| |
| |
|
|
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
|
|
|
AN ACT
|
|
|
relating to the reduction of methane gas flaring on land dedicated |
|
|
to the permanent university fund. |
|
|
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
|
|
SECTION 1. Subchapter C, Chapter 66, Education Code, is |
|
|
amended by adding Section 66.455 to read as follows: |
|
|
Sec. 66.455. METHANE FLARING REDUCTION PLANS. (a) The |
|
|
board of regents of The University of Texas System shall adopt a |
|
|
formal policy goal to eliminate routine methane flaring on |
|
|
university lands by 2027. |
|
|
(b) Under each lease issued, modified, or renewed under this |
|
|
subchapter relating to oil or gas, the lessee shall submit to the |
|
|
board of regents of The University of Texas System a plan to end |
|
|
routine methane flaring in accordance with the policy goal adopted |
|
|
under Subsection (a). The plan must: |
|
|
(1) include provisions that prohibit routine methane |
|
|
flaring; |
|
|
(2) for all new and existing sources, require |
|
|
operators to adhere to the United States Environmental Protection |
|
|
Agency's new source performance standards for methane emissions; |
|
|
and |
|
|
(3) require the lessee to implement quarterly |
|
|
inspections and maintenance for the detection of malfunctioning and |
|
|
unlit flares using leak detection equipment, such as optical gas |
|
|
imaging cameras, and for the repair of those flares. |
|
|
(c) The board of regents of The University of Texas System |
|
|
shall review and approve or reject each plan submitted under |
|
|
Subsection (b) according to procedures adopted by the board. The |
|
|
University of Texas Bureau of Economic Geology shall assist the |
|
|
board and lessees in matters relating to the plans. |
|
|
(d) In adopting procedures to implement this section, the |
|
|
board of regents of The University of Texas System may apply to new |
|
|
facilities and existing facilities that have been modified after |
|
|
initial construction more stringent standards than the standards |
|
|
the board applies to other facilities. |
|
|
SECTION 2. Not later than June 1, 2024, the board of regents |
|
|
of The University of Texas System shall adopt procedures |
|
|
implementing Section 66.455, Education Code, as added by this Act. |
|
|
SECTION 3. This Act takes effect September 1, 2023. |