Travis County Commssioners Court
January 28, 2003
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Item 7
Number 7 it's to request county attorney's office to review and brief the commissioners court on all of Travis County's legal enforcement and compliance options to respond to complaints about violation of environmental laws or regulations at landfills in in Travis County. Commissioner Davis?
>> yes, judge. If possible, I would like the county to -- though authorize the county attorney to go and look at the different legal enforcement and compliance options on -- on the number of environmental complaints and I guess I need to ask legal at this point what kind of time would that take for you to -- to deal with that as far as environmental law?
>> I discussed this with kevin morris yesterday, head of the enforcement section. Based on our understanding of what you are asking, we think we can have something back to you in a couple of weeks.
>> in a couple of weeks?
>> okay.
>> our understanding basically is just just wants -- you want an explanation of -- of which laws apply, which statutes apply and which ones --
>> [inaudible]
>> are you talking about just the commissioners court or any department of the county?
>> well, basically -- I think the commissioners court, but probably -- would probably be [inaudible] we need to land at. But of course with environmental department being t.n.r. Maybe, I think -- I need to find out how that works because t.n.r. Does have the -- the enforcement --
>> well, we can --
>> as far as environmental officers located in that shop.
>> that's -- that's going to affect how fast we can get back to you, because obviously if we are talking about the commissioners court in any department, it might take a little more research. If you are just talking commissioners court --
>> commissioners court [inaudible]
>> okay. Yeah, with that understanding, I think -- you know, kevin and I agree we can probably have something back to you in a couple of weeks.
>> all right.
>> any objection to that being a request from commissioners court?
>> I just have a clarification that I would like to give. I'm extraordinarily concerned about this being one more thing on mr. Nuchols' plate because there are quite a few of us that have a lot of things sitting awaiting mr. Nuckols' attention that have to do with subdivision, many of our bond projects, road projects. And I have zero issue with this logically being an enforcement issue, which is kevin's shop. And for kevin to take the lead, for kevin and his staff and for kevin to do the work. But I have huge issues with this being one more thing with this being on tom's plate, with the legislature in session, section -- there's other of us that would like to get billable hours to our project. With all respect I would ask that this be on kevin's plate, no on tom's plate.
>> that's what we anticipated. I share your concern. [laughter]
>> kevin, because he's -- willing to --
>> yeah. For to us do that, absolutely. I think the time -- [multiple voices]
>> county attorney's office will do this for us. I don't know that we want to ask a specific lawyer to do it. If we ask the county attorney to do it, it will get done in two weeks for us. Tom has got big hands, he can handle a big plate.
>> enforcement issues have all been kevin's -- [multiple voices]
>> okay.
>> if there are other attorneys that you all would want to engage on this, I think that's --
>> we have resources --
>> any objections.
>> let's consider it done.
>> okay.
Last Modified: Wednesday, April 2, 2003 10:25 AM