By: King of Uvalde, Guillen H.B. No. 3516
 
 
 
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
 
AN ACT
  relating to the regulation of the recycling of fluid oil and gas
  waste.
         BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
         SECTION 1.  Section 122.004, Natural Resources Code, is
  amended to read as follows:
         Sec. 122.004.  COMMISSION RULES FOR TREATMENT AND BENEFICIAL
  USE.  (a) The commission shall adopt rules to govern the treatment
  and beneficial use of oil and gas waste.
         (b)  Rules adopted under this section must:
               (1)  encourage fluid oil and gas waste recycling for
  beneficial purposes; and
               (2)  establish standards for the issuance of permits
  for commercial recycling of fluid oil and gas waste.
         (c)  In adopting rules under this section, the commission
  shall consider previously adopted rules for recycling fluid oil and
  gas waste.
         (d)  Rules adopted under this section for commercial
  recycling of fluid oil and gas waste must establish:
               (1)  minimum siting standards for fluid recycling pits;
               (2)  uniform technical, construction, and placement
  standards;
               (3)  uniform standards for estimating closure costs;
               (4)  minimum and maximum bonding and financial security
  amounts based on factors determined by the commission; and
               (5)  standards for sampling and analysis of fluid oil
  and gas waste.
         (e)  The commission shall approve or deny an application for
  a permit issued under rules adopted under this section not later
  than the 90th day after the date the complete application was
  received by the commission, unless a protest is filed with the
  commission, in which case the commission may extend the amount of
  time to approve or deny the application in order to allow for
  notice, public comment, and a public hearing on the application. If
  the commission does not approve or deny the application before that
  date, the permit application is considered approved and the
  applicant may operate under the terms specified in the application
  for a period of one year.
         (f)  An application requesting a variance from the standards
  adopted under this section must be evaluated and determined to be
  substantially similar to previous variances approved by the
  commission.
         SECTION 2.  This Act takes effect September 1, 2021.