HOUSE BILL No. 5652

 

March 16, 2004, Introduced by Reps. Gillard, Accavitti, Byrum, Tobocman, Bieda, Lipsey, Hood, Vagnozzi, Meisner, McConico, Hopgood, Smith, Condino, Law, Rivet, Dennis, Kolb, Farrah, Plakas, Woodward, Adamini and Gleason and referred to the Committee on Conservation and Outdoor Recreation.

        

                                                                                

                                                                                

                                                                                

                                                                                

                                                                                

                                                                                

                                                                                

                                                                                

                                                                                

                                                                                

                                                                                

                                                                                

                                                                                

                                                                                

                                                                                

                                                                                

                                                                                

                                                                                

                                                                                

                                                                                

                                                                                

                                                                                

                                                                                

                                                                                 A bill to amend 1994 PA 451, entitled                                             

                                                                                

    "Natural resources and environmental protection act,"                       

                                                                                

    by amending section 61506 (MCL 324.61506), as amended by 1998 PA            

                                                                                

    303.                                                                        

                                                                                

                THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF MICHIGAN ENACT:                      

                                                                                

1       Sec. 61506.  The supervisor shall prevent the waste                         

                                                                                

2   prohibited by this part.  To that end, acting directly or through           

                                                                                

3   his or her authorized representatives, the supervisor is                    

                                                                                

4   specifically empowered to do all of the following:                          

                                                                                

5       (a) To promulgate and enforce rules, issue orders and                       

                                                                                

6   instructions necessary to enforce the rules, and do whatever may            

                                                                                

7   be necessary with respect to the subject matter stated in this              

                                                                                

8   part to implement this part, whether or not indicated, specified,           

                                                                                

9   or enumerated in this or any other section of this part.                    

                                                                                

10      (b) To collect data to make inspections, studies, and                       

                                                                                


                                                                                

1   investigations; to examine properties, leases, papers, books, and           

                                                                                

2   records as necessary to the purposes of this part; to examine,              

                                                                                

3   check, and test and gauge oil and gas wells and tanks, plants,              

                                                                                

4   refineries, and all means and modes of transportation and                   

                                                                                

5   equipment; to hold hearings; and to provide for the keeping of              

                                                                                

6   records and making of reports, and for the checking of the                  

                                                                                

7   accuracy of the records and reports.                                        

                                                                                

8       (c) To require the locating, drilling, deepening, redrilling                

                                                                                

9   or reopening, casing, sealing, operating, and plugging of wells             

                                                                                

10  drilled for oil and gas or for secondary recovery projects, or              

                                                                                

11  wells for the disposal of salt water, brine, or other oil field             

                                                                                

12  wastes, to be done in such manner and by such means as to prevent           

                                                                                

13  the escape of oil or gas out of 1 stratum into another, or of               

                                                                                

14  water or brines into oil or gas strata; to prevent pollution of,            

                                                                                

15  damage to, or destruction of fresh water supplies, including                

                                                                                

16  inland lakes and streams and the Great Lakes and connecting                 

                                                                                

17  waters, and valuable brines by oil, gas, or other waters;  ,  to            

                                                                                

18  prevent the escape of oil, gas, or water into workable coal or              

                                                                                

19  other mineral deposits; to require the disposal of salt water and           

                                                                                

20  brines and oily wastes produced incidental to oil and gas                   

                                                                                

21  operations in a manner and by methods and means so that                     

                                                                                

22  unnecessary damage or danger to or destruction of surface or                

                                                                                

23  underground resources,  to  neighboring properties or rights, or            

                                                                                

24  to  life does not result.                                                  

                                                                                

25      (d) To require reports and maps showing locations of all                    

                                                                                

26  wells subject to this part, and the keeping and filing of logs,             

                                                                                

27  well samples, and drilling, testing, and operating records or               


                                                                                

1   reports.  All well data and samples furnished to the supervisor             

                                                                                

2   as required in this part, upon written request of the owner of              

                                                                                

3   the well, shall be held confidential for 90 days after the                  

                                                                                

4   completion of drilling and shall not be open to public inspection           

                                                                                

5   except by written consent of the owner.                                     

                                                                                

6       (e) To prevent the drowning by water of any stratum or part                 

                                                                                

7   of the stratum capable of producing oil or gas, or both oil and             

                                                                                

8   gas, and to prevent the premature and irregular encroachment of             

                                                                                

9   water, or any other kind of water encroachment, that reduces or             

                                                                                

10  tends to reduce the total ultimate recovery of oil or gas, or               

                                                                                

11  both oil or gas, from any pool.                                             

                                                                                

12      (f) To prevent fires or explosions.                                         

                                                                                

13      (g) To prevent blow-outs, seepage, and caving, in the sense                 

                                                                                

14  that  the conditions indicated by  such terms are generally                 

                                                                                

15  understood in the oil business.                                             

                                                                                

16      (h) To regulate the mechanical, physical, and chemical                      

                                                                                

17  treatment of wells.                                                         

                                                                                

18      (i) To regulate the secondary recovery methods of oil and                   

                                                                                

19  gas, including pulling or creating a vacuum and the introduction            

                                                                                

20  of gas, air, water, and other substances into the producing                 

                                                                                

21  formations.                                                                 

                                                                                

22      (j) To fix the spacing of wells and to regulate the                         

                                                                                

23  production from the wells.                                                  

                                                                                

24      (k) To require the operation of wells with efficient gas-oil                

                                                                                

25  ratios and to establish the ratios.                                         

                                                                                

26                                                                               (l) To require by written notice or citation immediate                              

                                                                                

27  suspension of any operation or practice and the prompt correction           


                                                                                

1   of any condition found to exist that causes or results or                   

                                                                                

2   threatens to cause or result in waste.                                      

                                                                                

3       (m) To require, either generally or in or from particular                   

                                                                                

4   areas, certificates of clearance or tenders in connection with              

                                                                                

5   the transportation of oil, gas, or any product of oil or gas.               

                                                                                

6       (n) To require identification of the ownership of oil and gas               

                                                                                

7   producing leases, properties, and wells.                                    

                                                                                

8       (o) To promulgate rules or issue orders for the                             

                                                                                

9   classifications of wells as oil wells or gas wells; or wells                

                                                                                

10  drilled, or to be drilled, for secondary recovery projects, or              

                                                                                

11  for the disposal of salt water, brine, or other oil or gas field            

                                                                                

12  wastes; or for the development of reservoirs for the storage of             

                                                                                

13  liquid or gaseous hydrocarbons, or for other means of                       

                                                                                

14  development, extraction, or production of hydrocarbons.                     

                                                                                

15      (p) To require the filing of  an  adequate surety, security,                

                                                                                

16  or cash bonds of owners, producers, operators, or their                     

                                                                                

17  authorized representatives in such reasonable form, condition,              

                                                                                

18  term, and amount as will ensure compliance with this part and               

                                                                                

19  with the rules promulgated or orders issued under this part and             

                                                                                

20  to provide for the release of the surety, security, or cash                 

                                                                                

21  bonds.                                                                      

                                                                                

22      (q) To require the immediate suspension of drilling or other                

                                                                                

23  well operations if there exists a threat to public health or                

                                                                                

24  safety.                                                                     

                                                                                

25      (r) To require a person applying for a permit to drill and                  

                                                                                

26  operate any well regulated by this part to file a complete and              

                                                                                

27  accurate written application on a form prescribed by the                    


                                                                                

1   supervisor.                                                                 

                                                                                

2       (s) To require the posting of safety signs and the                          

                                                                                

3   installation of fences, gates, or other safety measures if there            

                                                                                

4   exists a threat to public health, safety, or property.                      

                                                                                

5       (t) To prevent regular or recurring nuisance noise or regular               

                                                                                

6   or recurring nuisance odor in the exploration for or development,           

                                                                                

7   production, or handling of oil and gas.  The standard for sound             

                                                                                

8   emanating from oil or gas exploration, development, or production           

                                                                                

9   facilities that begin operating on or after the effective date of           

                                                                                

10  the 2004 amendment to this section shall not be more than 50                

                                                                                

11  decibels on the a-weighted network at a distance of 100 feet.               

                                                                                

12      (u) To require that any new roads that are built on state                   

                                                                                

13  lands to facilitate oil or gas development not exceed 20 feet in            

                                                                                

14  width and that any improvements that are made to roads on state             

                                                                                

15  lands to facilitate oil or gas development not cause the road to            

                                                                                

16  exceed 20 feet in width, except to provide for a safe turning               

                                                                                

17  radius at corners.  Upon request, the supervisor may allow a                

                                                                                

18  greater width to accommodate placement of a pipeline in the road            

                                                                                

19  right-of-way if the supervisor determines that such placement is            

                                                                                

20  the best alternative to protect natural resources.