LEGISLATIVE BUDGET BOARD
Austin, Texas
 
FISCAL NOTE, 83RD LEGISLATIVE REGULAR SESSION
 
May 13, 2013

TO:
Honorable Jim Keffer, Chair, House Committee on Energy Resources
 
FROM:
Ursula Parks, Director, Legislative Budget Board
 
IN RE:
SB514 by Davis (Relating to the installation, maintenance, operation, and relocation of saltwater pipeline facilities.), Committee Report 2nd House, Substituted

No significant fiscal implication to the State is anticipated.

The bill would allow a saltwater pipeline operator to install, maintain, and operate a saltwater pipeline facility, as defined by the bill, through, under, along, across, or over a public road only if the pipeline facility complies with applicable saltwater safety regulations relating to saltwater pipeline facilities; and rules adopted by the commission and the Texas Transportation Commission and applicable federal, county, and municipal regulations regarding the accommodation of utility facilities on a public road or right-of-way, including regulations relating to the horizontal or vertical placement of the pipeline facility; and the saltwater pipeline operator ensures that the public road and associated facilities are promptly restored to their former condition of usefulness after the installation or maintenance of the pipeline facility is complete. The bill would specify that the bill would not provide authority to a muncipality to regulate the use of a pubic right-or-way by a saltwater pipeline operator.

The Railroad Commission reports that passage of the bill would not have a significant fiscal impact on the agency.

Regarding impacts of the bill to the Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT), Transportation Code, Section 203.092, requires a utility to make a relocation of a utility facility at the expense of the state if relocation of the utility facility is required by improvement of interstate highways, toll projects, and related easements. TxDOT indicates that the agency's cost for such projects could increase if the projects would require the relocation of a saltwater pipeline facility. This analysis assumes that any additional costs for the relocation would be accommodated within the agency's existing highway planning and construction funds.


Local Government Impact

No significant fiscal implication to units of local government is anticipated.


Source Agencies:
455 Railroad Commission, 601 Department of Transportation
LBB Staff:
UP, SZ, TL, TP