During the 2007 session of the Texas legislature, House Bill 3220 was passed adding six new requirements to the Dry Cleaner Remediation Program (DCRP) administered by the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality. The added requirements:

1. Increase the fee on perchloroethylene from $15 to $20 per gallon and decrease the fee on petroleum solvents from $5 to $3 per gallon.
2. Place the following restrictions on a site after corrective action has been initiated:
1. Perchloroethylene cannot be used at a site following clean up.
2. If perchloroethylene is used, then the site is not eligible for additional clean up using the Dry Cleaning Remediation Fund.
3. Maintain the non-participating status for sites if the facility or drop station re-locates.
4. Impose a lien against real property that is subject to corrective action, if the property owner (applicant) does not continue to pay the registration fees.
5. Refund over-payments rather than issuing a credit towards future fees.
6. Direct all former or current property owners to register in order to be eligible to participate in the DCRP.

The new DCRP rules were adopted at the TCEQ Commissioners Agenda meeting on June 4, 2008. The new rules include a provision that once corrective action using the Dry Cleaning Remediation Fund has begun, the site must remain in the DCRP until corrective ac t ion i s compl e ted. In addi t ion, the us e of perchloroethylene is prohibited at a site once corrective action has begun using the Dry Cleaning Remediation Fund.

As of May 1, 2008, the DCRP has received 153 applications and 139 of these have been prioritized for clean-up actions. Funding was made available for clean up starting January 2005. Seven sites have been cleaned up while in the program and have subsequently received a No Further Action Letter.

End_of_Record - Last_Page 21---------------