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2 Document(s) [ Subject: Mercury ]

Committee: House State Affairs
Title: Interim Report
Subjects: Broadband infrastructure | Cable telecommunications providers | Comptroller of Public Accounts campaigns and elections | Computer networks | Computers | Council on Competitive Government | Electric Reliability Council of Texas | Electric utilities | Electricity supplies | Environmental Protection Agency, U.S. | Facilities Commission, Texas | Health and Human Services Commission, Texas | Information Resources, Texas Department of | Mercury | Occupational licenses | Privatization | Public Utility Commission of Texas | Railroad Commission of Texas | Rules and regulations | State agencies | State government contracts | State land | State purchasing | Transboundary pollution |
Library Call Number: L1836.82 St29h
Session: 82nd R.S. (2011)
Online version: View report [78 pages]
Charges: This report should address the charges below.
1. Examine the issue of resource adequacy in the Texas electricity market, federal and state interventions in the marketplace that may be negatively impacting future adequacy, and the best way to maintain resource adequacy.
2. Examine whether current law ensures broadband provider access to an electric cooperative's utility poles and facilities pursuant to reasonable, cost-based, and nondiscriminatory rates, terms, and conditions. Study methods for improving access to electric cooperative utility poles to reduce unnecessary costs and delays for the delivery of broadband service to Texas consumers.
3. Examine areas of potential privatization of state services in an effort to achieve a higher level of service and greater efficiency for Texas taxpayers. (Joint with the House Committee on Government Efficiency & Reform)
4. Identify inefficiencies in the regulation of public utilities in order to minimize the cost of regulation to consumers.
5. Examine methods of cloud computing technology to streamline agency operations and generate greater efficiencies for more cost-effective operations. (Joint with the House Committee on Technology)
6. Examine state agency rulemaking and consider ways to improve procedural efficiencies and public transparency, and to better inform policymakers as to their use, purpose, and cost-effectiveness, including an examination of the financial and other impacts such regulations have on both the license holder and the public. (Joint with the House Committee on Government Efficiency & Reform)
7. Monitor the agencies and programs under the committee's jurisdiction, including the implementation of SB 1048 regarding public-private partnerships on state-owned property.
8. Study how businesses seeking to provide goods or services to the state interact with state agencies. Consider whether additional procedures are needed to ensure that goods and services obtained by the state are the best value. Determine whether additional disclosure and reporting requirements are necessary to ensure transparency, accountability, and to promote ethical business practices.
Committee: Senate Natural Resources
Title: Interim Report - Air Quality
Subjects: Air pollution | Air pollution control technology | Air quality | Arsenic | Barton Springs | Edwards Aquifer | Electric power plants | Mercury | Surface water pollution | Texas Emissions Reduction Plan | Water conservation | Water planning | Water quality management | Water quality protection zones |
Library Call Number: L1836.80 N219i
Session: 80th R.S. (2007)
Online version: View report [165 pages  File size: 1,439 kb]
Charges: This report should address the charges below.
1. Review Texas' current air emissions inventory and evaluate the need for additional data to enhance or improve the inventory. Review current federal, state and local incentive programs related to emissions reductions and recommend improvements.
2. Study and assess the use of advanced control technologies for the reduction of point source pollution emissions, including, but not limited to:
  • Identifying state-of-the-art pollution control technologies;
  • Identifying facilities which could benefit from state-of-the-art control technologies;
  • Identifying mechanisms for implementing state-of-the-art controls in Texas;
  • Reviewing the ability of the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ) to regulate the use of pollution control technologies, including possible legislative options to grant, improve, or mandate TCEQ actions to implement state-of-the-art control technologies; and
  • Investigating the use of different approaches or methods in regulating emissions based on geographical/regional locations around the state.
3. Assess the environmental impact of new electric generation sources and technologies. Collect and evaluate data related to use and conservation of water used in the production of energy. Examine the need to include electric generation facility water needs in regional water plans.
4. Study and assess issues concerning mercury and arsenic emissions, including, but not limited to:
  • identifying the sources of mercury and arsenic pollution in air and water;
  • investigating the status of drinking water, reservoir, river, estuary, and fish and wildlife mercury and arsenic monitoring programs in Texas;
  • investigating the implementation by TCEQ of the Federal Clean Air Mercury Rule (CAMR) on power plants in Texas;
  • studying the potential costs and benefits of including all coal/lignite burning sources in Texas, not just power plants, into the State's CAMR program; and
  • determining the legislative and regulatory mechanisms and advisability of including all coal/lignite burning sources into the State's CAMR program.
5. Study the need for regional water quality standards, particularly in the Edwards and Barton Springs recharge zones.

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