By McClendon                                          H.B. No. 3415
         Line and page numbers may not match official copy.
         Bill not drafted by TLC or Senate E&E.
                                A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
 1-1                                   AN ACT
 1-2     relating to the development and use of landfill gas for state
 1-3     energy and environmental purposes.
 1-4           BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
 1-5           SECTION 1. The legislature finds:
 1-6           (a)  that there are many municipal solid waste landfills in
 1-7     Texas that produce economically recoverable amounts of methane gas;
 1-8           (b)  that those landfills currently generate approximately
 1-9     100 million cubic feet of methane gas per day;
1-10           (c)  that cost-effective recovery of landfill gas will have
1-11     both environmental and economic benefits; and
1-12           (d)  that it is in the state's interest to encourage and
1-13     assist the development and use of landfill gas in a timely fashion.
1-14           SECTION 2.  The Public Utility Commission and the Texas
1-15     Natural Resource Conservation Commission shall jointly promote the
1-16     economical development and use of landfill gas through the
1-17     following activities, at least:
1-18           (a)  publicizing agency data on identified landfills with
1-19     potential for economical landfill gas development and an estimate
1-20     of their potential;
1-21           (b)  assisting gas developers, landfill owner/operators,
1-22     electric utilities and gas utilities to explore partnership
1-23     opportunities;
 2-1           (c)  establishing a clearinghouse of information on landfill
 2-2     gas development and use.
 2-3           SECTION 3.  The Texas Natural Resource Conservation
 2-4     Commission shall give priority to processing registrations for
 2-5     landfill gas recovery activities.
 2-6           SECTION 4.  The Public Utility Commission and the Texas
 2-7     Natural Resource Conservation Commission shall jointly report to
 2-8     the legislature by November 1 of 2002, 2004 and 2006 on the state
 2-9     of development of landfill gas in Texas.  The report shall include:
2-10           (a)  a summary of the activities of the agencies to fulfill
2-11     the requirements of this Act;
2-12           (b)  identification of landfills with gas recovery and use
2-13     projects;
2-14           (c)  the amount of gas produced from landfill gas recovery
2-15     projects;
2-16           (d)  the amount of electricity generated from landfill gas
2-17     recovery projects;
2-18           (e)  the environmental benefits of the landfill gas recovery
2-19     and use; and
2-20           (f)  any legal, administrative, economic or other identified
2-21     obstacles to further development and use of landfill gas.
2-22           SECTION 5.  This Act is effective on September 1, 2001.
2-23           SECTION 6.  This Act expires on September 1, 2007.