Highlights of the 79th Texas Legislature - Senate

NATURAL RESOURCES/AIR
Energy-Saving Measures and Emissions Reduction—H.B. 2129
By Representative Bonnen—Senate Sponsor: Senator Armbrister
Efforts to improve air quality often focus on industry, but there are cost-effective measures that homeowners and
businesses can take to improve air quality. Many organizations throughout the state have the expertise to develop
residential and commercial energy efficiency programs that could clean the air and save consumers money and air
quality improvements achieved through energy efficiency can be claimed under the state implementation plan. This
bill:
Directs the Texas A&M Energy Systems Laboratory, the State Energy Conservation Office, and certain utilities to
research consumer-oriented efficiency and air quality improvement options.
Implementation of Clean Coal Project—H.B. 2201
By Representative Hughes et al.—Senate Sponsor: Senator Estes
The United States Department of Energy has outlined an integrated carbon sequestration and hydrogen research
proposal known as FutureGen that provides for $800 million in federal funding and $200 million to be funded by
private industry and other nations. One of the critical selection criteria the Department of Energy has identified for
the FutureGen project is the ability to ensure the predictable and timely permitting and construction of the
components that will make up the FutureGen project. This bill:
Creates a more predictable and streamlined permitting process for the key components of the FutureGen project to
better position Texas in the competition for the project.
Creates financial incentives to compete with the financial incentive packages being proposed by several other states
competing for the FutureGen project.
Air Contaminant Emissions Reductions—H.B. 2481
By Representative Bonnen et al.—Senate Sponsor: Senator Harris
The Texas Emissions Reduction Plan (TERP), established by the 77th Texas Legislature, 2001, includes a number of
voluntary financial incentive programs, as well as other assistance programs, to help improve the air quality in Texas.
TERP is scheduled to expire in 2008 and air quality improvements achieved through energy efficiency and renewable
energy can be claimed under the State Implementation Plan only if the necessary calculations are made to quantify
the attributable emissions reductions. This bill:
Extends certain fees.
Provides that certain fees go to the Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT) and that TxDOT pays the TERP
fund a corresponding amount.
Directs the Texas A&M Energy Systems Laboratory and the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality to make
the necessary calculations to quantify attributable emissions reductions.
HIGHLIGHTS - 79 TH TEXAS LEGISLATURE 187