Office of Compliance and
Enforcement
Ramiro Garcia, Jr.
Deputy Director
OCE Mission
Programs within OCE take swift action that is fair,
sensible and responsive to the needs of the
citizens of Texas
 To protect human health and the environment by ensuring
compliance with state and federal regulations
 To promote voluntary compliance through a comprehensive
program of regional investigations, technical assistance and
outreach, environmental monitoring and appropriate
enforcement
 To prevent, protect, respond to and recover from natural and
manmade disasters
OCE Staff Resource Distribution
OCE Resources - 1002 FTEs
7
107
Deputy Director
Enforcement
96
50
Monitoring Division
Critical Infrastructure
742
Field Operations
OCE’s Critical Functions

Conduct compliance investigations (FY14 – 103,006)

Investigate complaints (FY14 – 4,273)

Emission Events Reported/Reviewed (FY14 – 4,987)

Notices of Violation Issued (FY14 – 15,865)

Enforcement Orders Issued (FY14 – 1,708)

Conduct ambient monitoring of air, surface water and public
drinking water

Emergency response to incidents
North Central and
West Texas Area
Randy Ammons
(806-796-7613)
Central Texas Area
Susan Jablonski
(512-239-6731)
Coastal and East
Texas Area
Kelly Keel Linden
(512-239-3607)
Border and Permian
Basin Area
David Ramirez
(956-430-6048)
OCE Compliance Investigations

TCEQ performs regularly scheduled and on-demand
investigations state-wide to address the following:






Meet state and federal performance measures;
Respond to citizen complaints;
Address referrals from another governmental entity;
Respond to an emergency; or
Conduct special initiative
TCEQ investigations are categorized by media:




Waste
Air
Water
Emergency Response
Compliance Investigations Types
Waste Investigations:
Petroleum Storage Tanks (PSTs), Illegal and Scrap Tire Sites,
Municipal Solid Waste (MSW) Landfills, Recycling Facilities,
Industrial and Hazardous Waste Generators
Compliance Investigations Types
Water Investigations:
Public Drinking Water, Wastewater Treatment / On-Site Sewage
Facilities (OSSF), Water Rights, Stormwater, Concentrated Animal
Feeding Operations, Edwards Aquifer Protection Program, Sludge
Recycling Facility
Compliance Investigations Types
Air Investigations:
Large Industrial Facilities, Oil & Gas Sites, Emission Events
from Regulated Sites, Nuisance Complaints (Dust / Odor)
Recycling Facility
Investigation Tools
Optical Gas Imaging Camera
Toxic Vapor Analyzer
Summa canister
Mini RAE
Focus on Hot Topics

Drought Response

Edwards Aquifer Protection Program

Oil and Gas Activities
Continuing Drought Conditions
April 6, 2015
US Drought Monitor
Response to Drought Conditions
• Increased investigations at
public water systems and
wastewater treatment facilities
• Increased investigations to
respond to Water Rights
complaints and priority calls
for water
• Protection of water sources
during increased
development, new and
expanded industrial activities,
and population increases
Edwards Aquifer Protection Program
In Fiscal Year 2014, the
TCEQ Austin and San
Antonio Regional Offices
reviewed a record high of
more than 750 plans for
development in the regulated
zones of the Edwards Aquifer
Oil & Gas
Activities
• Increased
investigation activities
across all media
statewide
• Increased air
monitoring in urban
Barnett Shale
• Increased air
monitoring and
infrastructure issues
in rural Eagle Ford
Shale
Enforcement Division






Development of Enforcement related documents
Track compliance with effective orders
Administer the Compliance Monitoring Program under
the Texas Pollutant Discharge Elimination System
(TPDES)
Administer third-party Supplemental Environmental
Projects
Implement the Texas Environmental, Health, and
Safety Audit Privilege Act
Administer the Compliance History program
Orders Issued by Media Type
100%
6%
7%
7%
4%
3%
90%
80%
29%
41%
34%
49%
70%
53%
60%
50%
43%
40%
40%
43%
32%
30%
33%
20%
10%
21%
19%
13%
10%
14%
0%
2010 (1,640)
2011 (1,628)
Air
2012 (1,826)
Water
Waste
2013 (2,182)
Multi-Media
2014 (1,708)
Assessed Penalties
25
20.1
20
18.3
17.1
16.3
Millions
14.1
15
10
5
0
2010
2011
2012
2013
2014
Texas Environmental Health & Safety
Audit Privilege Act
1400
1200
1000
800
600
400
200
0
Notices of Intent to Audit
Disclosures of Violation
2009
324
274
2010
576
209
2011
756
231
2012
586
270
2013
1,271
655
2014
1,256
548
Monitoring Division
Stationary Air Monitoring in Texas
Monitoring
Division
Automated Gas Chromatographs
collect samples for the analysis
of 46 volatile organic compounds
each hour (right)
Continuous Air Monitoring
Station with monitors for ozone,
nitrogen oxides, carbon
monoxide, sulfur dioxide, PM10,
and PM2.5 (left)
Critical Infrastructure
Division



TCEQ Disaster Response
Trailer
Dam Safety
Homeland Security
Emergency Management
Dam Safety



Emergency Action Plans
3,995 dams regulated by TCEQ
Increase in downstream
development
Aging of dams
 26% built before 1960
 84% built before 1980
Dam Breach Analysis
Dam Safety Inspections
Homeland Security
 Assists in planning, developing,
coordinating, and implementing
initiatives to promote the Governor’s
Homeland Security Strategy
 Assists to detect, deter, respond to,
and recover from disasters, whether
manmade or caused by nature
 Implements a federally-funded
Department of Homeland Security
initiative “BioWatch” for air monitoring
that provides for early detection of
bioterrorism agents to enable the
earliest possible response to an attack
OFFICIAL USE ONLY
Homeland Security
Radioactive Materials
Compliance Program.
 Conducts radioactive materials
compliance investigations and
inspections of construction, operation,
security, and closure procedures at
regulated facilities
Regulated facilities under this Program
include:
 Licensed Uranium Processing sites
 Permitted Underground Injection Control
(UIC ) sites at uranium facilities
 Low-Level Radioactive Waste (LLRW)
Processing and Disposal sites
Warehouse Fire
Emergency Management
Emergency Management Support
 Provides critical support
for preparation,
response, and recovery
to disasters
 Provides specialized
equipment and
contractor support for
hazardous materials
emergency response
 Coordinates with and
provides training to the
16 TCEQ Regional
Disaster Response
Strike Teams
TCEQ is the lead
agency in Texas for
Hazardous Materials
Spill Response
Warehouse Fire
Emergency
Management
Industrial Fire
TCEQ responds to large-scale
emergencies with Central and
Regional staff and Contractors
West Fertilizer
Plant Explosion
Ammonium Nitrate Spill
Leaking Anhydrous
Ammonia Tank
After a Disaster…


Industrial facility
inundated
following
Hurricane Ike
(right)
Identification and
recovery of drums
(below)
Disaster response includes evaluation of
industrial sites;
water & wastewater utilities; and
waste management
Questions?
Office of Compliance & Enforcement
(512) 239-5100