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SF0045 • 2020

Underground disposal wells-regulation.

AN ACT relating to oil and gas; amending the authority of the oil and gas conservation commission to regulate underground disposal; requiring rulemaking; and providing for effective dates.

Energy Land
Enacted

This bill passed the Legislature and reached final enactment based on the latest official action.

Sponsor
Minerals
Last action
2020-03-10
Official status
enrolled
Effective date
7/1/2020

Plain English Breakdown

The official summary and bill text do not provide details about enforcement mechanisms or specific rules to be created by the commission.

Regulation of Underground Disposal Wells

This law gives the Wyoming Oil and Gas Conservation Commission authority to regulate all underground disposal activities, both commercial and noncommercial, into Class 2 injection wells.

What This Bill Does

  • Gives the Wyoming Oil and Gas Conservation Commission authority to regulate all types of underground disposal in Class 2 injection wells.
  • Requires the commission to create rules for regulating these wells.

Who It Names or Affects

  • The Wyoming Oil and Gas Conservation Commission
  • Companies that dispose of waste underground in Class 2 injection wells

Terms To Know

Class 2 Injection Wells
Wells used to inject fluids into underground formations for disposal purposes.

Limits and Unknowns

  • The law does not specify how the commission will enforce these new regulations.
  • It is unclear what specific rules the commission will create to regulate underground disposal activities.

Amendments

These notes stay tied to the official amendment files and metadata from the legislature.

SF0045SS001

Standing Committee • Senate Minerals, Business and Economic Development

Adopted

Plain English: The amendment removes a specific deadline for the oil and gas conservation commission to regulate underground disposal wells.

  • Removes the requirement that the oil and gas conservation commission must complete regulation of underground disposal wells by July 1, 2020.
  • The amendment does not specify a new deadline or provide details on how the removal of this date will affect future regulations.

Bill History

  1. 2020-03-10 LSO

    Assigned Chapter Number 50

  2. 2020-03-10 Governor

    Governor Signed SEA No. 0012

  3. 2020-03-06 House

    H Speaker Signed SEA No. 0012

  4. 2020-03-05 Senate

    S President Signed SEA No. 0012

  5. 2020-03-04 LSO

    Assigned Number SEA No. 0012

  6. 2020-03-04 House

    H 3rd Reading:Passed 57-3-0-0-0

  7. 2020-03-03 House

    H 2nd Reading:Passed

  8. 2020-03-02 House

    H COW:Passed

  9. 2020-02-27 House

    H Placed on General File

  10. 2020-02-27 House

    H09 - Minerals:Recommend Do Pass 9-0-0-0-0

  11. 2020-02-25 House

    H Introduced and Referred to H09 - Minerals

  12. 2020-02-24 House

    H Received for Introduction

  13. 2020-02-21 Senate

    S 3rd Reading:Passed 28-1-0-0-1

  14. 2020-02-20 Senate

    S 2nd Reading:Passed

  15. 2020-02-19 Senate

    S COW:Passed

  16. 2020-02-17 Senate

    S Placed on General File

  17. 2020-02-17 Senate

    S09 - Minerals:Recommend Amend and Do Pass 5-0-0-0-0

  18. 2020-02-11 Senate

    S Introduced and Referred to S09 - Minerals 29-0-1-0-0

  19. 2020-02-10 Senate

    S Received for Introduction

  20. 2020-01-21 LSO

    Bill Number Assigned

Official Summary Text

Bill Summary - 20LSO-0020
Bill No.:

SF0045

Effective:

7/1/2020 12:00:00 AM

LSO No.:

20LSO-0020

Enrolled Act No.:

SEA No. 0012

Chapter No.:

50

Prime Sponsor:

Joint Minerals, Business & Economic Development Interim Committee

Catch Title:

Underground disposal wells-regulation.

Subject:

Amending regulatory authority for disposal in Class 2 injection wells.

Summary/Major Elements:

Under current law, the Wyoming Oil and Gas Conservation Commission has regulatory authority over underground disposal into class two (2) injection wells for noncommercial entities. The Department of Environmental Quality has regulatory responsibility for commercial underground disposal into those wells.

The act provides that the Oil and Gas Conservation Commission has regulatory authority over all underground disposal (both commercial and noncommercial) into class two (2) injection wells.

The act also requires the Commission to promulgate necessary rules.

Comments:

The act has a split effective date: the rulemaking authority is effective immediately, while the remaining provisions of the act are effective July 1, 2020.

The above summary is not an official publication of the Wyoming Legislature and is not an official statement of legislative intent. While the Legislative Service Office endeavored to provide accurate information in this summary, it should not be relied upon as a comprehensive abstract of the bill.

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text
20LSO-0020

ORIGINAL Senate

File No
.
SF0045

ENROLLED ACT NO. 12,

SENATE

SIXTY-FIFTH LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF WYOMING
2020 Budget Session

AN ACT relating to oil and gas; amending the authority of the oil and gas conservation commission to regulate underground disposal; requiring rulemaking; and providing for effective dates.

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

Section 1
.

W.S. 30
‑
5
‑
104(d)(vi)(B) is amended to read:

30
‑
5
‑
104.

Oil and gas conservation commission; powers and duties; investigations; rules and regulations.

(d)

The commission has authority:

(vi)

To regulate, excluding discharges permitted under the national pollutant discharge elimination system, the:

(B)

The noncommercial
U
nderground disposal into Class two injection wells as defined under the federal Safe Drinking Water Act of salt water, nonpotable water and oil field wastes related to oil and gas production in such a manner as to prevent contamination of the waters of the state.

Section 2.

The oil and gas conservation commission and the department of environmental quality shall promulgate any rules necessary to implement this act.

Section 3
.

(a)

Except as provided in subsection (b) of this section, this act is effective
immediately upon completion of all acts necessary for a bill to become law as provided by Article 4, Section 8 of the Wyoming Constitution.

(b)

Section 1 of this act is effective July 1, 2020.

(END)

Speaker of the House

President of the Senate

Governor

TIME APPROVED: _________

DATE APPROVED: _________

I hereby certify that this act originated in the Senate.

Chief Clerk

1