House Committee on Environmental Regulation - 86th R.S. (2019)

Committee Members

Charges

Monitor the agencies and programs under the Committee's jurisdiction and oversee the implementation of relevant legislation passed by the 86th Legislature. Conduct active oversight of all associated rulemaking and other governmental actions taken to ensure intended legislative outcome of all legislation, including the following:
- HB 1346, which grants the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ) the authority to set a different minimum percentage of vehicle miles traveled in non-attainment areas to qualify for a diesel emissions reduction incentive program grant. Monitor whether changes to the incentive program have led to increased participation.
- HB 2771, which facilitates the transfer of "produced water" regulatory authority from the Texas Railroad Commission to the TCEQ in order to prepare for the delegation of the National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System by the United States Environmental Protection Agency to the TCEQ. Examine which state agency has jurisdiction over different types of contamination. Determine any exemptions or regulatory holes that need to be adjusted or addressed.
- HB 3745, which created the Texas Emissions Reduction Plan (TERP) fund and extendedthe life of TERP to attainment. Study and determine if it is beneficial to use TERP funds in regions impacted by both population growth and expanded industrial activity to ensure National Ambient Air Quality Standards are not exceeded in the future.

Review the industry standards, and receive a briefing from the standards-setting bodies, regarding the promulgation and continuous development of construction and operational standards for above-ground storage tanks utilized in the petrochemical industry. Review regulatory oversight of the tanks and the life cycle improvements of the tanks, including design parameters, limitations (e.g., force majeure incidents), and overall costs associated with these tasks.

Investigate the delegation of state statutory authority to political subdivisions of the state for the authorization and regulation of solid waste management infrastructure and operations. Determine the most effective approach to balancing the primary authority of the TCEQ, consistent with federal environmental standards, and the authority traditionally exercised by political subdivisions under existing law, including the regulation of land development and land use. Examine what allocation of responsibilities between state and local agencies is best suited to ensure the adequate capacity for solid waste management in the state, considering growth in population and economic activity, changes in demand for waste disposal and recycling, and the need to address future disaster response and debris management.

Study the regulation of commercial and residential irrigation backflow devices to determine if the State of Texas is adequately regulating commercial and residential irrigation backflow devices to determine the incidence of pollutant backflow into drinking water sources. Review the TCEQ's stakeholder working groups.

Monitor the State Auditor's review of agencies and programs under the Committee's jurisdiction. The Chair shall seek input and periodic briefings on completed audits for the 2019 and 2020 fiscal years and bring forth pertinent issues for full committee consideration.

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