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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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AN ACT
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relating to the reduction of methane gas flaring on land dedicated |
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to the permanent university fund. |
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. Subchapter C, Chapter 66, Education Code, is |
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amended by adding Section 66.455 to read as follows: |
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Sec. 66.455. METHANE FLARING REDUCTION PLANS. (a) The |
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board of regents of The University of Texas System shall adopt a |
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formal policy goal to eliminate routine methane flaring on |
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university lands by 2025. |
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(b) Under each lease issued, modified, or renewed under this |
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subchapter relating to oil or gas, the lessee shall submit to the |
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board of regents of The University of Texas System a plan to end |
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routine methane flaring in accordance with the policy goal adopted |
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under Subsection (a). The plan must: |
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(1) include provisions that prohibit routine methane |
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flaring; |
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(2) for all new and existing sources, require |
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operators to adhere to the United States Environmental Protection |
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Agency's new source performance standards for methane emissions; |
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and |
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(3) require the lessee to implement quarterly |
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inspections and maintenance for the detection of malfunctioning and |
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unlit flares using leak detection equipment, such as optical gas |
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imaging cameras, and for the repair of those flares. |
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(c) The board of regents of The University of Texas System |
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shall review and approve or reject each plan submitted under |
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Subsection (b) according to procedures adopted by the board. The |
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University of Texas Bureau of Economic Geology shall assist the |
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board and lessees in matters relating to the plans. |
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(d) In adopting procedures to implement this section, the |
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board of regents of The University of Texas System may apply to new |
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facilities and existing facilities that have been modified after |
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initial construction more stringent standards than the standards |
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the board applies to other facilities. |
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SECTION 2. Not later than June 1, 2022, the board of regents |
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of The University of Texas System shall adopt procedures |
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implementing Section 66.455, Education Code, as added by this Act. |
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SECTION 3. This Act takes effect September 1, 2021. |