MINUTES 
          
                  SENATE INTERIM COMMITTEE ON NATURAL RESOURCES 
                          Wednesday, September 29, 1999 
                                     2:00 pm 
                                 Senate Chamber 
          
                                      ***** 
          
         Pursuant to a notice posted in accordance with Senate Rule  
         11.11, a public hearing of the Senate Interim Committee on  
         Natural Resources was held on Wednesday, September 29, 1999 in  
         the Senate Chamber at Austin, Texas.   
          
                                      ***** 
          
         MEMBERS PRESENT:                        MEMBERS ABSENT: 
         Senator J. E. "Buster" Brown, Chair     Senator Kenneth  
                                                 Armbrister 
         Senator Gonzalo Barrientos              Senator Teel Bivins 
         Senator Tom Haywood                     Senator Bill Ratliff 
         Senator Eddie Lucio, Jr. 
          
                                      ***** 
          
         The Chair called the meeting to order at 2:15 pm.  There being  
         a quorum present, the following business was transacted.   
          
         The Chair introduced the interim committee staff of Carol  
         McGarah, Fred Aus, Bryan Hadley & Billy Phenix.  The Chair  
         notified the members and those in attendance of the work  
         charged to the Committee:  Interim studies on Air Quality,  
         Groundwater, River Authorities, Low-Level Radioactive Waste,  
         Coastal Issues, Ports, Oil & Gas, and HB 2/SB 7/SB 766,  
         concerning the State. 
          
         Senator Lucio moved that the Rules of the Interim Committee be  
         adopted.  There being no objection, it was so ordered.  
          
         The Commissioner of Agriculture, Susan Combs, testified before  
         the Committee on the state of agriculture in Texas. 
          
         Commissioner Tony Garza, Railroad Commission of Texas,  
         testified on the future of the oil and gas industry in Texas. 
          
         The following testified before the Committee: 
          
         Jeff Saitas, TNRCC - Air Quality, Groundwater, Coastal Issues,  
         Low-Level Radioactive Waste, SB 766 & SB 7. 
         Craig Pedersen, TWDB - River Authorities, Groundwater  
         Districts. 
         Andrew Sansom, Texas Parks & Wildlife - Coastal Issues. 
         Ralph Rayburn, Texas Sea Grant College Program - Coastal  
  
         Issues. 
         John Sneed, General Land Office -  Coastal Issues. 
         Mark Watson, TPWD - Coastal Issues. 
         Andrew Neblett, GLO - Coastal Issues. 
         Dianna Noble, TxDOT - Air Quality. 
         Jess Totten, Public Utility Commission - SB 7. 
         John Basilotto, Center for Ports & Waterways - Ports. 
         James Randall, TxDOT - Ports. 
         Melanie Best, Office of the Secretary of State - Groundwater. 
         Robert Garza, Office of the Secretary of State - Groundwater. 
          
         At 4:45 p.m., on the motion of the Chair and without  
         objection, the meeting recessed until October 26, 1999, in  
         Amarillo, Texas. 
          
         ____________________________ 
         Senator J.E. "Buster" Brown, Chair 
          
         ___________________________ 
         Carol McGarah, Clerk