Be aware of who and what is moving into our communities and how it potentially affects our lives and our environment. In order to operate, businesses who have the potential to pose an environmental threat have to obtain permits from the State. We have the power to express our concerns and/or contest those permits in public hearings! Know who's asking for permits and where they are by visiting the TCEQ's Calendar of Public Meetings and Hearings.
Where to find the law: Laws in Texas are not always easy to track down. Find Texas' environmental laws in the Health and Safety Code under Title 5: Sanitation and Environmental Quality.
Significant environmental initiatives of the 80th Legislative Session:
* Transfer the regulation and licensing of commercial processing and storage of radioactive substances from TDSHS to TCEQ (SB 1604).
* Revisions to the Low Income Repair Assistance and Accelerated Vehicle Purchase (LIRAP) and the Texas Emission Reduction Plan (TERP) with increased program funding (SB 12).
* Major legislative revisions affecting environmental review for water permitting, water conservation and rainwater harvesting, regulation of irrigation systems, CCN changes, designation of unique reservoir sites, and increased permitted groundwater withdrawals for the Edwards Aquifer (HB 3, HB 4, SB 3).
* Creation of a grant program to reduce NOx emissions from stationary compressor engines (SB 2000).
* Implementation of a permitting process for advanced clean energy projects and other environmentally protective projects (HB 3732).
* Extension of the Petroleum Storage Tank Remediation program until 2011 to provide storage tank owners additional opportunity to close leaking tank sites. Providing TCEQ shut down authority for operations that lack financial assurance (HB 1956/HB 3554).
* Revisions to Dry Cleaner Remediation Program created by the 78th Legislature (HB 3220).
The Commission will be initiating the necessary actions to implement all legislation described here that requires rule making or other changes to agency operations. Any questions concerning legislation affecting the TCEQ can be directed to the Intergovernmental Relations Division at (512) 239-3500.
- taken from the Texas Commission of Environmental Quality (TCEQ) website.
