HBA-LJP H.B. 3415 77(R)BILL ANALYSIS


Office of House Bill AnalysisH.B. 3415
By: McClendon
Energy Resources
7/17/2001
Enrolled



BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE 

Most of the waste we generate ends up in landfills where it decomposes and
produces landfill gas.  According to the United States Environmental
Protection Agency (EPA), landfill gas is about 50 percent methane, a potent
greenhouse gas that contributes to global climate change.  EPA requires
landfills of a certain size to have a gathering system to collect the
methane gas and burn it on site.  Instead of burning the methane gas, this
gas could be used for electricity production.  The City of Riverview,
Michigan, which owns and operates the Riverview Land Preserve landfill in
Wayne County, developed a project with the local utility, Detroit Edison,
to recover and sell landfill gas to generate energy.  By starting this
landfill gasto- energy project, the city not only took steps to improve the
global environment, it also decreased the potential hazards associated with
migrating landfill gas.  This project has helped to improve the community
economically and environmentally, while filling a local need for clean
energy.  House Bill 3415 requires the Public Utility Commission and the
Texas Natural Resource Conservation Commission to promote the economic
development and use of landfill gas through certain activities. 

RULEMAKING AUTHORITY

It is the opinion of the Office of House Bill Analysis that this bill does
not expressly delegate any additional rulemaking authority to a state
officer, department, agency, or institution. 

ANALYSIS

House Bill 3415 amends the Health and Safety Code to require the Public
Utility Commission (PUC) and the Texas Natural Resource Conservation
Commission (TNRCC) to jointly promote the economical development and use of
landfill gas through certain activities.  If TNRCC requires a person to
register with TNRCC before undertaking landfill gas recovery activities,
the bill requires TNRCC to give priority to processing applications for
registration.  In a joint effort, the bill requires the PUC and TNRCC to
report to the legislature by November 1 of 2002, 2004, and 2006, on the
state of development of landfill gas in Texas.  The bill sets forth
provisions regarding the information to be contained in the report.  The
bill establishes that the Act expires on September 1, 2007. 

EFFECTIVE DATE

September 1, 2001.