This Week At The Capitol With Texas Rep. Zwiener

Rep. Zwiener’s Light Pollution Bill to be Heard Wednesday

Austin, TX — Wednesday, the Texas House Ways and Means Committee will hear Rep. Zwiener’s House Bill 4158, on the topic of light pollution reduction and dark sky preservation. Specifically, the bill would allow those municipalities that have applied for and received an International Dark Sky Community Designation the option to use revenue from the municipal hotel occupancy tax to go toward construction and maintenance of infrastructure which reduces light pollution and sky glow.

Rep. Zwiener Joint-Authors Bipartisan Bill on Aggregate Production

Austin, TX — On Tuesday, the House Energy Resources Committee heard testimony on House Bill 509, which would provide additional oversight for the aggregate industry, which includes gravel puts, stone crushers, and concrete batch plants.

Authored by Representative Terry Wilson (R-Marble Falls) and joint-authored by Representative Erin Zwiener (D-Driftwood), HB 509 would create an umbrella permit for aggregate production operators (APOs) under the Texas Railroad Commission.

“Though most operators follow the law and are good neighbors, I’ve heard from dozens of constituents about bad actors who skirt the law, avoid getting necessary permits, and drastically damage the quality of life for their neighbors,” Rep. Zwiener said. “I am grateful for the chance to work on this bill with Representative Wilson to ensure that every gravel pit, concrete batch plant, or stone crusher is a good neighbor.”

Among other measures, the bill would require that the general operating permit contain provisions for air quality monitoring, acceleration and deceleration lanes for commercial vehicles, and a study or proof of permit from a Groundwater Conservation District ensuring the use of groundwater will not endanger supply levels for surrounding residents. Noncompliance could result in fines or the general operating permit being revoked. HB 509 is now pending in committee.

Rep. Zwiener’s New Bill Would Fund Pipeline Emergency Preparations

Austin, TX — Today at the Texas State Capitol, State Rep. Erin Zwiener (D-Driftwood) laid out House Bill 4060 to ensure prompt and proper response to emergencies involving large gas pipelines. By promoting and providing a source for funding pipeline emergency preparedness, HB 4060 will help protect the safety of residents in the case of a pipeline spill, leak, or explosion.

“Communities are forced to deal with these large pipelines without any input in the routing process,” said Rep. Zwiener. “Texas landowners are rightfully worried about what happens in the unfortunate instance of a pipeline accident. By establishing and funding a pipeline emergency preparedness grant program, we are protecting their futures and assuaging their fears.”

Funds awarded by the pipeline emergency preparedness grant program would go toward emergency preparedness expenses such as those incurred during the creation of an evacuation plan for pipeline-related emergencies. There are over 2600 landowners in the designated pipeline evacuation zone in House District 45 alone.

42 Texans came to the capitol to drop cards in support of the bill, seven of whom testified in front of the Energy Resources Committee. The bill was laid out by Rep. Zwiener and is now pending in committee.

Four other pipeline-related bills were laid out before the House Energy Resource Committee today: Rep. Zwiener’s HB 4423 and HB 864, 866, and 868 authored by Rep. Rafael Anchia (D-Dallas). Rep. Zwiener is a co-author on all three.

Other background: Kinder Morgan is planning a 430-mile pipeline that would run from West Texas near to the Houston suburb of Katy. The pipeline would cut through the Hill Country in Hays and Blanco Counties—the heart of Rep. Zwiener’s House District 45.

Local jurisdictions in and near House District 45 that have each passed resolutions against the Kinder Morgan Pipeline include:

• Hays County
• Gillespie County
• City of Kyle
• City of Buda
• City of San Marcos
• City of Wimberley
• City of Woodcreek
• Hays Trinity Groundwater Conservation District
• Barton Springs Edwards Aquifer Conservation District
• Hill Country Underground Water District
• Fredericksburg Convention and Visitors Bureau
• Hays CISD

Representative Erin Zwiener Lays Out Bill on
Land Restoration After Pipeline Construction

Austin, TX — Constructing a pipeline, like building a road, requires an area of land to be disturbed. But sometimes the pipeline company doesn’t restore that land properly. State Representative Zwiener (D-Driftwood) laid out House Bill 4423 today in front of the House Committee on Energy Resources this afternoon, which seeks to ensure proper surface remediation and land restoration for landowners whose land was taken for the construction of a pipeline. Specifically, HB 4423 establishes a grant program to address land restoration issues such as erosion control, soil replacement, and vegetation re-establishment over disturbed areas.

“Landowners currently don’t have assurances that their land, which was taken under threat of eminent domain, will be returned to its proper condition,” said Rep. Zwiener. “With this bill, we are standing up for Texas landowners whose property is disturbed by the construction of pipelines without a choice in the matter.”

60 Texans traveled to the capitol to log their positions on HB 4423, 51 of whom supported the bill. The bill was laid out before the House Energy Resources Committee and joined four other pipeline-related bills: Rep. Zwiener’s HB 4060 as well as Rep. Rafael Anchia’s (D-Dallas) HB 864, HB 866, and HB 868. Rep Zwiener is a co-author on all three.

Other background: Kinder Morgan is planning a 430-mile pipeline that would run from West Texas near to the Houston suburb of Katy. The pipeline would cut through the Hill Country and Hays County landscape — the heart of Rep. Zwiener’s House District 45.

Local jurisdictions in and near House District 45 that have each passed resolutions against the Kinder Morgan Pipeline include:

• Hays County
• Gillespie County
• City of Kyle
• City of Buda
• City of San Marcos
• City of Wimberley
• City of Woodcreek
• Hays Trinity Groundwater Conservation District
• Barton Springs Edwards Aquifer Conservation District
• Hill Country Underground Water District
• Fredericksburg Convention and Visitors Bureau
• Hays CISD