LEGISLATIVE BUDGET BOARD

Austin, Texas

FISCAL NOTE, 79TH LEGISLATIVE REGULAR SESSION

May 21, 2005

TO:	Honorable Dennis Bonnen, Chair, House Committee on Environmental Regulation
FROM:	John S. O'Brien, Deputy Director, Legislative Budget Board
IN RE:	SB1665 by Eltife (Relating to outdoor burning in certain counties under the Texas Clean Air Act. ), Committee Report 2nd House, Substituted

No significant fiscal implication to the State is anticipated.

The bill would prohibit the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ) from controlling or prohibiting outdoor burning of certain waste in a county with a population of less than 50,000. The burning must occur at a site used for consolidated burning of waste that is located outside a municipality and is supervised by an employee of a fire department. The TCEQ would also be required to provide to fire department employees information on alternatives to burning.  The bill would take effect September 1, 2005.

The requirements of the bill would result in TCEQ having to make rulemaking and guidance changes. The agency assumes these changes can be made within existing resources.

Local Government Impact

No significant fiscal implication to units of local government is anticipated.

Source Agencies:

582 Commission on Environmental Quality

LBB Staff:

JOB, TL, KJG, WK, DLBa