TCEQ Released Compliance History Rule Proposal
The Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ) has released an updated draft rule for proposed changes to the agency’s Compliance History process. The updated draft rule proposal amends 30 Texas Administrative Code 60 to create a new subsection entitled 60.4 Site Reclassification Due to Exigent Circumstances. This classification […]
RRC Adopted Critical Infrastructure Designation Rule
At its open meeting on November 30, 2021, the Railroad Commission adopted new rule 16 TAC §3.65 and amendments to 16 TAC §3.107 regarding critical infrastructure designation pursuant to SB 3 and HB 3648 (87R). Through these rules, only small and low-producing gas wells can opt out […]
TWC Adopts No New Increases to Employer Tax Rates for 2022
The Texas Workforce Commission (TWC) set unemployment insurance (UI) tax rates for 2022 at a stable level to avoid burdening Texas businesses with a significant increase of taxes resulting from pandemic-related closures outside of their control. This action is a result of the statutory authority […]
Comptroller Announces Transfer of $2.9 Billion to State Highway and Rainy Day Funds
Comptroller Glenn Hegar announced he has completed the transfer of more than $2.91 billion into the State Highway Fund (SHF) and the Economic Stabilization Fund (ESF; commonly known as the “Rainy Day Fund”). Each fund received nearly $1.46 billion, or 50% of the total transfer. When fiscal 2021 ended […]
Railroad Commission – November 30, 2021
The Railroad Commission met on November 30 to discuss and adopt rules relating to the designation of critical natural gas infrastructure. A video archive of the meeting can be found here. Discussions between RRC staff and Commissioners highlighted the following:
- The RRC has tightened its policies related to designating […]
Public Utility Commission Work Session – November 30, 2021
The PUC held a work session on November 30th to discuss alternative ratemaking mechanisms for water and sewer utilities, electric service emergency operations plans, administrative penalty authority, and critical natural gas facilities/entities. The video archive and agenda of the meeting can be found here.
This report is intended to give […]
Summary of FERC and NERC Report on the February 2021 Outages Report Dated November 16, 2021
Link to report: https://www.ferc.gov/media/february-2021-cold-weather-outages-texas-and-south-central-united-states-ferc-nerc-and
From Appendix B:
Summary:
The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) and North American Electric Reliability Corporation (NERC) performed its own study of the February winter storm, and this report is the most comprehensive of any report to […]
PUC Commissioner McAdams Memo on Dispatchable Energy Credits
In a November 17th memo to Public Utility Commission (PUC), Commissioner Will McAdams has proposed that the PUC adopt a Dispatchable Portfolio Standard (DPS) to address reliability in ERCOT, as an alternative to the Load Serving Entity (LSE) capacity obligation. The proposal would create Dispatchable Energy Credits for certain […]
TCEQ Adds Continuous Air Monitoring Station near Houston Ship Channel
TCEQ has installed a new continuous air monitoring station in the Manchester community of Houston to provide more data on volatile organic compounds to those living near the Houston Ship Channel.
The new monitoring station has an automated gas chromatograph to provide continuous volatile organic compound measurements to the residents of […]
EPA and Army Take Action on the Definition of WOTUS
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and U.S. Department of the Army (the agencies) announced a proposed rule to re-establish the pre-2015 definition of “waters of the United States” (WOTUS) which had been in place for decades, updated to reflect consideration of Supreme Court decisions. This proposed rule would […]