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


Office of House Bill AnalysisH.B. 3415
By: McClendon
Energy Resources
3/25/2001
Introduced



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 now
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 and additional rulemaking authority to a state
officer, department, agency, or institution. 

ANALYSIS

House Bill 3415 amends law to require the Public Utility Commission (PUC)
and the Texas Natural Resource Conservation Commission (TNRCC) jointly to
promote the economical development and use of landfill gas through certain
activities.  The bill also requires TNRCC to give priority to  processing
registrations for landfill gas recovery activities.  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.