Political Contact
TOWA encourages its members to get active in the political process. Issues affect business and personal lives. House Bill 2482 has been implemented.
The following quote from TCEQ demonstrates that TOWA Members can influence the rule making process. Signed form letters (click on the above link to view the letter) written, distributed and presented by the TOWA Board at the TCEQ Public Hearing on the proposed rules had a positive effect. This effort along with testimony by TOWA Members and help from a Tyler State Representative, recruited by TOWA President John Redfern, resulted in the addition of the exemption explained below.
TOWA commented that while they support the need for a licensed maintenance provider, current Installer II and Wastewater D licensees should not have to take an advanced course and examination to obtain a maintenance provider license. The commission also received over 250 form letters from members of TOWA. These form letters supported the exemption for existing maintenance providers.
The commission agrees that individuals who meet the requirements of §30.240(e) and who held a current maintenance provider registration on the effective date of these rules should be exempt from the requirement for completing an advanced aerobic course and passing the maintenance provider licensure examination, provided that they meet the remaining requirements for licensure as a maintenance provider. As a result, §30.240(e)(7) has been added to allow an exemption for maintenance providers from taking the advanced aerobic maintenance course and licensing examination provided that they meet all of the other maintenance provider licensing requirements as of the effective date of these rules.”
Legislative Alert!
Do On-Site Professionals Want TCEQ To Take Control of The Annual Conference
The Sunset Commission is strongly considering disbanding the Texas On-Site Wastewater Treatment Research Council. The Council is the ONLY non governmental group, except for TOWA, which has an interest in improving the on-site industry in Texas. The Council is made up of 11 members, appointed by the Governor. These members come from all over Texas and each one has an interest in improving our industry.
The advisory commission staff is recommending that the Council be disbanded and that the TCEQ take over the duties of the Council.TCEQ has further recommended "that the monies collected be placed not in the Texas general fund but be directly deposited to the TCEQ Water Resource Management Account #153 for appropriation to the TCEQ." This same staff states that Texans benefit from the work the Research Council funds but believes that TCEQ can handle this work with current TCEQ staff. Fact; TCEQ has 2097 employees in Austin. Out of these a total of 3 full time and 1 part time employees are in the on-site department.
Fact; In the last four years there have been 6 different people in the position which oversees the on-site program for the TCEQ. All of these people havecome from other branches of TCEQ, not promoted from within the on-site program. The staff has also recommended that TCEQ take over the on-site wastewater conference and consider combining it with TCEQ's other conferences.
Fact; In 2006, just 90 days before the conference, TCEQ told the Research Council that TCEQ did not the time or resources to hold the annual conference and that the conference did not fit within the parameters of TCEQ's Environmental Trade Fair which is held in Austin. The Council was able to put on a successful conference even with such short notice.
The money to fund the Council comes from a $10.00 fee which is collected by DR's or TCEQ from homeowners who install on-site systems. This fee is part of the permitting process and is deposited in the Texas General Fund and then some $333,000.00 is distributed to the Research Council for funding grants and putting on the Annual TOWTRC/TOWA conferance.
The Council is NOT part of TCEQ but pays TCEQ $54,000.00 per year for administrative support. Due to the way the original legislation was written the Council has no choice except to use TCEQ for these services. The members are paid $30.00 per day and receive reimbursement for travel, food and lodging. This totals around $11,000.00 per year (for the whole group not each member) and is paid out of the $333,000.00 distributed by TCEQ not from tax dollars. They meet 4 times per year, usually for 2 days, counting the various committee meetings.
This a good investment. Ask yourself if you could take off a minimum of 8 days of work and drive to Austin from Beaumont or Lubbock for $1000.00 per year. This does not include the personal time the Council Members devote to preparing for these meetings or planning the Annual Conferance.
Here is a link to the Legislative Committee Members who need to be contacted ASAP. Click on the pictures of each member and you will find an email form which you can fill out. Please email them as an industry professional as opposed to a TOWA Member. This will have a greater impact on their decision. If you choose to only contact a few of the members I would suggest Senator Glenn Heger, Jr. from Katy, Senator Robert Nichols from Jacksonville - Conroe, Senator John Whitmire from Houston, Rep. Dennis Bonnen from Angleton, Rep. Byron Cook from Corsicana, Rep. Linda Harper Brown from Irving. Senators Heger and Nichols along with Rep. Bonnen questioned the TCEQ staff very hard at the Public Hearing in Austin on December 15th. Unfortunately the subject of the Research Council was not addressed until later.
Please contact your own Senators and Representative as well. This issue is very important to our industry, we could easily lose the Annual On-Site Conference if TCEQ is put in charge. Use the talking points below or just express your opinion.
Here is an easy link to find out who represents you in Austin.
http://www.fyi.legis.state.tx.us/Zip.aspx
All you have to do is put in your zip code and you get name, address, and phone numbers.
Remember, when you call an elected official, you usually get an intern. They are very interested in taking your call. Have concise talking points for them to write down.
They log these calls. Example: Issue ______ Pro____ Con____
These numbers are given to the representative. They cast their votes based on these numbers. They want to be re-elected.
Try to be short and to the point. An example of some good “talking points” are;
My name is ___________________ and I am a_____________________.
I am calling regarding: (Sunseting The Texas On-Site Wastewater Treatment Research Council)
I oppose this action because - TCEQ cannot handle it's current duties much less take on more responibilities. I also view this as a conflict of interest. The agency which writes and enforces the on-site rules should not also be deciding what on-site research is funded.
Other talking points;
I want to see changes made that will ensure on-site rules will be enforced by all counties and TCEQ equally. Many county DRs try to enforce the on-site rules but when violators are forwarded to TCEQ in Austin the violator is either given another chance or the fine is so small it has no effect. This happens at the top. If no strong enforcement is taken against the dishonest individuals in our industry then it is almost impossible for the men and women who are following the rules to compete. The end result is the homeowner gets cheated on his system or service. The end result is the health of Texans and the environment is left unprotected.