The Texas Sunset Advisory Commission — which evaluates state agencies’ effectiveness and makes recommendations to state lawmakers — found that officials of the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality, at times, encouraged industries to “self police.”
, R-Nacogdoches, said the Sunset staff recommendations would increase the cost to do business in Texas.
“What’s the point of a public meeting?” he asked, adding that he supports the Sunset staff’s recommendation of holding public meetings earlier in the process., TCEQ Executive Director Toby Baker wrote that the agency “questions some of the word choices and opinions” in the report, but welcomed the opportunity to improve. The TCEQ said it agreed with many of the Sunset Commission’s recommendations, including more transparency, especially in improving its website.
“I respect the report,” he said. “There are certain areas people have concerns about, and I have concern about, but I think we are all going to view it in the light of our responsibility to fellow Texans to make sure that this regulatory agency is tuned up.” The agency’s permits for concrete batch plants became a point of contention during the hearing: Democratic lawmakers peppered Niermann with questions about the agency’s decision-making process.
Niermann said he believes the location of batch plants is determined by economics and the need for services, and disputed some Democrats’ assessment that the agency’s permitting decisions could be racist.
Malaysia Latest News, Malaysia Headlines
Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
Texas State Senator Gutierrez sues Texas DPS for Uvalde shooting recordsTexas State Senator Roland Gutierrez, who represents Uvalde, accused the agency of unlawfully denying his open records request for documents about the May 24 school shooting at Robb Elementary that left 19 students and two teachers dead.
Read more »
State Sen. Roland Gutierrez sues Texas Department of Public Safety over Uvalde shooting recordsFamilies affected by the tragedy have 'been met with lies, misstatements, and shifts of blame,' the suit states. Uvalde UvaldeCoverUp UvaldeMassacre UvaldePolice SanAntonio SATX SanAntonioTX Texas TexasDPS
Read more »
Craft distilling industry booming across Texas, but says it’s hindered by prohibition-era state lawsTwo decades after Tito’s started the trend, 190 distilleries were operating in Texas....
Read more »
State Fair of Texas Announces New and Returning Attractions for 2022The State Fair announces new fun like a float show, and brings backs classics like the dog show for the 2022 State Fair of Texas
Read more »
Texas state senator sues Department of Public Safety over records related to Uvalde school shootingSenator Roland Gutierrez says he has been unlawfully denied access to the records.
Read more »
Texas Chief: Uvalde Cops Could Have Taken Down Gunman in 3 Minutes“The only thing stopping a hallway of dedicated officers from entering rooms 111 and 112 was the on-scene commander, who decided to place the lives of officers over the lives of children,” said Texas Department of Public Safety Director Steve McCraw.
Read more »