The department of environmental management shall be headed by a person to be known as the director of environmental management. The director may also be referred to as the environmental manager.
(a) With respect to the city’s compliance with environmental laws, the director and the director’s authorized representatives may do the following:
(1) Monitor compliance with ambient air quality standards, and coordinate efforts with the North Central Texas Council of Governments, the Texas natural resource conservation commission and the Environmental Protection Agency;
(2) Inspect city properties for the presence of asbestos, polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) and other hazardous substances, and develop and administer whatever remediation programs are required;
(3) Audit city departments to determine whether the city is in compliance with federal and state environmental laws; whether the city has obtained all permits required by federal and state environmental laws; and whether the city is in compliance with the permits it has;
(4) Audit use of hazardous substances and pesticides by city departments to determine compliance with environmental laws and to recommend alternative materials where practicable;
(5) Register and monitor underground and aboveground storage tanks owned by the city, and implement any necessary remediation of leaking tanks and contaminated soils and groundwater;
(6) Administer the transportation, storage, treatment and disposal of hazardous wastes generated by the city; maintain a central filing system for the manifests and other records created in response to such wastes; and monitor hazardous waste facilities which receive the city’s RCRA hazardous waste for treatment or disposal;
(7) Administer the city’s compliance with its NPDES permit to discharge from the municipal separate storm sewer system;
(8) Provide assistance to the department of water regarding the protection of drinking water and surface water bodies which are a source of the city’s drinking water;
(9) Administer the collection, transportation and disposal of solid waste and the “Keep Fort Worth Beautiful” Program, for the purpose of reducing litter in the community to an acceptable level, coordinating activities with the private sector and utilizing volunteers to carry out the objectives;
(10) Monitor the city’s compliance with all federal, state and local environmental laws; except that:
a. Administering the city’s compliance with state and federal laws relating to discharge from the POTW is the responsibility of the department of water;
b. Administering the city’s compliance with state and federal laws relating to the production and distribution of drinking water is the responsibility of the department of water; and
c. Administering the alternate fuels program for the city’s fleet vehicles is the responsibility of the property management department.
d. [Reserved.]
(11) Administer the storage and disposal of medical wastes generated by the city’s health and fire departments; and
(12) Perform such other administrative duties as may be assigned by the city manager.
(b) With respect to enforcement, the director and his or her authorized representatives may do the following:
(1) Investigate violations of and enforce the Texas Clean Air Act, being Tex. Health and Safety Code, Chapter 382;
(2) Investigate violations of and enforce those aspects of the Tex. Water Code Chapter 26, which are within the authority of local governments;
(3) Investigate violations of and enforce the Texas Litter Abatement Act, being Tex. Health and Safety Code, Chapter 365. This, however, does not diminish the authority of the director of code compliance regarding litter abatement as set forth in Appendix B of the city code;
(4) Investigate violations of and enforce this chapter;
(5) Investigate violations of and enforce those provisions of the fire prevention and protection chapter of the code of the city that relate to hazardous substances and underground storage tanks, although primary enforcement will remain with the fire chief;
(6) Investigate all other violations of and enforce environmental laws within the city and within the city’s extended jurisdiction; and
(7) Perform other unlimited environmental activities as may be required to ensure compliance of environmental regulations by city departments and others within the city and its extended jurisdiction.
(c) With respect to other programs, the director and his or her authorized representatives may do the following:
(1) Monitor and coordinate with other city departments on the city’s response to releases of hazardous substances;
(2) Advise the zoning commission, board of adjustment and department of planning and development regarding the location of facilities which have a potentially significant impact on the city’s environment;
(3) Review and assess the environmental hazards of real property involved in city land transactions;
(4) Monitor the use of city rights-of-way, property and easements by persons with use agreements for environmental monitoring;
(5) Establish and supervise a program for the collection of household hazardous waste; and
(6) Create educational programs on environmental protection.
(Ord. 12274, § 1, passed 11-28-1995; Ord. 14699, § 1, passed 7-17-2001; Ord. 17522, § 5, passed 4-27-2007; Ord. 21650-02-2015, § 7, passed 2-17-2015)