UPDATE: Texas 83rd Legislature: Good Bills and Bad Bills

Thanks to Cyrus Reed, Lonestar Chapter of the Sierra Club for compiling this list. We may be adding additional bills later.

I am going to update this post as we ID other bills to support or oppose.

BAD BILLS WE OPPOSE: 

HB 1496, by Rep. Van Taylor (R) Plano, Collin County – strips local communities of the right to make rules for oil & gas development in their communities.  Blog posts. Action Alert.

HB 2828 by Tony Dale – another bill that strips local control away.

Relating to the effect of rules and standards adopted by the Railroad Commission of Texas relating to the gas pipeline industry on ordinances, orders or rules adopted by political subdivisions.

SB 957 by Troy Fraser and HB 2082 by Allan Ritter – removes citizen rights to a contested case hearing on important air and water permits. Pending in Committee.

Relating to the procedure for action by the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality on applications for certain environmental permits and administrative and judicial review of the commission’s action.

HB 100 by Rep. Van Taylor – is a forced pooling bill that takes away private property. Currently pending in committee.

Relating to unit operations for oil, gas, or oil and gas production or carbon dioxide storage

HB 2277 by Myra Crownover – Allows water regardless of salinity to be stored in unlined pits.

Relating to the regulation of certain pits used to store flowback or produced water from an oil or gas well on which a hydraulic fracturing treatment has been performed.

HB 2828 by Tony Dale – Strips municipalities of any say in gas pipeline location in their cities.

Relating to the effect of rules and standards adopted by the Railroad Commission of Texas relating to the gas pipeline industry on ordinances, orders or rules adopted by political subdivisions

HB 3853 – Rafael Anchia – Takes money from the oil field clean up fund promotion of LNG exports. Referred to committee.

Relating to the promotion of Texas energy products, services and technologies in the global marketplace.

GOOD BILLS WE SUPPORT: 

SB 873 by Glenn Hegar – requires oil & gas companies to get permits for groundwater used in fracking.

Relating to the authority of a groundwater conservation district to require a permit for the drilling or operation of a water well used to supply water for the performance of a hydraulic fracturing treatment on an oil or gas well.

HB 448 by Dawnna Dukes – requires disclosure in advance to nearby neighbors of chemicals used in fracking. Update and my testimony in favor of this bill. Pending in Committee.

Relating to a requirement that the operator of an oil or gas well on which a hydraulic fracturing treatment is to be performed mail a list of the chemicals to be used in the treatment to persons residing near the well.

HB 379 by Lon Burnam – assesses fee on wastewater injection to encourage water conservation in fracking.

Relating to the imposition of a fee on oil and gas waste disposed of by injection in a commercial injection well permitted by the Railroad Commission of Texas.

HB 380 by Lon Burnam – improves the safety of oil & gas pipelines.

Relating to safety requirements applicable to gas pipelines in certain counties

SB 513 and SB 514 by Wendy Davis – improves the safety of oil & gas saltwater pipelines.

SB 513 – Relating to the regulation of saltwater pipelines by the Railroad Commission of Texas.

SB 514 – Relating to the installation, maintenance, operation, and relocation of saltwater pipeline facilities.

SB 900 by Troy Fraser and HB 1863 by Gene Wu – increases the maximum penalty the RRC can assess to $25,000/day. Pending in Committee.

Relating to the amounts of the administrative, civil, and criminal penalties for violating certain statutes under the jurisdiction of, rules or orders adopted by, or licenses, permits, or certificates issued by the Railroad Commission of Texas.

 HB 2122 by Rafael Anchia – requires the RRC to publish enforcement data online in a searchable format. Referred to committee.

Relating to the posting by the Railroad Commission of Texas on its Internet website of certain enforcement information

HB 55 by Lon Burnam – takes away the high cost gas tax exemption

Relating  to the exemption or tax reduction for certain high-cost gas.

SB 941 by Wendy Davis – requires the Railroad Commission to develop rules on noise in non-incorporated areas, but only for counties with 1.8 million population in two adjoining counties. This is a step in the right direction but it needs to be amended to protect everyone. Referred to Committee.

Relating to the adoption of rules by the Railroad Commission of Texas regulating the exploration for and production of natural gas in the unincorporated areas of certain counties.

HB 2982 by Jim Keffer –

Relating to the power of the Railroad Commission of Texas to adopt and enforce safety standards and practices applicable to the transportation by pipeline of certain substances and to certain pipeline facilities.

Find your representatives HERE and start making calls and writing letters now.