Honorable Allan Ritter, Chair, House Committee on Natural Resources
FROM:
John S O'Brien, Director, Legislative Budget Board
IN RE:
HB849 by Miller, Sid (Relating to notice of an application for a permit to dispose of oil and gas waste in a commercial disposal well; creating an offense.), Committee Report 1st House, Substituted
No significant fiscal implication to the State is anticipated.
The bill would require the Railroad Commission (RRC) to amend agency rules with respect to a commercial disposal well permit application. The bill would require the RRC to provide: notice of a commercial disposal well permit application be provided to each surface owner of record of each adjoining surface tract, county commissioners court and the groundwater conservation district; publication of notice in each newspaper of general circulation in the county in which the disposal well is proposed; and that surface owners who receive notice of a commercial disposal well application provide notice of the application to lessees and potential purchasers of the property. The bill provides that the failure of a person who receives notice of an application to give notice of the application to any person to whom the person is required to give notice does not invalidate any permit issued by the RRC and may not be considered by the RRC with respect to any pending permit application.
Any additional responsibilities required of the RRC as a result of the bill's passage are not expected to result in significant costs to the agency.
Local Government Impact
No significant fiscal implication to units of local government is anticipated.
Source Agencies:
455 Railroad Commission, 582 Commission on Environmental Quality