LEGISLATIVE BUDGET BOARD
Austin, Texas
FISCAL NOTE, 77th Regular Session
March 24, 2001
TO: Honorable Gary Walker, Chair, House Committee on Land &
Resource Management
FROM: John Keel, Director, Legislative Budget Board
IN RE: HB2342 by Edwards (Relating to the regulation of the
location of, and aggregate piles maintained by the
operators of, portable rock crushing machines.), As
Introduced
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* Estimated Two-year Net Impact to General Revenue Related Funds for *
* HB2342, As Introduced: positive impact of $0 through the biennium *
* ending August 31, 2003. *
* *
* The bill would make no appropriation but could provide the legal *
* basis for an appropriation of funds to implement the provisions of *
* the bill. *
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General Revenue-Related Funds, Five-Year Impact:
****************************************************
* Fiscal Year Probable Net Positive/(Negative) *
* Impact to General Revenue Related *
* Funds *
* 2002 $0 *
* 2003 0 *
* 2004 0 *
* 2005 0 *
* 2006 0 *
****************************************************
All Funds, Five-Year Impact:
*****************************************************
* Fiscal Year Probable Savings/(Cost) from State *
* Highway Fund *
* 0006 *
* 2002 $(8,205,750) *
* 2003 (8,205,750) *
* 2004 (8,205,750) *
* 2005 (8,205,750) *
* 2006 (8,205,750) *
*****************************************************
Fiscal Analysis
The bill would require that portable rock crushers be located at least
one mile away from any recreational area, residence or other structure
occupied by a person other than the owner of the rock crusher. In
addition, aggregate, rock and gravel piles maintained near a rock
crusher cannot exceed 15 feet in height. The Texas Natural Resource
Conservation Commission would be required to adopt rules to administer
this new section.
Methodology
The Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT) expects that the bill
would require rock crushers, in some instances, to be located at greater
distances from construction project sites, increasing costs associated
with highway improvement projects. The increased costs to TxDOT as a
result of this bill will be reflected in higher prices to contractor's
bids for projects that require the operation and use of portable rock
crushing machines.
Assuming the bill would require only portable temporary crushing
operations to be located a minimum of 1 mile from specified areas, TxDOT
estimates that this could affect approximately 5% of the volume of
aggregate that is produced for TxDOT. The cost increase is realized due
to an increase in travel distance between the project and the rock
crushing equipment. It is estimated that the bill would add a cost of
approximately $5.00 to five percent of the following items: cubic yard of
concrete mix, ton of hot mix, and ton of flex base. Based on the usage
of such items by TxDOT in fiscal year 2000, TxDOT estimates that the bill
would increase costs to the agency by a total of $8,205,750 per year.
The bill is not expected to result in any significant fiscal impact to
the TNRCC.
Local Government Impact
It is expected that local governments engaged in road construction
likewise would experience cost increases of $5.00 per cubic yard of
concrete mix, ton of hot mix, and ton of flex base for an estimated 5% of
the volume of aggregate the local government would use.
Williamson County estimates that the bill would increase its annual
operating costs by approximately $90,000.
Source Agencies: 582 Texas Natural Resource Conservation Commission,
601 Texas Department of Transportation
LBB Staff: JK, CL, TL