AIPG-Texas - AIPG-TX

The Wise Report

Editorial comment: The Texas legislative session is drawing to a close and bills are being sent to the Governor for his signature. Once sent to him, he has 10 days to sign, veto, or allow to pass without his signature. The most closely watched bill this year was HB 1311 (relating to the continuation and functions of the Texas Board of Professional Geoscientists (TBPG)), which passed without the Governor’s signature. I want to thank the Texas Geoscience Council (TGC) for taking on and leading the herculean task of assuring the continuation of the TBPG (full disclosure, I am on [...]

By admin|2025-08-04T17:24:18-05:00May 25th, 2019|AIPG-TX News|

The Wise Report

The State Legislature is now in session and bills are being filed and worked on. New information is listed in bold (0 new bills listed): HB 223, by Reynolds, Relating to the funding through greenhouse gas emissions fees of energy efficiency programs administered by certain utilities; authorizing a fee. Referred to State Affairs, 2/19/2019. For more information go to: https://capitol.texas.gov/BillLookup/history.aspx?LegSess=86R&Bill=HB223 HB 225, by Reynolds, Relating to the analysis of inspection and maintenance requirements for air quality permits issued by the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality for certain oil and gas facilities. Regulates fugitive emissions from all oil field equipment, [...]

By admin|2025-08-04T17:24:56-05:00May 12th, 2019|AIPG-TX News|

Good News: HB 1311 passes!

HB 1311, the bill to continue the regulation and functions of the Texas Board of Professional Geoscientists, has been passed in both the House of Representatives and the Senate. The bill now awaits approval from Governor Abbott.

By admin|2025-08-04T17:26:02-05:00May 8th, 2019|AIPG-TX News|

The Wise Report

The State Legislature is now in session and bills are being filed and worked on. New information is listed in bold (0 new bills listed): HB 223, by Reynolds, Relating to the funding through greenhouse gas emissions fees of energy efficiency programs administered by certain utilities; authorizing a fee. Referred to State Affairs, 2/19/2019. For more information go to: https://capitol.texas.gov/BillLookup/history.aspx?LegSess=86R&Bill=HB223 HB 225, by Reynolds, Relating to the analysis of inspection and maintenance requirements for air quality permits issued by the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality for certain oil and gas facilities. Regulates fugitive emissions from all oil field equipment, [...]

By admin|2025-08-04T17:26:37-05:00May 7th, 2019|AIPG-TX News|

Status of TBPG Legislation: So Far, So Good

See Status of TBPG Legislation: https://capitol.texas.gov/mytlo/mobile/BillHistory.aspx?LegSess=86R&Bill=HB%201311 Bill Language: https://capitol.texas.gov/tlodocs/86R/billtext/pdf/HB01311I.pdf

By Editor|2025-08-04T17:37:01-05:00April 30th, 2019|AIPG-TX News|

The Wise Report

On April 12, 2019, the TCEQ Laboratory Accreditation Program issued a revision to its Fields of Accreditation (FoAs) to include the following analytical methods: EPA 608.3, EPA 624.1, and EPA 625.1 in Non-Potable Water; and SM 4500-Cl¯ B, and ASTM D516-11 in Drinking Water. The fields were revised to incorporate revised methods from the most recent Method Update Rule (MUR) and add methods requested by the TCEQ Drinking Water Program. The additional methods and analytes are shown in Appendix A (https://www.tceq.texas.gov/assets/public/compliance/compliance_support/qa/mur_fields.pdf). The TCEQ Water Quality Division (WQD) will accept analytical data from accredited and in-house laboratories based on [...]

By admin|2025-08-04T17:37:48-05:00April 20th, 2019|AIPG-TX News|

Texas Legislature Hearing on HB-1311

All Texas AIPG Members: The following link is streaming video from hearings on HB-1311, regarding the Texas Board Professional Geoscientists (TBPG) in Austin, Texas: http://tlcsenate.granicus.com/MediaPlayer.php?view_id=45&clip_id=14257 The pertinent testimony begins at 1 hr., 8 minutes, and runs through 1 hr., 32 minutes. See the time bar below the screen to adjust the time into the video. See Texas House Bill citation: HB 1311, by Senfronia Thompson, Flynn, Lambert, Paddie, Nevarez, Watson, identical to SB 609, Relating to the continuation and functions of the Texas Board of Professional Geoscientists. Scheduled for public hearing on 4/16/2019. https://capitol.texas.gov/BillLookup/history.aspx?LegSess=86R&Bill=HB1311 See Texas Senate Bill citation: SB [...]

By Editor|2025-08-04T17:38:20-05:00April 16th, 2019|AIPG-TX News|

The Wise Report

The State Legislature is now in session and bills are being filed and worked on. See Highlighted HB and SB concerning the Texas Board of Professional Geoscientists. New information is listed in bold (0 new bills listed): HOUSE BILLS: HB 223, by Reynolds, Relating to the funding through greenhouse gas emissions fees of energy efficiency programs administered by certain utilities; authorizing a fee. Referred to State Affairs, 2/19/2019. For more information go to: https://capitol.texas.gov/BillLookup/history.aspx?LegSess=86R&Bill=HB223 HB 225, by Reynolds, Relating to the analysis of inspection and maintenance requirements for air quality permits issued by the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality [...]

By admin|2025-08-04T17:46:43-05:00April 13th, 2019|AIPG-TX News|

The Wise Report

The Memoranda of Understanding (MOU) between the Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT) and the Texas Commission of Environmental Quality (TCEQ) is under review, as required every five years. This MOU addresses the TCEQ's environmental reviews of TxDOT highway (transportation) projects. The updated MOU removes unnecessary definitions and simplifies the coordination process, so that coordination is only required on transportation projects that require environmental impact statements, supplemental environmental impact statements, or environmental assessments. The public comment period is April 12 to May 13, 2019. The public hearing date is anticipated to be May 9, 2019. For more information go to: [...]

By admin|2025-08-04T20:25:37-05:00March 31st, 2019|AIPG-TX News|

Update: Monitoring House Bill Activities

MARCH 31 UPDATE: MONITORING HOUSE BILL ACTIVITIES: https://capitol.texas.gov/BillLookup/BillStages.aspx?LegSess=86R&Bill=HB1311 Henry M. Wise, President of AIPG Texas Section, has heard from his contacts that now is the time. The final stretch of getting the amended Texas Geoscience Act reauthorized is here. Senate and House Bill 1311 currently being considered by the Licensing and Administrative Procedures Committee and will be voted on in the immediate future, even as early as tomorrow. As with most of life, timing is everything. TGC has been following the lead of our lobbyist about when the proper time would be for us to call our representatives to [...]

By Editor|2025-08-04T17:48:23-05:00March 31st, 2019|AIPG-TX News|