SB 442-1_ Filed 03/17/2005, 11:40


Text Box

Adopted Rejected


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COMMITTEE REPORT


                                                        YES:

10

                                                        NO:
0

MR. SPEAKER:
    Your Committee on       Natural Resources     , to which was referred       Senate Bill 442     , has had the same under consideration and begs leave to report the same back to the House with the recommendation that said bill be amended as follows:

SOURCE: Page 2, line 23; (05)AM044201.2. -->     Page 2, between lines 23 and 24, begin a new paragraph and insert:
SOURCE: IC 14-37-7-3; (05)AM044201.6. -->     "SECTION 6. IC 14-37-7-3 IS AMENDED TO READ AS FOLLOWS [EFFECTIVE UPON PASSAGE]: Sec. 3. (a) Except as provided in subsection (b), if a well for oil and gas purposes is proposed to be drilled:
        (1) on land underlaid by an inactive underground mine; or
        (2) on land within the permit boundaries of an active underground mine permitted under IC 14-34;
an owner or operator shall, if the well is to be completed as a producing well and regardless of whether the well is drilled through a pillar, run an intermediate string of casing from the surface to a point at least fifty (50) feet below the base of the commercially minable coal resource or the mine floor.
     (b) Upon written application to the director by a person that proposes to drill a well described in subsection (a), the director may

grant a variance from the requirements of subsection (a) if:
        (1) with respect to a proposed well on land described in subsection (a)(1), written consent to the variance is given by:
            (A) the permittee under IC 14-34; or
            (B) the person that has the right to develop the coal resource; or
        (2) with respect to a proposed well on land described in subsection (a)(2), written consent to the variance is given by the coal mine operator under IC 14-34.
    (c) If a variance is granted under subsection (b), the well must be completed:
        (1) in the manner required under section 4 or 5 of this chapter; and
        (2) in a manner that prevents the following:
            (A) Waste.
            (B) Fresh water pollution.
            (C) Blowouts.
            (D) Cavings.
            (E) Seepages.
            (F) Fires.
            (G) Unreasonably detrimental effects upon fish, wildlife, and botanical resources.
".
    Renumber all SECTIONS consecutively.
    (Reference is to SB 442 as printed February 1, 2005.)

and when so amended that said bill do pass.

__________________________________

Representative Hoffman


AM044201/DI 52    2005