| TO: | Honorable Troy Fraser, Chair, Senate Committee on Natural Resources |
| FROM: | John S O'Brien, Director, Legislative Budget Board |
| IN RE: | SB1475 by Shapiro (Relating to environmental and public health protections regarding smelter facilities at which lead-acid battery recycling activities are conducted.), As Introduced |
The bill would expand the allowable use of the General Revenue-Dedicated Hazardous and Solid Waste Remediation Fee Account No. 550 to include the environmental assessment of lead-acid battery usage and lead-acid battery recycling activities, and it would allow such funding to be used for studies that evaluate the effects of lead-acid battery recycling on public health.
The bill would prescribe certain requirements for lead-acid battery recycling plants. Such entities would be required to perform comprehensive health risk assessments for the plant’s air contaminant emissions and solid waste management units to evaluate the effect of the plant on public health. In cases where severe risks are found, the bill would require the recycling plant stop operations, mandate specific types of controls for air contaminant emissions from a lead-acid battery recycling plants, require air monitoring, among other requirements.
The bill would authorize the TCEQ to revoke a permit for a lead-acid battery recycling plant for certain repeat violations. Municipality issuing permits for such facilities would also be authorized to revoke permits for certain repeat violations.
Costs to the TCEQ in implementing the provisions of the bill are expected to be accomplished using existing amounts appropriated to the agency.
| Source Agencies: | 582 Commission on Environmental Quality
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| LBB Staff: | JOB, SZ, TL
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