Texas Commission on Environmental Quality
Encyclopedia
The Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ) is the environmental agency
for the U.S. state
of Texas
. The commission is headquartered at 12100 Park 35 Circle in Austin
.
The agency was formed by act of the Texas Legislature
in 1993 by consolidating the Texas Air Control Board (1965–1993) and Texas Water Commission (1985–1993) with the aim of increasing efficiency in enforcement of environmental laws, statutes, and regulations. Originally known as the Texas Natural Resource Conservation Commission, it acquired its present name in 2002.
It is the primary state agency charged with enforcement of environmental regulations and with issuing air
and water
operating permits to businesses operating in Texas. These permits typically specify the types and maximum amounts of pollutants a permit holder may legally discharge into the air or state waterways.
The agency also spearheads Take Care of Texas
, a personal responsibility campaign to help Texans decrease their negative impact on the environment. The Take Care of Texas website offers suggestions on ways Texans can save money by making smarter environmental choices.
TCEQ has also been widely criticized by environmental groups for having close ties to the industries that it regulates. Many top agency managers, appointed by the governor, go on to work for major polluters. The federal Environmental Protection Agency has also been critical of TCEQ's air permitting program.
In March 2011, Texas ranked as a bottom-ten "Worst" state (tied with Montana
and North Dakota
) in the American State Litter Scorecard, presented at the American Society for Public Administration
national conference. Public landscapes across the Lone Star State suffer from an overall poor quality of cleanliness, attributed to ineffective roadside and adjacent property litter/debris abatement standards, politicized procedural efforts, and other public performance indicators.
The current 2010 TCEQ commissioners are Bryan W. Shaw, Buddy Garcia, and Carlos Rubinstein.
Regulatory Authority
A regulatory agency is a public authority or government agency responsible for exercising autonomous authority over some area of human activity in a regulatory or supervisory capacity...
for the U.S. state
U.S. state
A U.S. state is any one of the 50 federated states of the United States of America that share sovereignty with the federal government. Because of this shared sovereignty, an American is a citizen both of the federal entity and of his or her state of domicile. Four states use the official title of...
of Texas
Texas
Texas is the second largest U.S. state by both area and population, and the largest state by area in the contiguous United States.The name, based on the Caddo word "Tejas" meaning "friends" or "allies", was applied by the Spanish to the Caddo themselves and to the region of their settlement in...
. The commission is headquartered at 12100 Park 35 Circle in Austin
Austin, Texas
Austin is the capital city of the U.S. state of :Texas and the seat of Travis County. Located in Central Texas on the eastern edge of the American Southwest, it is the fourth-largest city in Texas and the 14th most populous city in the United States. It was the third-fastest-growing large city in...
.
The agency was formed by act of the Texas Legislature
Texas Legislature
The Legislature of the state of Texas is the state legislature of the U.S. state of Texas. The legislature is a bicameral body composed of a 31-member Senate and a 150-member House of Representatives. The Legislature meets at the Capitol in Austin...
in 1993 by consolidating the Texas Air Control Board (1965–1993) and Texas Water Commission (1985–1993) with the aim of increasing efficiency in enforcement of environmental laws, statutes, and regulations. Originally known as the Texas Natural Resource Conservation Commission, it acquired its present name in 2002.
It is the primary state agency charged with enforcement of environmental regulations and with issuing air
Air pollution
Air pollution is the introduction of chemicals, particulate matter, or biological materials that cause harm or discomfort to humans or other living organisms, or cause damage to the natural environment or built environment, into the atmosphere....
and water
Water pollution
Water pollution is the contamination of water bodies . Water pollution occurs when pollutants are discharged directly or indirectly into water bodies without adequate treatment to remove harmful compounds....
operating permits to businesses operating in Texas. These permits typically specify the types and maximum amounts of pollutants a permit holder may legally discharge into the air or state waterways.
The agency also spearheads Take Care of Texas
Take Care of Texas
Take Care of Texas is a personal responsibility campaign to help Texans decrease their negative impact on the environment. This campaign is spearheaded by the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality....
, a personal responsibility campaign to help Texans decrease their negative impact on the environment. The Take Care of Texas website offers suggestions on ways Texans can save money by making smarter environmental choices.
TCEQ has also been widely criticized by environmental groups for having close ties to the industries that it regulates. Many top agency managers, appointed by the governor, go on to work for major polluters. The federal Environmental Protection Agency has also been critical of TCEQ's air permitting program.
In March 2011, Texas ranked as a bottom-ten "Worst" state (tied with Montana
Montana
Montana is a state in the Western United States. The western third of Montana contains numerous mountain ranges. Smaller, "island ranges" are found in the central third of the state, for a total of 77 named ranges of the Rocky Mountains. This geographical fact is reflected in the state's name,...
and North Dakota
North Dakota
North Dakota is a state located in the Midwestern region of the United States of America, along the Canadian border. The state is bordered by Canada to the north, Minnesota to the east, South Dakota to the south and Montana to the west. North Dakota is the 19th-largest state by area in the U.S....
) in the American State Litter Scorecard, presented at the American Society for Public Administration
American Society for Public Administration
The American Society for Public Administration is a membership association in the United States sponsoring conferences and providing professional services primarily to those who study the implementation of government policy, public administration, and, to a lesser degree, programs of civil society...
national conference. Public landscapes across the Lone Star State suffer from an overall poor quality of cleanliness, attributed to ineffective roadside and adjacent property litter/debris abatement standards, politicized procedural efforts, and other public performance indicators.
The current 2010 TCEQ commissioners are Bryan W. Shaw, Buddy Garcia, and Carlos Rubinstein.
See also
- Don't Mess with TexasDon't Mess with TexasThe phrase Don’t Mess with Texas is a trademark of the Texas Department of Transportation, which began as part of a statewide advertising campaign started in 1986...
- Take Care of TexasTake Care of TexasTake Care of Texas is a personal responsibility campaign to help Texans decrease their negative impact on the environment. This campaign is spearheaded by the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality....
- Texas Campaign for the EnvironmentTexas Campaign for the EnvironmentThe Texas Campaign for the Environment is a grassroots advocacy 501 Non-profit organization that works on health and environmental issues in the state of Texas in the United States. TCE began when its founders parted ways with Texans United in 1991...