Vote Smart's Synopsis:

Vote to pass a bill that requires energy firms to notify neighboring property owners before engaging in hydraulic fracturing.

Highlights:

• Requires the operator of any well to file a written notice of intention to begin drilling to the supervisor or district deputy (Sec. 1).

• Requires the operator of the well to notify all of the following, no less than 30 calendar days before “hydraulic fracturing” operations begin (Sec 2):
• Every surface property owner whose property line or place of residence is within 300 feet of the real property where the wellhead will be located;
• The regional water quality control board where the wellhead is located; and
• Every municipal government in which a notified surface property owner is located.

• Requires the notice to provide all of the following information (Sec. 2):
  
  • The location of the well; 
  • The well identification number;
  • The description of the planned hydraulic fracturing operations;
  • The time period when the drilling is planned to occur;
  • Instructions on how to obtain additional information on the status of the drilling operations from the owner or operator of the well; 
  • The contact information for the district deputy; and
  • Information on how to obtain additional information on the well.

• Defines “hydraulic fracturing” as a well stimulation treatment that typically includes the pressurized injection of water and other materials into an underground geologic formation in order to create fractures in the formation, with the intent of causing or improving the production of oil or gas from a well (Sec. 3).

• Specifies that if the supervisor or district deputy fails to provide a written response to the notice within 15 days, that failure shall be considered as approval of the notice (Sec. 1).

Full Bill Text