Brown County Commissioners will hold a public hearing Tuesday to present information and receive public comments on the possible creation of a County Energy Transportation Reinvestment Zone (CERTZ). They will also discuss any specific infrastructure projects to be funded that are located in the zone and the zone’s potential boundaries.
Individuals wishing to participate in the public hearing by either oral or written testimony will be asked to complete a speaker’s form to be provided at the meeting. Comments should be limited to 3 minutes. The public hearing will be held on Tuesday, December 31st at 9 AM in the Commissioners’ Courtroom at the Brown County Courthouse.
Last week, commissioners unanimously approved entering into a retainer agreement with Allison, Bass & Associates, LLP of Austin to represent the county in the creation and administration of a CETRZ and preparation and submission of an application for CETRZ grants. These CETRZ grants, as estimated by TxDOT, could mean a minimum amount of $303,000 in grant funds to the county according to Judge Ray West. CETRZ grant funds can be used for projects such as road repair needed because of increased truck traffic of oil field equipment. The grant will be administered by Texas Department of Transportation.
These CERTZ grants were created by the passage of House Bill 1025 and Senate Bill 1747. HB 1025 appropriates $225 million in general revenue to be transferred to the Transportation Infrastructure Fund to implement the provisions of SB 1747, which outlines the requirements for counties to be eligible for funding authorized under HB 1025 to address the impact the energy sector activity.
According to SB 1747, funds from the grant program will be distributed for transportation infrastructure projects located in counties that have created a county energy transportation reinvestment zone.
The rules of the grant outline eligibility of a county as follows:
(1) be entirely or partially in an area affected by increased oil and gas production;
(2) create a county energy transportation reinvestment zone under Transportation Code, §222.1071; and create an advisory board under Transportation Code, §222.1072 for the county energy transportation reinvestment zone.
To receive money from the fund a county must provide matching funds in an amount at least equal to:
(1) 20 percent of the amount of the grant; or
(2) if the county is an economically disadvantaged county, as defined in Transportation Code, §222.053, 10 percent of the amount of the grant.
These matching funds must be cash and may be from any source other than the department according to SB 1747.
For more information about HB 1025, SB 1747, and CERTZ grants, click here.
