Honorable Rick Hardcastle, Chair, House Committee on Energy Resources
FROM:
John S. O'Brien, Director, Legislative Budget Board
IN RE:
HB521 by Miller (Relating to notice of an application for a permit to dispose of oil and gas waste in a commercial disposal well; creating an offense.), As Introduced
No significant fiscal implication to the State is anticipated.
The bill would require that an applicant for a commercial disposal well permit give notice of the application to each surface owner of record of each tract that adjoins the tract on which a well is proposed to be located; require that each surface owner that receives such notice further provide notice to each surface lessee or purchaser under a contract for deed, executory contract, or other executory conveyance of the tract; and to provide each person who receives notice the opportunity to request a hearing on the application. In addition, the bill would provide that a surface owner that receives notice of a commercial disposal well but fails to provide notice of the application to each surface lessee or purchaser under a contract for deed, executory contract, or other executory conveyance of the tract, commits a Class C misdemeanor offense.
Althought the bill could could increase the application requirements and the amount of time required to process an application for a commercial disposal well, additional workload is not expected to be significant and could be handled through existing Railroad Commission resources.
Local Government Impact
No fiscal implication to units of local government is anticipated.