Bill Text: PA HB1594 | 2011-2012 | Regular Session | Introduced

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Bill Title: In general requirements, further providing for well permits.

Spectrum: Moderate Partisan Bill (Republican 31-9)

Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2011-05-25 - Referred to ENVIRONMENTAL RESOURCES AND ENERGY [HB1594 Detail]

Download: Pennsylvania-2011-HB1594-Introduced.html

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PRINTER'S NO. 1966
THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA
HOUSE BILL
No. 1594 Session of2011
INTRODUCED BY REED, BAKER, BARRAR, CALTAGIRONE, CREIGHTON, EVERETT, FLECK, GINGRICH, GOODMAN, HELM, M. K. KELLER, KRIEGER, KULA, MAJOR, MICOZZIE, MILLARD, MUNDY, MURPHY, MUSTIO, PEIFER, QUINN, REICHLEY, SAYLOR, SCAVELLO, SCHRODER, STEVENSON, SWANGER, TOOHIL, WHITE AND DONATUCCI, MAY 25, 2011
REFERRED TO COMMITTEE ON ENVIRONMENTAL RESOURCES AND ENERGY, MAY 25, 2011
AN ACT
Amending the act of December 19, 1984 (P.L.1140, No.223),
entitled "An act relating to the development of oil and gas
and coal; imposing duties and powers on the Department of
Environmental Resources; imposing notification requirements
to protect landowners; and providing for definitions, for
various requirements to regulate the drilling and operation
of oil and gas wells, for gas storage reservoirs, for various
reporting requirements, including certain requirements
concerning the operation of coal mines, for well permits, for
well registration, for distance requirements, for well casing
requirements, for safety device requirements, for storage
reservoir obligations, for well bonding requirements, for a
Well Plugging Restricted Revenue Account to enforce oil and
gas well plugging requirements, for the creation of an Oil
and Gas Technical Advisory Board, for oil and gas well
inspections, for enforcement and for penalties," in general
requirements, further providing for well permits.
The General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
hereby enacts as follows:
Section 1. Section 201(b) of the act of December 19, 1984
(P.L.1140, No.223), known as the Oil and Gas Act, is amended to
read:
Section 201. Well permits.
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(b) (1) The permit application shall be accompanied by a
plat prepared by a competent engineer or a competent surveyor,
on forms to be furnished by the department[, showing the
political subdivision and county in which the tract of land upon
which the well to be drilled is located, the name of the surface
landowner of record and lessor, the name of all surface
landowners or water purveyors whose water supplies are within
1,000 feet of the proposed well location, the name of the owner
of record or operator of all known underlying workable coal
seams, if any, the acreage in the tract to be drilled, the
proposed location of the well determined by survey, the courses
and distances of such location from two or more permanent
identifiable points or landmarks on said tract boundary corners,
the proposed angle and direction of such well, if the well is to
be deviated substantially from a vertical course, the number or
other identification to be given the well, the workable coal
seams, if any, underlying the tract of land upon which the well
is to be drilled or altered, which are to be cased off in
accordance with section 207, and such information needed by the
department to administer this act. The applicant shall forward,
by certified mail, a copy of said plat to the surface landowner,
all surface landowners or water purveyors whose water supplies
are within 1,000 feet of the proposed well location, the owner
and lessee, if any, of such coal seams, and every coal operator
required to be identified on the well permit application] and
shall show:
(i) the political subdivision and county in which the tract
of land upon which the well to be drilled is located;
(ii) the name of the surface landowner of record and lessor;
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(iii) the name of all surface landowners of record and
lessees within 1,000 feet of the proposed well location;
(iv) the name of all surface landowners whose water supplies
are within 1,000 feet of the proposed well location and all
water purveyors whose water supplies are within 1,000 feet of
the proposed well location;
(v) the name of the owner of record or operator of all known
underlying workable coal seams, if any;
(vi) the workable coal seams, if any, underlying the tract
of land upon which the well is to be drilled or altered, which
are to be cased off in accordance with section 207;
(vii) the acreage in the tract to be drilled;
(viii) the proposed location of the well determined by
survey;
(ix) the courses and distances of the proposed location from
two or more permanent identifiable points or landmarks on the
tract boundary corners;
(x) the proposed angle and direction of the well, if the
well is to be deviated substantially from a vertical course;
(xi) the number or other identification to be given the
well; and
(xii) such other information needed by the department to
administer this act.
(2) The applicant shall forward, by certified mail, a copy
of the permit application and plat to:
(i) all surface landowners within 1,000 feet of the proposed
well;
(ii) water purveyors whose water supplies are within 1,000
feet of the proposed well location; and
(iii) the owner and lessee, if any, of the coal seams and
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every coal operator required to be identified on the well permit
application.
(3) The applicant shall submit proof of such notification
with the well permit application. With respect to surface
owners, notification shall be accomplished under this section by
sending notice to the persons to whom the tax notices for said
surface property are sent, as indicated in the assessment books
in the county in which the property is located. With respect to
surface landowners whose water supplied are within 1,000 feet or
water purveyors whose water supplies are within 1,000 feet of
the proposed well location, notification shall be made on forms
and in a manner prescribed by the department sufficient to
identify, for such persons, the rights afforded them under
section 208 and the advisability of taking their own predrilling
or prealteration survey.
(4) If the applicant submits to the department written
approval of the proposed well location by the surface landowner
and the coal operator, lessee or owner, if any, of the coal
underlying the proposed well location and no objections are
raised by the department within 15 days of filing or if no such
approval has been submitted and no objections are made to such
proposed well location within 15 days from receipt of such
notice by the surface landowner and the coal operator, lessee or
owner, if any, or by the department, the same shall be filed and
become a permanent record of such location, subject to
inspection at any time by any interested person.
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Section 2. This act shall take effect in 60 days.
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