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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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AN ACT
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relating to air quality permits issued by the Texas Commission on |
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Environmental Quality for certain oil and gas facilities. |
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. Subchapter C, Chapter 382, Health and Safety |
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Code, is amended by adding Section 382.051965 to read as follows: |
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Sec. 382.051965. INSPECTION AND MAINTENANCE REQUIREMENTS |
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FOR OIL AND GAS FACILITIES. (a) A permit by rule or a standard |
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permit relating to a facility described by Section 382.051961(a) |
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must require that: |
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(1) the permit holder of a new facility or an existing |
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facility that has been modified shall establish an inspection and |
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maintenance program for the detection and repair of leaks from all |
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valves, pump seals, flanges, compressor seals, pressure relief |
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valves, open-ended lines, tanks, and other process and operation |
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components of the facility that could result in fugitive emissions; |
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(2) a new well drilled and completed: |
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(A) does not vent pipeline-quality gas; and |
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(B) uses flaring: |
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(i) only in conjunction with a reliable |
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continuous ignition source; |
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(ii) only for safety reasons or for gas with |
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a low content of flammable gas; |
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(iii) for not more than a total of 14 days |
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for the life of the well; and |
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(iv) in a manner that meets a 98 percent |
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destruction efficiency rate; |
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(3) emissions of volatile organic compounds from all |
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new and existing storage tanks that have the potential to emit more |
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than one ton of volatile organic compounds per year are reduced by |
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at least 95 percent through the use of mechanisms such as floating |
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tanks and vapor recovery systems; |
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(4) a compressor engine with more than 100 horsepower |
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emits not more than: |
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(A) 1.5 grams of nitrogen oxides per horsepower |
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hour, if the engine is put into operation before September 1, 2015; |
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or |
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(B) one gram of nitrogen oxides per horsepower |
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hour, if the engine is put into operation on or after September 1, |
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2015; |
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(5) all pneumatic devices and controllers between a |
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wellhead and a natural gas processing plant meet a bleed rate of not |
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more than six standard cubic feet per hour; and |
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(6) oil and gas operators have a schedule of |
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maintenance and best practices for compressor stations. |
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(b) A program described by Subsection(a)(1) must require |
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the use of leak detection equipment such as optical gas imaging |
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cameras on at least a quarterly basis. |
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(c) The commission by rule may establish exceptions to the |
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requirements of Subsection (a) if the exceptions would not increase |
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emissions or negatively affect public health. |
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(d) In adopting rules to implement this section, the |
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commission shall consider regulations adopted by major oil and gas |
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producing states and adopted or proposed federal regulations. |
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(e) Section 382.051961(b) does not apply to a commission |
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rule, a permit by rule, a standard permit, or an amendment to a |
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commission rule, a permit by rule, or a standard permit necessary to |
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implement this section. |
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SECTION 2. Not later than September 30, 2015, the Texas |
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Commission on Environmental Quality shall adopt rules as necessary |
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to implement Section 382.051965, Health and Safety Code, as added |
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by this Act. The rules must take effect not later than January 1, |
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2016. |
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SECTION 3. This Act takes effect immediately if it receives |
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a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as |
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provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution. If this |
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Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this |
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Act takes effect September 1, 2015. |