Bill Text: TX SB622 | 2021-2022 | 87th Legislature | Introduced
Bill Title: Relating to the new technology implementation grant program.
Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 1-0)
Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2021-03-11 - Referred to Natural Resources & Economic Development [SB622 Detail]
Download: Texas-2021-SB622-Introduced.html
By: Gutierrez | S.B. No. 622 | |
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relating to the new technology implementation grant program. | ||
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: | ||
SECTION 1. Section 386.252(a), Health and Safety Code, is | ||
amended to read as follows: | ||
Sec. 386.252. USE OF FUND. (a) Money in the fund may be | ||
used only to implement and administer programs established under | ||
the plan. Subject to the reallocation of funds by the commission | ||
under Subsection (h), money appropriated to the commission to be | ||
used for the programs under Section 386.051(b) shall initially be | ||
allocated as follows: | ||
(1) four percent may be used for the clean school bus | ||
program under Chapter 390; | ||
(2) six [ |
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technology implementation grant program under Chapter 391, from | ||
which at least $1 million will be set aside for electricity storage | ||
projects related to renewable energy; | ||
(3) two [ |
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program under Chapter 392; | ||
(4) not more than $3 million may be used by the | ||
commission to fund a regional air monitoring program in commission | ||
Regions 3 and 4 to be implemented under the commission's oversight, | ||
including direction regarding the type, number, location, and | ||
operation of, and data validation practices for, monitors funded by | ||
the program through a regional nonprofit entity located in North | ||
Texas having representation from counties, municipalities, higher | ||
education institutions, and private sector interests across the | ||
area; | ||
(5) 10 percent may be used for the Texas natural gas | ||
vehicle grant program under Chapter 394; | ||
(6) not more than $6 million may be used for the Texas | ||
alternative fueling facilities program under Chapter 393, of which | ||
a specified amount may be used for fueling stations to provide | ||
natural gas fuel, except that money may not be allocated for the | ||
Texas alternative fueling facilities program for the state fiscal | ||
year ending August 31, 2019; | ||
(7) not more than $750,000 may be used each year to | ||
support research related to air quality as provided by Chapter 387; | ||
(8) not more than $200,000 may be used for a health | ||
effects study; | ||
(9) at least $6 million but not more than $8 million is | ||
allocated to the commission for administrative costs, including all | ||
direct and indirect costs for administering the plan, costs for | ||
conducting outreach and education activities, and costs | ||
attributable to the review or approval of applications for | ||
marketable emissions reduction credits; | ||
(10) six percent may be used by the commission for the | ||
seaport and rail yard areas emissions reduction program established | ||
under Subchapter D-1; | ||
(11) five percent may be used for the light-duty motor | ||
vehicle purchase or lease incentive program established under | ||
Subchapter D; | ||
(12) not more than $216,000 is allocated to the | ||
commission to contract with the Energy Systems Laboratory at the | ||
Texas A&M Engineering Experiment Station annually for the | ||
development and annual computation of creditable statewide | ||
emissions reductions obtained through wind and other renewable | ||
energy resources for the state implementation plan; | ||
(13) not more than $500,000 may be used for studies of | ||
or pilot programs for incentives for port authorities located in | ||
nonattainment areas or affected counties to encourage cargo | ||
movement that reduces emissions of nitrogen oxides and particulate | ||
matter; and | ||
(14) the balance is to be used by the commission for | ||
the diesel emissions reduction incentive program under Subchapter C | ||
as determined by the commission. | ||
SECTION 2. Section 391.002, Health and Safety Code, is | ||
amended to read as follows: | ||
Sec. 391.002. GRANT PROGRAM. (a) The commission shall | ||
establish and administer a new technology implementation grant | ||
program to assist the implementation of new technologies to reduce | ||
emissions from facilities and other stationary sources in this | ||
state. The commission may establish a minimum capital expenditure | ||
threshold for projects under Subsection (b)(2). Under the program, | ||
the commission shall provide grants or other financial incentives | ||
for eligible projects to offset the incremental cost of emissions | ||
reductions. | ||
(b) Projects that may be considered for a grant under the | ||
program include: | ||
(1) advanced clean energy projects, as defined by | ||
Section 382.003; | ||
(2) new technology projects that reduce emissions of | ||
regulated pollutants from stationary sources; | ||
(3) new technology projects that reduce emissions from | ||
upstream and midstream oil and gas production, completions, | ||
gathering, storage, processing, and transmission activities | ||
through: | ||
(A) the replacement, repower, or retrofit of | ||
stationary compressor engines; | ||
(B) the installation of systems to reduce or | ||
eliminate the loss of gas, flaring of gas, or burning of gas using | ||
other combustion control devices; or | ||
(C) the installation of systems that reduce | ||
flaring emissions and other site emissions [ |
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(4) electricity storage projects related to renewable | ||
energy, including projects to store electricity produced from wind | ||
and solar generation that provide efficient means of making the | ||
stored energy available during periods of peak energy use. | ||
SECTION 3. Section 391.205, Health and Safety Code, is | ||
amended to read as follows: | ||
Sec. 391.205. PREFERENCES. (a) Except as provided by | ||
Subsection (c), in awarding grants under this chapter the | ||
commission shall give preference to projects that: | ||
(1) involve the transport, use, recovery for use, or | ||
prevention of the loss of natural resources originating or produced | ||
in this state; | ||
(2) contain an energy efficiency component; | ||
(3) include the use of solar, wind, or other renewable | ||
energy sources; [ |
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(4) recover waste heat from the combustion of natural | ||
resources and use the heat to generate electricity; or | ||
(5) systems that reduce flaring emissions and other | ||
site emissions. | ||
(b) Projects that include more than one of the criteria | ||
described by Subsection (a) shall be given a greater preference in | ||
the award of grants under this chapter. | ||
(c) The commission may give preference under Subsection (a) | ||
only if the cost-effectiveness and emission performance of the | ||
project are comparable to those of a project not claiming a | ||
preference described by that subsection. | ||
SECTION 4. Section 391.301, Health and Safety Code, is | ||
amended to read as follows: | ||
Sec. 391.301. RESTRICTION ON USE OF GRANT. A recipient of a | ||
grant under this chapter must use the grant to pay the incremental | ||
costs of the purchase, rental and installation of the project for | ||
which the grant is made, which may include reasonable and necessary | ||
expenses for the labor needed to install emissions-reducing | ||
equipment. [ |
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SECTION 5. The changes in law made by this Act apply only to | ||
a Texas emissions reduction plan grant awarded on or after the | ||
effective date of this Act. A grant awarded before the effective | ||
date of this Act is governed by the law in effect on the date the | ||
award was made, and the former law is continued in effect for that | ||
purpose. | ||
SECTION 6. This Act takes effect September 1, 2021. |