Senator's bill would fine Texans for multiple environmental complaints that don't lead to enforcemen
Under a bill filed in the Texas Senate, residents like Hunter could face fines if they make three or more complaints to environmental regulators in a calendar year and their complaints don’t result in an enforcement action. Senate Bill 471, filed by Republican Sen. Drew Springer of Muenster, doesn’t specify the amount of the fine but says it would be “less than or equal to the cost” of investigating the complaint.
Under the bill, TCEQ would decide when to pursue fines against residents and the amount of the fine.
In a March hearing of the Senate Committee on Water, Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Springer said the bill targets “abusive” complaints that “weaponize the system.”
“The state would be better served investigating other things that the agency sees as potentially a real threat to our environment,” Springer told the committee.
Each year, TCEQ conducts more than 100,000 investigations, issues thousands of violation notices, assesses millions of dollars in administrative penalties, and provides compliance support to thousands of small businesses and local governments, according to an email from TCEQ spokesperson Victoria Cann. TCEQ received 9,440 complaints in fiscal year 2021 and 10,070 in fiscal 2022, according to its biennial report to the Legislature.
https://www.texastribune.org/2023/04/17/texas-senate-bill-471-tceq-complaints-pollution/
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