LEGISLATIVE BUDGET BOARD
                              Austin, Texas
                                     
                    FISCAL NOTE, 76th Regular Session
  
                              April 13, 1999
  
  
          TO:  Honorable Edmund Kuempel, Chair, House Committee on State
               Recreational 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 Introduced
  
**************************************************************************
*  Estimated Two-year Net Impact to General Revenue Related Funds for    *
*  HB3079, As Introduced:  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.                                                             *
**************************************************************************
  
General Revenue-Related Funds, Five-Year Impact:
  
          ****************************************************
          *  Fiscal Year  Probable Net Positive/(Negative)   *
          *               Impact to General Revenue Related  *
          *                             Funds                *
          *       2000                           $(150,000)  *
          *       2001                          (2,887,500)  *
          *       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   to New - GR   New - GR    to Water   Employees    *
*          Revenue    Dedicated-  Dedicated-  Assistance from FY 1999  *
*            Fund      Aquatic     Aquatic       Fund                  *
*            0001     Vegetation  Vegetation     0480                  *
*                     Management  Management                           *
*                        Fund        Fund                              *
*  2000    $(150,000)    $150,000  $(150,000)          $0         2.0  *
*  2001   (2,887,500)   2,850,000 (2,850,000)      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 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 $150,000 would be needed to develop the state
plan the first year and approximately $133,000 the second year to
monitor the program.  Grants to the TPWD can not exceed 30% 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 $133,000 to TPWD, $36,000 to TWDB, and $1,367,000 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 $1.367
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:   304   Comptroller of Public Accounts, 551
                   Department of Agriculture, 580   Water Development
                   Board, 582   Natural Resource Conservation
                   Commission, 802   Parks and Wildlife Department
LBB Staff:         JK, DE, TT