DRC LEGISLATIVE UPDATE

March 23, 2007

ACTION IN THE PAST WEEK:

• HB 1511:  The North Dakota Senate with a 45-1 vote, decided oil companies that do not play by the rules would have to post a bond that will cover the ever-increasing costs of plugging and reclaiming abandoned wells. “This is the first bill of its kind that we are aware of in the west,” stated Tom Irgens, a Springbrook area farmer and member of Dakota Resource Council’s oil and gas task force. “We are extremely pleased that our legislators saw the problem and worked together to protect North Dakota.”

House Bill 1511 will require that those wells that have not produced oil or gas in paying quantities for one year be immediately put back into production, properly temporarily abandoned or plugged and reclaimed. If any of those options is not completed, the operator would be required to post a bond that is equal to the actual cost of plugging and reclamation. It now goes to the Governor for his signature.

Congratulations to staff Cindy Klein and the Oil and Gas Task Force for all their great work on this bill!!

• HB 1420:  Passes the Senate 34-11.  This is a zoning bill for confined animal feeding operations and was amended in both houses.  Originally it would have taken away some aspects of county and township zoning but amendments made it less objectionable to the township and county associations although DRC members felt that the bill still weakened zoning abilities.  The bill now goes to the Governor for his signature.
• HCR 3061:  Was adopted by the Senate by a voice vote. This resolution directs the Legislative Council to study the financial and environmental impact of confined animal feeding operations on individual property owners and local communities and develop clear, concise, and consistent laws governing the siting and regulation of confined animal feeding operations.  DRC supported this bill.

ACTION IN THE COMING WEEK:

There are no hearings scheduled.