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F I S C A L I M P A C T R E P O R T





SPONSOR: Gonzales DATE TYPED: 02/17/99 HB 170
SHORT TITLE: Natural Gas Feasibility Study SB
ANALYST: Gonzales


APPROPRIATION



Appropriation Contained
Estimated Additional Impact
Recurring

or Non-Rec

Fund

Affected

FY99 FY2000 FY99 FY2000
$ 100.0 Non-Recurring GF



(Parenthesis ( ) Indicate Expenditure Decreases)



Duplicates SB329



SOURCES OF INFORMATION



Public Regulation Commission

Local Government Division (LGD), Department of Finance and Administration



SUMMARY



Synopsis of Bill



House Bill 170 provides a general fund appropriation of $100.0 to LGD for conducting a feasibility study of introducing natural gas to the communities of Cordova through Vadito in Rio Arriba and Taos counties.



FISCAL IMPLICATIONS



The bill makes a general fund appropriation of $100.0 to LGD for the purpose stated above. The appropriation is for expenditure in FY2000. Any unexpended or unencumbered balance remaining at the end of FY2000 reverts to the general fund.





DUPLICATION



House Bill 170 is a near duplicate of Senate Bill 329; however, Senate Bill 329 appropriates $300.0 more in general fund for the same purpose and contains an emergency clause.



OTHER SUBSTANTIVE ISSUES



The Public Regulation Commission notes the following issue:



This bill provides no directive for the funded study to determine least cost alternative, best alternative recommendation, necessity for follow-up studies, etc. It merely provides for determining the feasibility of introducing natural gas to the referenced communities. If provision of natural gas service to these communities is the desired result, the bill should include directives for the study to consider available alternatives and produce a recommendation of the best alternative based on available information.





JMG/prr