LEGISLATIVE BUDGET BOARD

Austin, Texas

FISCAL NOTE, 81ST LEGISLATIVE REGULAR SESSION

March 30, 2009

TO:	Honorable Allan Ritter, Chair, House Committee on Natural Resources
FROM:	John S. O'Brien, Director, Legislative Budget Board
IN RE:	HB2254 by Hancock (Relating to the authority of a local government to prohibit the Railroad Commission of Texas or the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality from issuing a permit for a disposal well.), As Introduced

No significant fiscal implication to the State is anticipated.

The bill would prohibit the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ) and the Railroad Commission of Texas from issuing a permit for a disposal well if an incorporated city, county, river authority, water district, or water authority in which the territory overlies the formation or stratum to be used for the disposal determines that it is unsuited for that use because of proximity to a water table and notifies TCEQ or the Railroad Commission, as applicable, of its decision.

Based on analysis by TCEQ and the Railroad Commission, it is assumed that associated costs could be absorbed within existing resources.

Local Government Impact

According to a sampling of local governments to whom the provisions of the bill would apply, there would be little or no fiscal impact to units of local government.

Source Agencies:

304 Comptroller of Public Accounts, 455 Railroad Commission, 580 Water Development Board, 582 Commission on Environmental Quality

LBB Staff:

JOB, WK, DB