Honorable Charles Perry, Chair, Senate Committee on Water & Rural Affairs
FROM:
John McGeady, Assistant Director Sarah Keyton, Assistant Director Legislative Budget Board
IN RE:
SB1446 by Johnson (Relating to performance standards for certain aboveground storage tanks.), As Introduced
No significant fiscal implication to the State is anticipated.
The bill would amend the Water Code to require the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ) to adopt performance standards for aboveground storage tanks for tanks currently regulated and tanks currently exempted located at petrochemical plants, petroleum refineries, electric generating facilities, or bulk facilities. The performance standards must include specific standards for tanks in areas prone to flooding, storm surges, and hurricanes and includes the need to anchor the tanks and ancillary piping; the use of geodesic dome roofs, where appropriate; and the use of floating roofs and associated drains, where appropriate.
Based on information provided by the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality, this estimate assumes that duties and responsibilities associated with implementing the provisions of the bill could be absorbed with existing resources.
Local Government Impact
According to TCEQ, a governmental entity with an aboveground storage tank might have to retrofit their tank to meet the standards required, resulting in additional costs for the entity. The actual cost to modify a tank to comply is unknown.