By Ramsay H.B. No. 3483
77R10807 JJT-F
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
1-1 AN ACT
1-2 relating to the creation, powers, and duties of the Clean Coal
1-3 Technology Council.
1-4 BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
1-5 SECTION 1. Title 3, Government Code, is amended by adding
1-6 Subtitle D to read as follows:
1-7 SUBTITLE D. LEGISLATIVE OVERSIGHT AND ADVISORY COMMITTEES
1-8 CHAPTER 351. CLEAN COAL TECHNOLOGY COUNCIL
1-9 Sec. 351.001. LEGISLATIVE FINDINGS; STATE POLICY. (a) The
1-10 legislature finds that:
1-11 (1) coal is an important fuel source for keeping the
1-12 price of electricity low in this state;
1-13 (2) evaluation of the environmental effectiveness and
1-14 economic viability of new emissions reduction technologies that
1-15 protect or improve air quality is necessary to protect the
1-16 environment and the public health, safety, and welfare;
1-17 (3) the diversity of fuel used to generate electricity
1-18 is a significant factor in providing reliable and economical energy
1-19 to residents of this state;
1-20 (4) the price of electricity generated with coal has
1-21 remained relatively unchanged over the past 20 years;
1-22 (5) the continued recovery and use of coal resources
1-23 are important to the economy of this state; and
1-24 (6) advancements in clean coal technology may
2-1 demonstrate that electricity from coal can be produced in a more
2-2 efficient, economical, and environmentally friendly manner.
2-3 (b) It is the policy of this state that clean coal
2-4 technologies will be explored in order to:
2-5 (1) preserve fuel diversity and maintain reliable, low
2-6 cost sources of electric power;
2-7 (2) identify technologies for reducing the emissions
2-8 from existing coal-fired electric generation;
2-9 (3) identify technologies to increase the efficiency
2-10 of coal-fired electric generation; and
2-11 (4) identify new, cleaner coal-fired electric
2-12 generation technologies that may be used to provide new generation
2-13 capacity.
2-14 Sec. 351.002. DEFINITIONS. In this subchapter:
2-15 (1) "Council" means the Clean Coal Technology Council.
2-16 (2) "Coal" includes lignite.
2-17 (3) "Designated agency" means the state agency
2-18 designated by the council to provide administrative support to the
2-19 council.
2-20 (4) "Pilot project" means the voluntary application to
2-21 one or more facilities of new coal use technology designed to
2-22 reduce the emission of air pollutants.
2-23 Sec. 351.003. CREATION AND MEMBERSHIP OF THE CLEAN COAL
2-24 TECHNOLOGY COUNCIL. (a) The Clean Coal Technology Council is
2-25 created to perform legislative oversight of, and to coordinate
2-26 actions of state agencies regarding, the study and development of
2-27 clean coal technology and pilot projects in this state.
3-1 (b) The council is composed of:
3-2 (1) three members of the senate appointed by the
3-3 lieutenant governor, with one designated as co-chair of the
3-4 council;
3-5 (2) three members of the house of representatives
3-6 appointed by the speaker of the house of representatives, with one
3-7 designated as co-chair of the council;
3-8 (3) a member of the public to be appointed by the
3-9 lieutenant governor; and
3-10 (4) a member of the public to be appointed by the
3-11 speaker of the house of representatives.
3-12 Sec. 351.004. ADMINISTRATION. (a) Members of the council
3-13 serve two-year terms expiring February 1 of each odd-numbered year
3-14 and may be reappointed for additional terms.
3-15 (b) The council shall meet at a frequency to be determined
3-16 by the council and at the call of the co-chairs.
3-17 (c) The council may designate an appropriate state agency to
3-18 provide administrative support to the council. The designated
3-19 agency shall provide, from its existing staff, the staff necessary
3-20 to assist the council in carrying out its responsibilities. The
3-21 designated agency may request and distribute federal funding for
3-22 the use by the council in carrying out its responsibilities.
3-23 (d) The council is subject to Chapters 551, 552, and 2001.
3-24 Sec. 351.005. POWERS, DUTIES, INFORMATION, AND REPORTS OF
3-25 COUNCIL. (a) The council shall:
3-26 (1) coordinate the activities of the designated agency
3-27 with regard to clean coal technology charges of the council;
4-1 (2) provide direction to the designated agency in its
4-2 activities regarding studying or developing clean coal technologies
4-3 or regarding the issuance of requests for proposals for a pilot
4-4 project in this state that may assist the council in evaluating
4-5 technologies, assessing economics, evaluating the environmental
4-6 benefits, seeking funding, evaluating the useful life of a pilot
4-7 project, or determining the importance of clean coal technologies
4-8 to energy policy;
4-9 (3) assess the potential utility of the use of
4-10 financial or other incentives for potential pilot projects;
4-11 (4) oversee the activities of the designated agency in
4-12 seeking public and private funding to support the activities of the
4-13 council and the financing of a pilot project;
4-14 (5) suggest reasonable projected durations for pilot
4-15 projects;
4-16 (6) file with the governor, lieutenant governor, and
4-17 the speaker of the house of representatives, before January 1 of
4-18 each odd-numbered year, a report of the council's activities during
4-19 the two preceding years and any recommendations for legislation
4-20 with regard to the pilot projects; and
4-21 (7) publish the report required by Subsection (a)(6).
4-22 (b) The designated agency shall maintain a public file
4-23 relating to the council.
4-24 (c) The designated agency shall make available to the public
4-25 a copy of any council report provided to the legislature.
4-26 SECTION 2. Nothwithstanding Section 351.004(b), Government
4-27 Code, as added by this Act, the Clean Coal Technology Council shall
5-1 meet not less than once in each calendar quarter for the first year
5-2 after its members are appointed.
5-3 SECTION 3. The terms of the initial members of the Clean
5-4 Coal Technology Council expire February 1, 2003.
5-5 SECTION 4. This Act takes effect September 1, 2001.