HBA-NMO, RBT H.B. 1479 76(R)BILL ANALYSIS Office of House Bill AnalysisH.B. 1479 By: Clark Natural Resources 7/29/1999 Enrolled BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE State law provides that municipal wastewater discharge permits must be renewed every five years. Prior to the 76th Legislature, Section 26.028, Water Code, provided an opportunity for public hearing whenever a wastewater discharge permit was renewed or amended. This procedure subjected the applicant to a hearing process even when there was no significant change in the permit discharge conditions. An applicant was also subject to a public hearing when the applicant proposed to improve the quality of waste authorized to be discharged under the permit. H.B. 1479 allows for the renewal or amendment of a wastewater discharge permit without a public hearing if there is no significant change in permit discharge conditions, if the quality of the waste authorized to be discharged under the permit is to be maintained, improved, and if certain other conditions exist. RULEMAKING AUTHORITY It is the opinion of the Office of House Bill Analysis that this bill does not expressly delegate any additional rulemaking authority to a state officer, department, agency, or institution. SECTION BY SECTION ANALYSIS SECTION 1. Amends Section 26.028, Water Code, to authorize the Texas Natural Resource Conservation Commission (TNRCC), at a regular meeting without the necessity of holding a public hearing, to approve an application to renew or amend a permit subject to certain conditions. Deletes language that authorizes TNRCC to set the application for consideration and act on it subject to certain conditions. Makes conforming changes. SECTION 2. Effective date: September 1, 1999. Makes application of this Act prospective. SECTION 3. Emergency clause.