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TennesseeSB 1274114th General Assembly (2025-2026)Senate

AN ACT to amend Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 68, Chapter 203, Part 1 and Title 68, Chapter 211, Part 1, relative to environmental regulatory programs.

Sponsored By: Sponsor information unavailable

Signed by Governor

Environment and Conservation, Department of

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Bill Overview

Analyzed Economic Effects

4 provisions identified: 0 benefits, 2 costs, 2 mixed.

Environmental fee rises as authority shifts

The law raises the fee in Tennessee Code § 68-203-103(h)(7) from $18.75 to $38.00, a $19.25 increase. The Tennessee Board of Water Quality, Oil and Gas sets fees for safe drinking water, water quality, and specified oil and gas production programs. The supervisor sets mineral test-hole fees under § 60-1-505. The Division of Mineral and Geologic Resources' funding shares are 58% environmental protection fees and 42% state appropriations. These authority and funding changes do not state other fee amounts or a total division budget.

Landfill operators pay permit and yearly fees

Covered solid waste landfill applicants pay a $10,000 permit filing and processing fee. Owners or operators also pay a $15,000 maintenance fee each year. Neither fee applies to coal combustion residuals disposal units.

Coal ash sites face tighter safeguards

The commissioner cannot permit coal ash disposal or a site expansion unless plans include a liner and final cap. Exceptions cover ash used as fill, for farming, as engineered product feedstock, in wastewater treatment, or disposal tied to an approved use. The law also allows permits for coal combustion residuals disposal units under board rules. Coal combustion residuals include fly ash, bottom ash, boiler slag, and flue gas cleanup materials from coal-fired electricity production. Covered units include landfills, landfill expansions, surface impoundments, and sites that dispose of, store, process, or treat these materials. They may also handle small amounts of related industrial waste from power generation, impoundment closure, and landfill construction. All changes in this law take effect upon becoming law.

Coal ash oversight charges get safeguards

The environment department can recover direct and indirect costs of regulating coal combustion residuals disposal units, including administrative costs. Covered work includes permitting, oversight, supervision, investigation, regulation, and cleanup. Board rules must establish this cost recovery and set an annual cap; the law gives no dollar limit. When the department seeks this recovery, it cannot also charge those units fees under Title 68, Chapter 203.

Sponsors & Cosponsors

Sponsors

There is no primary sponsor on record.

Cosponsors

  • Page Walley

    Republican • Senate

Roll Call Votes

All Roll Calls

Yes: 116 • No: 26

House vote • 4/17/2025

FLOOR VOTE: REGULAR CALENDAR PASSAGE ON THIRD CONSIDERATION 4/17/2025

Yes: 73 • No: 23

Senate vote • 4/15/2025

FLOOR VOTE: Third Consideration 4/15/2025

Yes: 26 • No: 2

Senate vote • 4/8/2025

SENATE FINANCE, WAYS AND MEANS COMMITTEE

Yes: 9 • No: 0

Senate vote • 3/26/2025

SENATE ENERGY, AGRICULTURE AND NATURAL RESOURCES COMMITTEE

Yes: 8 • No: 1

Actions Timeline

  1. Effective date(s) 05/05/2025

    5/13/2025

  2. Pub. Ch. 399

    5/13/2025

  3. Signed by Governor.

    5/5/2025Senate

  4. Transmitted to Governor for action.

    4/23/2025Senate

  5. Signed by H. Speaker

    4/22/2025House

  6. Signed by Senate Speaker

    4/22/2025Senate

  7. Enrolled and ready for signatures

    4/22/2025Senate

  8. Passed H., Ayes 73, Nays 23, PNV 0

    4/17/2025House

  9. Subst. for comp. HB.

    4/17/2025House

  10. Rcvd. from S., held on H. desk.

    4/16/2025House

  11. Engrossed; ready for transmission to House

    4/15/2025Senate

  12. Passed Senate, Ayes 26, Nays 2, PNV 3

    4/15/2025Senate

  13. Placed on Senate Regular Calendar for 4/15/2025

    4/14/2025Senate

  14. Placed on Senate Regular Calendar for 4/15/2025

    4/11/2025Senate

  15. Recommended for passage, refer to Senate Calendar Committee

    4/8/2025Senate

  16. Placed on Senate Finance, Ways, and Means Committee calendar for 4/8/2025

    4/1/2025Senate

  17. Recommended for passage, refer to Senate Finance, Ways, and Means Committee

    3/26/2025Senate

  18. Sponsor(s) Added.

    3/21/2025Senate

  19. Placed on Senate Energy, Ag., and Nat. Resources Committee calendar for 3/26/2025

    3/19/2025Senate

  20. Action deferred in Senate Energy, Ag., and Nat. Resources Committee to 3/26/2025

    3/19/2025Senate

  21. Placed on Senate Energy, Ag., and Nat. Resources Committee calendar for 3/19/2025

    3/13/2025Senate

  22. Passed on Second Consideration, refer to Senate Energy, Ag., and Nat. Resources Committee

    2/12/2025Senate

  23. Introduced, Passed on First Consideration

    2/10/2025Senate

  24. Filed for introduction

    2/6/2025Senate

Bill Text

  • Enrolled / Public Chapter

    PDF

  • Fiscal Note

    PDF

  • Introduced

    PDF

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