HBA-MPM C.S.H.B. 3288 76(R)BILL ANALYSIS


Office of House Bill AnalysisC.S.H.B. 3288
By: Greenberg
Environmental Regulation
4/12/1999
Committee Report (Substituted)



BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE 

Sewage sludge treated to Class A standards as defined by the Texas Natural
Resource Conservation Commission (TNRCC) may be used by the general public
as fertilizer and soil enhancement.  Under current law, TNRCC must impose a
fee for all solid waste, regardless of the level of treatment it has
received.  C.S.H.B. 3288 eliminates the fee for sewage sludge that has been
treated to Class A standards, thereby allowing municipalities and utilities
to sell this treated sludge to reduce management costs, divert waste from
landfills, and recycle a valuable product. 

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 361.013(i), Health and Safety Code, to include
among other fees that the Texas Natural Resource Conservation Commission
(TNRCC) is prohibited from charging under Subsection (a) (regarding fees
charged for solid waste that is disposed of within this state) a fee for
the disposal of sewage sludge that has been treated to reduce the density
of pathogens to the lowest level provided by TNRCC rules and complies with
TNRCC rules regarding metal concentration limits, pathogen reduction, and
vector attraction reduction.  Makes conforming and nonsubstantive changes. 

SECTION 2.  Effective date: September 1, 1999.

SECTION 3.  Emergency clause.

COMPARISON OF ORIGINAL TO SUBSTITUTE

C.S.H.B. 3288 differs from the original bill in SECTION 1 (Section
361.013(i), Health and Safety Code), to prohibit TNRCC from charging a fee
under Subsection (a) (regarding fees charged for solid waste that is
disposed of within this state) for the disposal of sewage sludge that has
been treated to reduce the density of pathogens to the lowest level
provided by commission rules, rather than sludge treated to reduce the
density of pathogens to an undetectable level.