LEGISLATIVE BUDGET BOARD

Austin, Texas

FISCAL NOTE, 80TH LEGISLATIVE REGULAR SESSION

April 30, 2007

TO:	Honorable Kip Averitt, Chair, Senate Committee on Natural Resources
FROM:	John S. O'Brien, Director, Legislative Budget Board
IN RE:	SB1282 by Van de Putte (Relating to the use of funds in the state municipal solid waste superfund to remediate certain emergency situations. ), Committee Report 1st House, Substituted

No significant fiscal implication to the State is anticipated.

The bill would authorize the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ) to use funds from the General Revenue-Dedicated Solid Waste Disposal Account No. 5000 to make an immediate response to a fire or other emergency that involves solid waste or recycling or composting materials.  The bill would allow the TCEQ to recover costs to respond to such an emergency from the person responsible for the solid waste. Recovered costs would be deposited in the state treasury to the credit of the TCEQ until the amount deposited equals the amount of the dedicated money used.
 
Costs for the agency to remediate fires and other emergency situations at solid waste disposal,
recycling, or composting facilities could be significant; however, this estimate assumes that the
TCEQ would not need additional appropriations for this purpose, and that existing funds would be
allocated to projects on a priority basis depending on the severity of environmental threats.

Local Government Impact

Local governments could experience savings from the bill's passage if the TCEQ would cover costs
associated with the fire that a local entity would otherwise be required to pay.

Source Agencies:

582 Commission on Environmental Quality

LBB Staff:

JOB, WK, TL