To join the call this evening, dial 866-501-6174. The access code is 31794011892.

We’re very excited to have a great group of policy experts tell us why the TCEQ Sunset Review is the crucial opportunity for environmental change in our state this year. And we’re lucky to have outstanding organizers from around the state already on board to bring their communities together on this campaign. Learn how you can make the difference this year.

6:30-6:40 Welcome & Introductions – Lize Burr, Alliance for a Clean Texas
Donna Hoffman, Sierra Club

6:40-6:50 Overview: TCEQ Sunset Review – Bee Moorhead, Texas Impact

6:50-6:55 Recent Events
• EPA Actions on TCEQ Air Permitting – Ilan Levin, Environmental Integrity Project
• Air Monitoring of Barnett Shale – Ramon Alvarez, Environmental Defense Fund

6:55-7:10 TCEQ Sunset Issue Areas & Recommendations
• Air Quality – Matthew Tejada, Air Alliance Houston
• Waste & Recycling – Robin Schneider, Texas Campaign for the Environment
• Water Quality — Eric Allmon, Law Office of Lowerre, Frederick
• Public Participation, Accountability & the Office of Public Interest Counsel – Eric Allmon

7:10-7:15 ACT’s “Make Pollution History!” TCEQ Sunset Campaign – Lize Burr

7:15-7:20 Resources for Organizations & Individuals – Donna Hoffman

7:20 Wrap Up – Lize Burr

ACT organizations around the state are working together to make this a milestone year for environmental protection in Texas. The Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ) is currently under review by the Texas Sunset Advisory Commission. Now is the time to turn our concerns about how TCEQ does and does not do its job of protecting our environment and our health into real, lasting reform.  It’s a chance that comes only once a decade.  We’re coming together so our lawmakers know that Texans all over the state want the same thing–clean air, clean water and the safe disposal of waste–and expect their state environmental agency to do the job.

The June 10th call kicks off our campaign. We’ll explain the sunset process, hear from policy experts, and talk about what activists around the state are doing to involve and inspire their communities. We’re especially excited to introduce the TCEQ Sunset Town Halls–a series of events that environmental organizations throughout Texas are planning for early fall.  Right now, town halls are in the works all over the state–from Brownsville to Abilene, Nacogdoches to El Paso. Find out if one is planned for your community–and learn how you can help organize one.

Here are the details for the call:

What: TCEQ Sunset Campaign Information Call

When: Thursday June 10 6:30-7:30

Who: All Texans Standing Up for the Environment, for Public Health and for a Stronger TCEQ

Why: To learn about the TCEQ Sunset review and why reforming the TCEQ is the biggest environmental campaign of the year

How: At 6:30 p.m. on June 10th, call 866-501-6174.  The access code for the call is 31794011892 The call will last one hour.

The PUC staff report also includes the staff reports on the Office of Public Utility Counsel and Electricity Reliability Council of Texas (ERCOT). Taken together, the report provides an overview of most of the issues involved in electric utilities–with the exception of permitting new electric plants which is a TCEQ activity. Several ACT member organizations will comment on the PUC staff report as part of their clean energy advocacy programs and will testify at the public hearing.

The PUC staff report differs from the other staff reports already published in that it raises fewer issues and contains fewer detailed recommendations than most. This difference is explained, however, in the third and final PUC issue:

Consider the Administrative Structure of Utility Regulation
Following Reviews of the Railroad Commission of Texas and the
Texas Commission on Environmental Quality.

The review of PUC identified the need to evaluate the consolidation of PUC programs in some fashion with gas and water utility regulation at the Railroad Commission of Texas (RRC) or the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ). The decision to consolidate these functions should occur only with identification of clear benefits from improved oversight, realistic cost savings, or more efficient administration. The potential for merger options to meet these criteria could be best determined during this biennium’s Sunset reviews of RRC and TCEQ after the opportunity for a full evaluation

This recommendation illustrates the interrelatedness of the agencies currently under sunset review. Along with the Water Development Board and the Soil Conservation Board, these agencies are responsible for handling our environment, our energy needs, and our water needs. As those of us who are committed to protecting public health and promoting the long range sustainability of our environment know, these agencies play crucial roles in the future of our state. We welcome the opportunity to voice our concerns about current agency practices and to share our recommendations for regulatory actions that the sunset review process provides.

But what’s missing from the left column is the scoop on what’s sure to be the Texas environmental story of the year: 2010 is the most important year in a decade for Texans who care about the health and future of our state.

At the center of each of these stories is the state agency in charge of enforcing the laws meant to keep our air and water clean—the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ). Each story describes the agency’s crucial role in protecting the health and environment of Texas–and its troubling tendencies to allow businesses to endanger the quality of our air and water.

What makes 2010 so important is that this year, the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality is under review to determine how well it is performing its job. This review is conducted by the Texas Sunset Commission. The Sunset review process (often referred to as being “under Sunset”) is a regular part of Texas state government. All state agencies undergo Sunset review, generally in a 13 year cycle.

In its special session last July, the Legislature decided to move the TCEQ sunset from 2013 to 2011 (that’s the year the Legislature will take up the bill to renew the agency). This change in schedule means that Texans who expect their environmental agency to enforce environmental laws and to protect their health have the opportunity to advocate for needed changes at TCEQ this year as part of the sunset review process.

There’s not a story about the environment in Texas that doesn’t involve TCEQ. Not one about solid waste dumps or coal plant permits or smog-creating refineries. Not one about aquifers or the Asarco smelter or whooping cranes. They all involve TCEQ and its decisions about permits and actions to enforce existing laws. TCEQ is the most important environmental actor in the state of Texas. And 2010 is the year that we’ll ask it to stand up for Texas.

Even though the Texas House has been at a vitrual standstill over the past three days, believe it or not, there’s still time enough for the House to take up this bill. The deadline for Senate bills to pass to second reading in the House is midnight on Tuesday May 26th. Here’s what you can do right now to help Texas go solar in 2009.

Please contact your representative to let her or him know that you support SB 545. Texas can be the nation’s leader in renewable energy if we make this commitment right now. Making solar and other renewable energy a part of Texas’ energy future will benefit both our economy and our environment. 2009 is the year for Texas to take bold action on this crucial issue.

Contact information for each representative is available here. You may also find out who represents you if you’re not sure.

Thank you for your help on this important bill. We’ll continue to update the ACT website regularly and post breaking news on Twitter.

Representative Anchia’s trio of energy efficiency bills remain a top priority. By passing these, the House will enable Texas to adopt a set of efficiency measures that will help lower emissions by decreasing the overall demand for electricity.

Energy Efficiency:

Renewable Energy:

Clean Air:

To receive updates on the debate and votes, follow ACT on Twitter. To receive action alerts on ACT priority legislation, join our mailing list. ]]> http://www.acttexas.org/2009/05/12/important-bills-on-house-calendar-today-may-12/feed/ 0 http://www.acttexas.org/2009/05/11/great-news-senate-passes-sb-541-24-7/ http://www.acttexas.org/2009/05/11/great-news-senate-passes-sb-541-24-7/#comments Mon, 11 May 2009 20:56:53 +0000 lize http://www.acttexas.org/?p=996 This afternoon, the Texas Senate took a major step toward a cleaner, healthier future for our state when it voted in favor of Senator Watson’s SB 541. This bill would require electric companies to develop utility-scale solar, geothermal and biomass energy. SB 541 is one of the two major renewable energy bills supported by ACT this session. (The other is Senator Fraser’s SB 545.)

ACT would like to thank Senator Watson for his leadership in renewable energy this session. This afternoon, he strongly advocated for this bill as a measure that will help Texas meet the challenges on the horizon in the energy industry. We couldn’t agree more.