| TO: | Honorable Harvey Hilderbran, Chair, House Committee on Culture, Recreation, & Tourism |
| FROM: | John S. O'Brien, Deputy Director, Legislative Budget Board |
| IN RE: | HB1303 by Coleman (Relating to mercury contamination in fish and shellfish.), As Introduced |
| Fiscal Year | Probable Net Positive/(Negative) Impact to General Revenue Related Funds |
|---|---|
| 2006 | ($717,078) |
| 2007 | ($642,330) |
| 2008 | ($642,330) |
| 2009 | ($628,921) |
| 2010 | ($628,921) |
| Fiscal Year | Probable Savings/(Cost) from GENERAL REVENUE FUND 1 |
Change in Number of State Employees from FY 2005 |
|---|---|---|
| 2006 | ($717,078) | 5.0 |
| 2007 | ($642,330) | 5.0 |
| 2008 | ($642,330) | 5.0 |
| 2009 | ($628,921) | 5.0 |
| 2010 | ($628,921) | 5.0 |
The bill would require sampling and testing of fish in bodies of fresh and salt water in Texas every three years. The following assumptions were used in estimating the total number of samples required every three years.
|
Type of Public Water Body |
Number of Water Bodies |
Number of Samples / Water Body |
Number of Samples collected in 3 years |
|
Major Reservoir |
212 |
10 |
2120 |
|
Public Community Fishing Lake |
583 |
5 |
2,915 |
|
River Segments |
314 |
2 |
628 |
|
Estuaries/Bays |
14 |
30 |
420 |
|
Total |
|
|
6,083 |
This estimate assumes collection of samples would require a total of (5) new Environmental Specialist III positions at DSHS, and one existing DSHS full-time equivalent (FTE) for three two-person sampling teams. DSHS indicates personnel would be placed in Tyler, Uvalde, and Austin. Each sampling team would require equipment and travel. Travel costs are calculated estimating 70% travel time per team. This results in 36 weeks travel @ $400/FTE/week, $14,400 per FTE/year, or $28,800 per team/year. Two teams (Uvalde and Tyler) would need vehicles and boats/motors/trailers; the Austin team would use an existing vehicle and boat/motor/trailer. All three teams would need various sampling equipment; however, the Austin team has some sampling equipment.
|
|
Annual number |
Hours to complete |
Total hours |
|
Review and Maintenance |
2,027 |
1.38 |
2,790 |
|
Samples Collected |
2,027 |
3.2 |
6,510 |
|
Total |
|
|
9,300 |
This estimate assumes the DSHS would need a total of 5 new Environmental Specialist III positions to implement the bill, in addition to one existing FTE. Additional resources would be needed for travel and printing of the fish consumption advisory booklets. It is asssumed that the General Revenue Fund would provide all funding. This estimate includes the following expenses to implement the bill:
Implementation Costs |
Start Up Year (9 months – FY 2006 only) |
Annual Costs (12 months – FY 2007 & each fiscal year thereafter) |
|
Salary and wages (5 ES III positions @ $37,332 |
$139,995 |
$186,660 |
|
Employee benefits |
$41,635 |
$55,513 |
|
Professional Services-Mercury analysis: 2007 & 2008 @ $120,840 per yr. 2009 & 2010 @ $ 107,431 per yr. |
$80,613 |
$120,840 / $107,431 |
|
|
| |
|
In-state travel (6 positions at $14,400/year) |
$64,800 |
$86,400 |
|
Rent (5) 1 Austin, 4 region |
$8,390 |
$11,187 |
|
|
|
|
|
Other operating expense: |
|
|
|
Modular unit @ $3,900 x 5, including chairs |
$19,500 |
$0 |
|
Lateral file cabinet @ $300 x 5 |
$1,500 |
$0 |
|
Backup power supply @ $150 x 1 = $150 (5) |
$750 |
$0 |
|
Telephone @ $305 x 5 = 1,525 |
$1,144 |
$1,525 |
|
Office supplies/postage @ $325 x 5 = $1,625 |
$1,219 |
$1,625 |
|
Gasoline & Vehicle Maintenance (3 teams $10,000/yr.) |
$22,500 |
$30,000 |
|
Sampling Equipment - Region |
$18,365 |
$0 |
|
Sampling Equipment – Austin |
$11,392 |
$0 |
|
Printing 269,129 Advisory Booklets |
$108,998 |
$145,330 |
|
Equipment: |
|
|
|
Vehicles, 2 @ $42,860 |
$ 85,720 |
|
|
Boat/Motor/Trailer, 2 @ $53,021 |
$ 106,042 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
IT Costs: |
|
|
|
PC (Seat Mgt) @ $903 x 5 = $4,515 for FY2006 @ $650 x 5 = $3,250 for FY2007 - 2010 |
$4,515 |
$3,250 |
In order to estimate demand for fish consumption advisory booklets from schools, libraries, and the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department (TPWD), the number of counties with fish consumption advisories (41) was divided by the number of counties in Texas (254) to determine the percentage of Texas counties with a fish consumption advisory or ban. Currently (16%) of all Texas counties have active fish consumption advisories. The 16% factor was applied to the number of schools (7,500), libraries (75 systems), and fishing licenses sold by TPWD (1,674,484). Using this method, the number of booklets is estimated to be 269,129. Assuming a cost of $0.54 per booklet (18 page black & white printing charge), this represents a total of $145,330 in annual printing costs.
TPWD indicates that the bill would require notifying the fishing public of the dangers associated with mercury contamination by publishing consumption advisories; maintaining a current list of consumption advisories and related information on the department website; providing pamphlets (published by DSHS) to license agents for distribution to anglers and training on mercury contamination to all department employees who sell fishing licenses or teach angler education classes; and producing and maintaining bilingual signs at all boat ramps which provide access to contaminated areas.
TPWD already includes a list of consumption advisories and bans in the Outdoor Annual and on the agency website. TPWD estimates the provisions of the bill would generate additional costs to post and maintain signs at public boat ramps with access to waters affected by a fish consumption ban or advisory. However, to the extent TPWD already posts and maintain signs, trains employees, and provides information on consumption advisories to the public, any additional costs are not anticipated to have a significant fiscal impact on agency operations.
| Source Agencies: | 529 Health and Human Services Commission, 537 Department of State Health Services, 802 Parks and Wildlife Department
|
| LBB Staff: | JOB, WK, ZS, TB
|