House Committee on Environmental Regulation - 80th R.S. (2007)

Committee: House Environmental Regulation
Title: Interim Report
Subjects: Air pollution control technology | Air quality | Clean Air Act | Environmental permits | Environmental Protection Agency, U.S. | Industrial air pollution | Low-Income Vehicle Repair Assistance Program | Motor vehicle emissions tests | Motor vehicle pollution | Motor vehicle safety inspections | Texas Emissions Reduction Plan |
Library Call Number: L1836.80 En89
Session: 80th R.S. (2007)
Online version: View report [54 pages  File size: 6,595 kb]
Charges: This report should address the charges below.
1. Work to create and maintain a market-based approach to the application and implementation of Green Chemistry initiatives for the State of Texas.
2. Evaluate capabilities at public and private universities relating to the potential formation of dedicated Green Chemistry programs.
3. Collaborate with businesses to identify current Green Chemistry efforts that are already taking place, as well as what the incentives and disincentives are for businesses to make this shift. Examine and identify the environmental and economic benefits of promoting Green Chemistry initiatives.
4. Examine funding options for a statewide Green Chemistry initiative.
5. Work with various state agencies such as the General Land Office, the Railroad Commission of Texas, and the Department of Agriculture in order to facilitate the promotion of Green Chemistry practices.
6. Examine the obstacles that must be overcome for Green Chemistry to be effective; identify solutions to such obstacles.
7. Study the Clean Air Act State Implementation Plan (SIP) to determine if:
  • Data is being collected adequately
  • Recent changes to the SIP are brining Texas closer to the federal Environmental Protection Agency requirements; and
  • There are any midcourse corrections necessary to achieve EPA requirements.
As background, examine and document the trend in levels of air quality in Texas since 1980.
8. Examine the progress of the Texas Emissions Reduction Plan, the Low-Income Vehicle Repair Assistance, Retrofit, and Accelerated Vehicle Retirement Program and the Texas Environmental Research Consortium.
9. Study the air permitting process to examine, define, or interpret the following:
  • The role of public input in the standard air permitting process;
  • The requirements and interpretation of what constitutes Best Available Control Technology;
  • The requirements for monitoring ambient air in the beginning stages of the permitting process;
  • The requirements for modeling future air pollution in the event that the proposed plant is constructed;
  • The issue of the cumulative impact of different air pollution sources;
  • The use of permits-by-rule and flexible permits in some cases; and
  • The requirements for permit renewals and the process for granting or denying permit renewals.
10. Examine the penalties and sanctions imposed on vehicle inspection and emissions testing facilities.
11. Monitor the agencies and programs under the committee's jurisdiction.

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