (1,536,000) 1,500,000 (1,500,000) 36,000 3.0 *
* 2003 (1,536,000) 1,500,000 (1,500,000) 36,000 3.0 *
* 2004 (1,536,000) 1,500,000 (1,500,000) 36,000 3.0 *
***********************************************************************
*****************************************************
* Fiscal Year Probable Savings/(Cost) from Water *
* Assistance Fund *
* 0480 *
* 2000 $0 *
* 2001 (37,500) *
* 2002 (36,000) *
* 2003 (36,000) *
* 2004 (36,000) *
*****************************************************
Fiscal Analysis
The bill would require the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department (TPWD) to
develop, adopt, and monitor a state aquatic vegetation management plan in
coordination with the Texas Natural Resource Conservation Commission
(TNRCC), Texas Department of Agriculture (TDA), water districts and other
political subdivisions of the state with jurisdiction over public bodies
of surface water, and public drinking water providers. The bill would
require governing entities to adopt the state plan or develop and adopt a
local aquatic vegetation management plan approved by the TPWD, TNRCC,
and TDA. The bill would also require governing entities to oversee
provisions for the application of aquatic herbicides in public surface
waters.
The bill would require that the TPWD provide for the coordination,
oversight, public notification, and enforcement of all aquatic herbicide
use to protect state fish and wildlife resources and habitat and to
prevent unreasonable risk from the use of any aquatic herbicides.
The bill would create an Aquatic Vegetation Management Fund Account
within the Water Assistance Fund 480 administered by the Texas Water
Development Board (TWDB). The new Fund would consist of money
appropriated to the TWDB for the specific purpose outlined in the bill;
money transferred by TWDB from other accounts within the Water
Assistance Fund; and interest earned on the investment of money in the
new Fund. The new Fund would be used to provide grants to the TPWD to
develop the initial state plan and to political subdivisions of the
state to adopt the state plan or develop approved local plans and
implement aquatic vegetation management plans and manage aquatic
vegetation infestations under the state plan or the approved local plan
adopted by the political subdivision.
Methodology
It is assumed that $3,037,500 would be necessary for the statewide
aquatic vegetation management plan program during the 2000-2001 biennium.
The TPWD anticipates that $219,961 would be needed to develop the state
plan and conduct research, outreach, and education activities that
relate to vegetation control the first year. The TPWD anticipates that
approximately $177,698 would be needed the second year to conduct
activities required under the program. Grants to the TPWD can not exceed
30 percent of the $3 million. Seventy percent or $2.1 million of the $3
million would be available for grants to the estimated 85 political
subdivisions for the development of local aquatic vegetation management
plans and the management of aquatic vegetation infestations under the
approved plan.
TWDB projects that one FTE would be necessary to administer and monitor
the grant program, which would result in an additional cost of $37,500 in
year two and $36,000 in subsequent years.
Assuming additional grants are necessary in future years for political
subdivisions to maintain their aquatic vegetation management programs,
an additional cost of $1.536 million per year could be necessary. Of
this additional amount per year, projected costs would be estimated to
be $177,698 to TPWD, $36,000 to TWDB, and $1,322,302 to local political
subdivisions.
Local Government Impact
Political subdivisions must either adopt the state aquatic vegetation
management plan, or develop their own plan and have it approved.
Grants, in the amount of $2.1 million the second year and then $1.322
million in subsequent years, to develop local plans and to manage
aquatic vegetation infestations under an approved plan could be
available from the aquatic vegetation management fund.
Source Agencies: 551 Department of Agriculture, 582 Natural
Resource Conservation Commission, 802 Parks and
Wildlife Department, 304 Comptroller of Public
Accounts, 580 Water Development Board
LBB Staff: JK, DE, TT