Honorable Craig Estes, Chair, Senate Committee on Natural Resources & Economic Development
FROM:
Ursula Parks, Director, Legislative Budget Board
IN RE:
SB551 by Kolkhorst (Relating to inaccurate or incomplete permit applications for solid waste facilities.), As Introduced
No significant fiscal implication to the State is anticipated.
The bill would amend Texas Health & Safety Code by adding Section 361.0681 which would allow the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ) to return a solid waste permit application that is incomplete or inaccurate to the applicant before determining that a permit application is administratively and technically complete. The bill would require TCEQ to deny a solid waste permit application that TCEQ finds to be incomplete or inaccurate during technical review if TCEQ returned a previous version of the application due to incompleteness or inaccuracy, and would prohibit TCEQ from approving a subsequent application for a solid waste facility at the site that was the subject of such a denied application. The provisions of the bill would only apply to applications pending before TCEQ on or after the effective date of the bill.
TCEQ estimates that the provisions of the bill could be implemented using existing resources.
Local Government Impact
TCEQ estimates that local governments could experience revenue loss if they are unable to develop currently held or purchased property into a solid waste facility if the application for a solid waste permit is denied under the provisions of the bill.
According to the Texas Municipal League, the fiscal impact to municipalities is not anticipated to be significant.