The Wise Report
Henry M. Wise, P.G.
June 12, 2022
The Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ) is currently undergoing Sunset Commission review. The Sunset Commission’s Executive Summary states that “overall, the Sunset review found TCEQ performs admirably administering its complex programs and should be continued. However, the Sunset review also observed confusion and misperceptions about how and why TCEQ makes certain decisions, which contributes to a concerning level of distrust of the agency — by regulated entities, environmental advocates, public officials, and he general public.”
The Sunset Staff found six issues:
1.
TCEQ’s Policies and Processes Lack Full Transparency and Opportunities for Meaningful Public Input, Generating Distrust and Confusion Among Members of the Public.
2.
TCEQ’s Compliance Monitoring and Enforcement Processes Need Improvements to Consistently and Equitably Hold Regulated Entities Accountable.
3.
TCEQ’s Oversight of Water Could Better Protect the State’s Scarce Resources.
4.
TCEQ and OPIC Lack Certain Transparent and Efficient Processes for OPIC to More Effectively Represent the Public’s Interest.
5.
The State Has a Continuing Need for the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality.
6.
The State Benefits From Continued Legislative Oversight of the Texas Low Level Radioactive Waste Disposal Compact Commission.
For more information go to: https://www.sunset.texas.gov/reviews-and-reports/agencies/texas-commissi...
Henry M. Wise, P.G.
The Wise Report
6/12/2022