Bill Text: TX HB1276 | 2023-2024 | 88th Legislature | Introduced
Bill Title: Relating to the reduction of methane gas flaring on land dedicated to the permanent university fund.
Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 1-0)
Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2023-03-03 - Referred to Energy Resources [HB1276 Detail]
Download: Texas-2023-HB1276-Introduced.html
| 88R4805 CXP-D | ||
| By: Hinojosa | H.B. No. 1276 | |
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| 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 POLICY. 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. | ||
| SECTION 2. Subchapter D, Chapter 66, Education Code, is | ||
| amended by adding Section 66.711 to read as follows: | ||
| Sec. 66.711. METHANE FLARING REDUCTION PLANS. (a) Under | ||
| each lease issued, modified, or renewed under this subchapter | ||
| relating to oil or gas, the lessee shall submit to the board a plan | ||
| to end routine methane flaring in accordance with the policy goal | ||
| adopted by the board of regents under Section 66.455. 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. | ||
| (b) The board shall review and approve or reject each plan | ||
| submitted under Subsection (a) 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. | ||
| (c) In adopting procedures to implement this section, the | ||
| board 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 3. Not later than June 1, 2024, the Board for Lease | ||
| of University Lands shall adopt procedures implementing Section | ||
| 66.711, Education Code, as added by this Act. | ||
| SECTION 4. This Act takes effect September 1, 2023. | ||
