Bill Text: TX HB4599 | 2019-2020 | 86th Legislature | Introduced
Bill Title: Relating to the establishment and implementation by the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality of a program to reduce the emissions of greenhouse gases in this state; authorizing a fee.
Sponsorship: Partisan Bill (Democrat 1)
Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2019-03-26 - Referred to Environmental Regulation [HB4599 Detail]
Download: Texas-2019-HB4599-Introduced.html
| By: Blanco | H.B. No. 4599 | |
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| relating to the establishment and implementation by the Texas | ||
| Commission on Environmental Quality of a program to reduce the | ||
| emissions of greenhouse gases in this state; authorizing a fee. | ||
| BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: | ||
| SECTION 1. Subtitle C, Title 5, Health and Safety Code, is | ||
| amended by adding Chapter 396 to read as follows: | ||
| CHAPTER 396. GREENHOUSE GAS EMISSIONS REDUCTION PROGRAM | ||
| Sec. 396.0101. DEFINITIONS. In this chapter: | ||
| (1) "Carbon dioxide equivalent emissions" means the | ||
| number of metric tons of emissions of carbon dioxide that has the | ||
| same global warming potential as one metric ton of a compared | ||
| greenhouse gas. | ||
| (2) "Commission" means the Texas Commission on | ||
| Environmental Quality. | ||
| (3) "Covered entity" means: | ||
| (A) an entity permitted under Section 382.05102 | ||
| in a manner consistent with Section 382.051; and | ||
| (B) an entity or class of entities that, as | ||
| determined by the commission, is transporting, selling, or | ||
| otherwise using a covered fuel in a manner that emits a greenhouse | ||
| gas into the atmosphere. | ||
| (4) "Covered fuel" means crude oil, natural gas, coal, | ||
| or another product derived from crude oil, natural gas, biofuel or | ||
| coal that is used in a manner that emits greenhouse gases into the | ||
| atmosphere. | ||
| (5) "Greenhouse gas" includes carbon dioxide, | ||
| methane, nitrous oxide, sulfur hexafluoride, hydrofluorocarbons, | ||
| and perfluorocarbons. | ||
| Sec. 396.0102. GREENHOUSE GAS EMISSIONS REDUCTION PROGRAM; | ||
| FEE. The commission by rule shall establish a program that: | ||
| (1) reduces emissions of greenhouse gases in this | ||
| state; | ||
| (2) imposes a fee on emissions resulting from the use | ||
| or transfer of a covered fuel by a covered entity; and | ||
| (3) issues payments for facilities that capture and | ||
| sequester carbon dioxide. | ||
| Sec. 396.0103. FEE AMOUNT AND RATE. (a) The commission | ||
| shall impose a fee on the emission of a greenhouse gas in this state | ||
| for each metric ton of carbon dioxide equivalent emissions of the | ||
| greenhouse gas multiplied by the fee rate. | ||
| (b) The commission by rule shall establish a fee rate of not | ||
| less than $5. | ||
| Sec. 396.0104. DISPOSITION OF FEE. The commission shall | ||
| deposit to the credit of the emissions fee account the fees | ||
| collected under this chapter. | ||
| Sec. 396.0105. EMISSIONS FEE ACCOUNT. (a) The emissions | ||
| fee account is an account in the general revenue fund. | ||
| (b) The account is administered by the commission for the | ||
| benefit of the program established under this chapter. Interest | ||
| earned on the account is credited to the account. | ||
| (c) The account consists of fees deposited to the credit of | ||
| the account under Section 396.0104 and any other money appropriated | ||
| or transferred to the account. | ||
| (d) Money in the account may be used only for: | ||
| (1) payments made under Section 396.0107; | ||
| (2) administration of the program established under | ||
| this chapter; or | ||
| (3) other programs to reduce the emissions of | ||
| greenhouse gases in this state. | ||
| Sec. 396.0106. FEE EXEMPTIONS. The commission: | ||
| (1) shall exempt agricultural uses of covered fuel | ||
| from payment of the fee imposed under Section 396.0103; and | ||
| (2) may establish other appropriate exemptions under | ||
| the program. | ||
| Sec. 396.0107. SEQUESTRATION PAYMENTS. (a) The commission | ||
| shall pay to a facility that captures and sequesters carbon dioxide | ||
| an amount equal to the metric tons of carbon dioxide captured and | ||
| sequestered multiplied by the rate established under Section | ||
| 396.0103(b). | ||
| Sec. 396.0108. EMISSIONS REDUCTION SCHEDULE. The | ||
| commission shall establish a schedule for annual reductions of | ||
| emissions of greenhouse gases. | ||
| Sec. 396.0109. TERMINATION OF FEE. The commission may not | ||
| collect a fee under Section 396.0103 or make a payment under Section | ||
| 396.0107 if the executive director of the commission determines | ||
| that the actual emissions of greenhouse gases from covered fuels is | ||
| not more than 10 percent of the emissions of greenhouse gases from | ||
| covered fuels during the year 2016. | ||
| SECTION 2. This Act takes effect September 1, 2019. | ||
