By: Estes, Nichols, Davis S.B. No. 540

(In the Senate - Filed January 26, 2009; February 17, 2009, read first time and referred to Committee on Natural Resources; March 23, 2009, reported adversely, with favorable Committee Substitute by the following vote: Yeas 6, Nays 1; March 23, 2009, sent to printer.)

COMMITTEE SUBSTITUTE FOR S.B. No. 540 By: Estes

A BILL TO BE ENTITLED

AN ACT

relating to notice of an application for a permit to dispose of oil and gas waste in a disposal well.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:

SECTION 1. Section 27.034, Water Code, is amended by adding Subsections (c) and (d) to read as follows:

(c) In connection with an application for a permit to dispose of oil and gas waste in a disposal well, the rules adopted under Subsection (a) must, at a minimum, require the applicant, at the time the application is filed with the railroad commission, to provide a copy of the application to any groundwater conservation district in which the well is proposed to be located.

(d) The railroad commission shall not approve an application for a permit to dispose of oil and gas waste in a disposal well before the expiration of 30 days following the date the application is filed with the railroad commission or the date that notice of the application has been published in accordance with railroad commission rules, whichever date is later.

SECTION 2. The change in law made by this Act applies only to an application for a permit to dispose of oil and gas waste that is filed with the Railroad Commission of Texas on or after the effective date of this Act. An application filed before the effective date of this Act is subject to the law in effect on the date the application is filed, and that law is continued in effect for that purpose.

SECTION 3. This Act takes effect September 1, 2009.

* * * * *