LEGISLATIVE BUDGET BOARD

Austin, Texas

FISCAL NOTE, 82ND LEGISLATIVE REGULAR SESSION

May 6, 2011

TO:	Honorable Allan Ritter, Chair, House Committee on Natural Resources
FROM:	John S O'Brien, Director, Legislative Budget Board
IN RE:	SB1625 by Hegar (Relating to the administration, powers, duties, and operation of the Edwards Aquifer Authority.), Committee Report 2nd House, Substituted

No significant fiscal implication to the State is anticipated.

The bill makes conforming and clarifying changes to the Edwards Aquifer Authority’s (EAA) enabling legislation and the Water Code.  The bill adds procedures for EAA contested case hearings, request for rehearing, and board findings and conclusions. The bill removes administrative fee caps and requires administrative fees set by EAA. The bill would require the EAA to develop a groundwater management plan. It would require the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ) and the Texas Water Development Board (TWDB) to provide technical assistance to the EAA in developing the plan. The EAA would be required to make certain information available to the TCEQ and TWDB concerning plans and activities in conserving and protecting the aquifer. The TWDB would be required to certify the plan within 60 days after receipt. The bill would authorize the EAA to assess fees to recover administrative costs such as filing and processing applications and registrations.
 
Passage of the bill is not expected to have a significant impact on the workload of any state agencies.

Local Government Impact

Because the bill would not have statewide impact on units of local government of the same type or class, no comment from this office is required by the rules of the House/Senate as to its probable fiscal implication on units of local government.

Source Agencies:

452 Department of Licensing and Regulation, 580 Water Development Board, 582 Commission on Environmental Quality

LBB Staff:

JOB, SZ, TL, KKR