SS HCS HB 661 -- NATURAL RESOURCE PROGRAMS

This bill changes the laws regarding programs administered by the
Department of Natural Resources.  In its main provisions, the
bill:

(1)  Extends the expiration date from January 1, 2010, to
January 1, 2015, for the collection of the tire disposal fee in
Section 260.273, RSMo;

(2)  Increases from 5% to 45% the maximum funding from tire fees
for grants to individuals using products derived from waste tires
or using used waste tires for fuel or fuel supplements;

(3)  Increases from 25% to 50% the maximum funding from the tire
fees for the administration of various tire-related programs;

(4)  Allows charitable, fraternal, and other nonprofit
organizations that voluntarily clean up land or water resources
to be reimbursed if funds are available for the disposal costs of
scrap tires collected during these activities and allows, subject
to the availability of funds, municipal and county governments
that voluntarily clean up illegal tire dumps to be reimbursed for
the disposal costs of scrap tires;

(5)  Removes the provision requiring the department to report to
the General Assembly by January 1, 2009, a complete accounting of
tire cleanup projects that are in progress or that have been
completed, the costs of the cleanups, and enforcement actions
completed or initiated to address waste tires;

(6)  Specifies that a coal-fired electric generating facility
that burns tire-derived fuel will not be considered a scrap tire
site or solid waste disposal area for regulation purposes;

(7)  Prohibits the Metropolitan St. Louis Sewer District from
assessing a district residential property owner any fee, charge,
or tax for storm water management services if the district does
not directly provide sanitary sewer services to the property and
the storm water runoff from the property does not flow or is not
otherwise conveyed to a sewer maintained by the district;

(8)  Allows the state to distribute economic stimulus funds
provided under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of
2009, commonly known as the federal economic stimulus act, to
local governments, public water or sewer districts, and other
eligible entities to assist in the construction of public
drinking water and water pollution control projects as authorized
in the federal Safe Drinking Water Act or by the Clean Water
Commission;

(9)  Allows the department to analyze the potential for increased
utilization of landfill gas and projects to reduce and capture
methane and other greenhouse gas emissions from landfills as an
alternative energy source;

(10)  Authorizes the department to enter into cooperative
agreements with other states, political subdivisions, private
entities, and educational institutions in order to seek and
obtain federal grants;

(11)  Allows funds appropriated to the department for
energy-related activities to be used to carry out agreements,
contracts, subgrants, or cooperative arrangements with other
governmental, public or private organizations or entities, or
educational institutions;

(12)  Creates the Energy Futures Fund to be used for
energy-related activities including energy efficiency programs,
energy studies, energy resource analyses, energy projects, and
related departmental administration costs;

(13)  Extends from August 28, 2009, to August 28, 2010, the
requirement that the department notify the United States
Environmental Protection Agency for its approval of any list of
any waters of the state being classified as impaired as adopted
by the Clean Water Commission; and

(14)  Extends from December 31, 2009, to December 31, 2010, the
authority of the commission to charge fees for construction
permits, operating permits, and operator certifications related
to water pollution control.

The bill contains an emergency clause for the provisions
regarding construction of public drinking water and water
pollution control projects from federal stimulus funds, analysis
of landfill gas and greenhouse gas emissions as an alternative
energy source, the authority for the department to enter into
cooperative agreements to seek and obtain federal grants, and the
extension of the commission's authority to charge fees for
permits and certifications related to water pollution control.

Missouri House of Representatives
95th General Assembly, 1st Regular Session
Last Updated November 17, 2009 at 9:25 am