HBA-KDB H.B. 3228 77(R) BILL ANALYSIS Office of House Bill AnalysisH.B. 3228 By: Shields Natural Resources 3/26/2001 Introduced BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE In July of 1999, a breach of a gasoline supply in the underground storage tank of a gas station caused 800 gallons of gasoline to spill into the Trinity Aquifer in Bexar County. There is concern that aquifers, which are an important source of drinking water for populous counties, are not adequately protected. House Bill 3228 requires the Texas Natural Resource Conservation Commission to apply increased containment standards for underground storage tanks located over an aquifer recharge zone in a county with a population of at least one million that relies on groundwater for at least 75 percent of the county's water supply. 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. ANALYSIS House Bill 3228 amends the Water Code to require an underground storage tank system to incorporate a method for secondary containment if the system is located in the recharge zone of an aquifer and in a county that has a population of at least one million and relies on groundwater for at least 75 percent of the county's water supply. The Texas Natural Resource Conservation Commission is authorized to issue a notice of violation to the owner or operator of an underground storage tank system that does not incorporate a method for secondary containment. EFFECTIVE DATE September 1, 2001.