HLS 21RS-1959 ORIGINAL
2021 Regular Session
HOUSE CONCURRENT STUDY REQUEST NO. 3
BY REPRESENTATIVE MCCORMICK
MINERALS/MINING: Establishes a joint committee to study the impact of federal laws
and regulations on the use of injection wells for the underground injection of fluids
1 A CONCURRENT STUDY REQUEST
2To the House Committee on Natural Resources and Environment and the Senate Committee
3 on Natural Resources to meet and to function as a joint committee to study and make
4 recommendations regarding Louisiana's underground injection control program by
5 evaluating the regulatory framework administered by the Louisiana Department of
6 Natural Resources, office of conservation; reviewing any and all local, state, and
7 federal laws and regulations relative to the underground injection of fluids; and
8 identifying differences in the regulation of injection wells by the Louisiana
9 Department of Natural Resources and the Railroad Commission of Texas; and to
10 report its findings to the legislature prior to the convening of the 2022 Regular
11 Session of the Legislature.
12 WHEREAS, the unique geology of Louisiana has allowed this state to become an
13abundant source of natural gas and oil; and
14 WHEREAS, it is this same unique geology that makes Louisiana an ideal location
15for conducting underground injection operations; and
16 WHEREAS, underground injection refers to the placement of fluids into subsurface
17geologic formations through a wellbore; and
18 WHEREAS, injected fluids may include water, wastewater, brine (salt water), or
19water mixed with chemicals; and
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HCSR NO. 3
1 WHEREAS, underground injection control (UIC) is generally managed and enforced
2at the state level through the primary enforcement authority (primacy) granted to states by
3the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA); and
4 WHEREAS, Louisiana and Texas each have UIC sections that administer regulatory
5and permit programs with federal oversight from the EPA, in accordance with the federal
6Safe Drinking Water Act, to protect underground sources of drinking water from
7endangerment by the subsurface emplacement of both hazardous and nonhazardous fluids
8through deep well injection and other oilfield waste disposal techniques; and
9 WHEREAS, Louisiana's UIC is managed by the Department of Natural Resources,
10office of conservation, and Texas' UIC is managed by the Railroad Commission of Texas;
11and
12 WHEREAS, there are six federally designated classes of injection wells; and
13 WHEREAS, each well class is based on the type and depth of the injection activity,
14and the potential for that injection activity to result in endangerment of underground sources
15of drinking water; and
16 WHEREAS, Louisiana and Texas have UIC programs that both permit and regulate
17the underground injection of fluids based on these classes of wells; and
18 WHEREAS, despite operating under the same federal framework, there is little
19continuity between Louisiana and Texas in the application of their UIC regulatory programs.
20 THEREFORE, the Legislature of Louisiana requests the House Committee on
21Natural Resources and Environment and the Senate Committee on Natural Resources to
22meet and to function as a joint committee to study and make recommendations regarding
23Louisiana's underground injection control program by evaluating the regulatory framework
24administered by the Louisiana Department of Natural Resources, office of conservation;
25reviewing any and all local, state, and federal laws and regulations relative to the
26underground injection of fluids; and identifying differences in the regulation of injection
27wells by the Louisiana Department of Natural Resources and the Railroad Commission of
28Texas.
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HCSR NO. 3
1 THEREFORE, the Legislature of Louisiana further requests the joint committee to
2consider soliciting information and suggestions from the following agencies, organizations,
3and individuals:
4 (1)The Louisiana Department of Natural Resources, office of conservation.
5 (2)The Louisiana Legislative Auditor.
6 (3)The Department of Geology and Geophysics, Louisiana State University.
7 (4)David Dismukes, Executive Director and Professor, Center for Energy
8Studies, Louisiana State University.
9 (5)The Louisiana Oil and Gas Association.
10 (6)The Railroad Commission of Texas.
11 (7)The United States Geological Survey.
12 (8)Environmental Protection Agency Region 6.
13 (9)The state representative for House District Number 1.
14 (10)Jeff Watkins, Landman.
15 (11)Robert B. Raines, Jr., Raines and Associates, LLC.
16 THEREFORE, the Legislature of Louisiana requests that the joint committee submit
17a report of its findings to the legislature sixty days prior to the convening of the 2022
18Regular Session.
DIGEST
The digest printed below was prepared by House Legislative Services. It constitutes no part
of the legislative instrument. The keyword, one-liner, abstract, and digest do not constitute
part of the law or proof or indicia of legislative intent. [R.S. 1:13(B) and 24:177(E)]
HCSR 3 Original 2021 Regular Session McCormick
Requests the House Committee on Natural Resources and Environment and the Senate
Committee on Natural Resources to meet and to function as a joint committee to study and
make recommendations regarding Louisiana's underground injection control program by
evaluating the regulatory framework administered by the La. Department of Natural
Resources, office of conservation; reviewing any and all local, state, and federal laws and
regulations relative to the underground injection of fluids; and identifying differences in the
regulation of injection wells by the La. Department of Natural Resources and the Railroad
Commission of Texas; and to report its findings to the legislature 60 days prior to the
convening of the 2022 Regular Session.
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