AUSTIN One of the Legislature s stoutest defenders of the Texas oil industry and several of the state s top environmental organizations teamed up to deliver a likely death blow to a measure designed to give a financial break to a radioactive waste disposal company.
The legislation, House Bill 2692, was critically wounded last week when state Rep. Tom Craddick, R-Midland, found a procedural flaw that prevented it from coming to the House floor for a vote. It was sent back to a House committee to fix the flaw, but the panel on Monday declined to give it a second chance.
The bill was designed to grant Waste Control Specialists, the company that operates the low-level radioactive waste disposal site in Andrews County, a break on surcharges and fees levied by the state on the revenue it takes in to handle the waste. The company said it needs the breaks to remain competitive in the face of out-of-state competition.