LEGISLATIVE BUDGET BOARD
                              Austin, Texas
                                     
                    FISCAL NOTE, 76th Regular Session
  
                              April 8, 1999
  
  
          TO:  Honorable J.E. "Buster" Brown, Chair, Senate Committee on
               Natural Resources
  
        FROM:  John Keel, Director, Legislative Budget Board
  
       IN RE:  SB 708 by Jackson (Relating to the implementation and
               financing of approved management plans for designated
               estuaries of national significance in the state.), As
               Introduced
  
**************************************************************************
*  Estimated Two-year Net Impact to General Revenue Related Funds for    *
*  SB708, As Introduced:  negative impact of $(5,265,952) 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                         $(2,632,976)  *
          *       2001                          (2,632,976)  *
          *       2002                          (2,632,976)  *
          *       2003                          (2,632,976)  *
          *       2004                          (2,632,976)  *
          ****************************************************
  
All Funds, Five-Year Impact:
  
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*Fiscal    Probable Savings/(Cost) from     Change in Number of State     *
* Year         General Revenue Fund           Employees from FY 1999      *
*                      0001                                               *
*  2000                      $(2,632,976)                            15.0 *
*  2001                       (2,632,976)                            15.0 *
*  2002                       (2,632,976)                            15.0 *
*  2003                       (2,632,976)                            15.0 *
*  2004                       (2,632,976)                            15.0 *
***************************************************************************
  
Technology Impact
  
The purchase of personal computers would be needed.
  
  
Fiscal Analysis
  
The bill would designate the Coastal Coordination Council (CCC) as the
lead state agency for the implementation of approved National Estuary
Program conservation and management plans and provide for implementation
programs to receive state funds through a grant program administered by
the CCC.

The bill would require the participation of seven other state agencies in
implementing approved conservation and management plans and would
require funding for the implementation of approved plans to be shared by
local governments in the area of the estuaries, as well as the state and
federal government.
  
  
Methodology
  
Currently the Texas Natural Resource Conservation Commission (TNRCC) is
responsible for oversight for the two estuary programs established in
Texas: the Galveston Bay Estuary program and the Coastal Bend Bays
(Corpus Christi) program.

The level of funding and the FTEs for implementing the bill by the
Coastal Coordination Council (CCC) are based on levels identified by the
TNRCC as state funds necessary for implementing the two estuary programs
for the 2000-01 biennium.   Annual funding is estimated to be $1.6
million and 9 FTEs for implementing the Galveston Bay Estuary Program and
$1 million and 6 FTEs for implementing the Coastal Bend Bays Plan.  The
state funds would provide for staff to coordinate and track
implementation of the plans and provide seed money to implement the
plans.  Both plans are expected to receive $260,000 each annually in
federal funds.  These federal funds are anticipated to require a 25
percent state match.

No significant fiscal implication is anticipated from the participation
required by the bill from other state agencies.
  
  
Local Government Impact
  
There would be a fiscal impact on local governments in the areas of the
two estuary programs associated with their participation in funding the
implementation of their respective estuary programs.
  
  
Source Agencies:   
LBB Staff:         JK, DE, NS