Coalbed natural gas-water use.

WORKING DRAFT
2006
STATE OF
WYOMING
06LSO-0396.E1

SENATE FILE
NO.
SF0093

Coalbed natural gas-water use.

Sponsored by:
Senator(s) Geis, Job, Townsend and Vasey

A BILL

for

AN ACT relating to coalbed natural gas water use; creating a task force; providing an appropriation; providing for a report; providing a sunset date; and providing for an effective date.

Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of
Wyoming
:

Section 1.

(a)

There is created a coalbed natural gas water use task force consisting of fifteen (15) members. The task force members shall select a chairman and a vice-chairman.

(b)

Four (4) members of the task force shall be from the following agencies:

(i)

One (1) member shall be the director of the department of environmental quality;

(ii)

One (1) member shall be the state engineer;

(iii)

One (1) member shall be the supervisor of the oil and gas commission; and

(iv)

One (1) member shall be the chairman of the
Wyoming
natural gas pipeline authority.

(c)

Seven (7) members of the task force shall be appointed by the governor from the following communities:

(i)

Three (3) members from the coalbed natural gas industry;

(ii)

Three (3) members from the agricultural community; and

(iii)

One (1) member from the public at large.

(d)

Four (4) members of the task force shall be legislators, including two (2) members of the senate appointed by the president of the senate and

two (2) members of the house of representatives appointed by the speaker of the house.

(e)

The task force shall meet at the call of the chairman to review and evaluate alternative uses of water produced as a result of coalbed natural gas operations.

(f)

The task force shall issue a report, including reviewing current statutes and regulations and produced water management alternatives and options currently available to or used by the coalbed natural gas industry, to the governor and the joint agriculture, public lands and water resources interim committee review at the chairman's discretion and the joint minerals, business and economic development interim committee to be delivered no later than December 6, 2006, and a final report to be delivered no later than October 1, 2007.

(g)

The task force shall be staffed by the governor's office. The task force may contract for administrative and research services to aid in preparation of the task force report. The governor's office shall convene the task force no later than May 1, 2006.

(h)

The task force shall exist until October 30, 2007. Members of the task force who are not legislators shall not receive a salary but shall receive reimbursement for necessary travel and per diem expenses in the manner and amount provided for state employees under W.S. 9
‑
3
‑
102 and 9
‑
3
‑
103. Members of the task force who are legislators shall be paid salary, per diem and travel expenses as provided in W.S. 28-5-101 for their official duties as members of the task force.

Section 2.

There is appropriated two hundred fifty thousand dollars ($250,000.00) from the general fund to the governor's office for expenses incurred pursuant to this act.

Section 3.

This act is effective immediately upon co
m
pletion of all acts necessary for a bill to become law as provided by Article 4, Section 8 of the Wyoming Constit
u
tion.

(END)

1
SF0093