H.B. No. 1499 proposes the establishment of an Environmental Product Declaration Grant Program specifically for manufacturers of ready-mixed concrete in Texas. The bill introduces Section 5.1245 to the Water Code, defining an "environmental product declaration" as a verified label that reveals the environmental impact of a product based on a life cycle assessment. The program is aimed at manufacturers that are independently owned, have fewer than 100 employees or less than $6 million in annual gross receipts, and are formed for profit. The Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ) is tasked with administering the grant program, which will reimburse eligible manufacturers for costs associated with accessing environmental product declaration databases or software.

To receive a grant, manufacturers must agree to utilize environmental product declarations for their products. The TCEQ is also responsible for creating rules to implement the program, which will include establishing eligibility criteria, application procedures, evaluation criteria for grant applications, guidelines for grant amounts, and monitoring procedures to ensure compliance with grant conditions. The bill is set to take effect on September 1, 2025.

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