Bill Text: CA AB1490 | 2015-2016 | Regular Session | Amended

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Bill Title: Oil and gas: well stimulation treatments: seismic activities.

Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 1-0)

Status: (Failed) 2016-02-01 - From committee: Filed with the Chief Clerk pursuant to Joint Rule 56. [AB1490 Detail]

Download: California-2015-AB1490-Amended.html

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BILL NUMBER: AB 1490	AMENDED
	BILL TEXT

	AMENDED IN ASSEMBLY  MAY 5, 2015

INTRODUCED BY   Assembly Member Rendon

                        FEBRUARY 27, 2015

   An act to add Sections 3162 and 3163 to the Public Resources Code,
relating to oil and gas.


	LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST


   AB 1490, as amended, Rendon. Oil and gas: well stimulation
treatments: seismic activities.
   Existing law requires the State Oil and Gas Supervisor to regulate
oil and gas wells and tanks and facilities attendant to oil and gas
production. Existing law requires the Division of Oil, Gas, and
Geothermal Resources to adopt regulations governing the use of well
stimulation treatments, including hydraulic fracturing. Under
existing regulations, after the occurrence of an earthquake of
magnitude 2.7 or higher, a well operator is prohibited from
performing hydraulic fracturing on a well within a specified radius
until the division completes certain evaluations and is satisfied
that hydraulic fracturing within that radius does not create a
heightened risk of seismic activity. Under existing law, a violation
of requirements relating to oil and gas wells is a crime.
   This bill would prohibit a well operator from conducting a well
stimulation treatment following the occurrence of an earthquake of
magnitude  2.0   2.5  or higher on a well
that is within a radius of  an unspecified distance 
 10 miles  from the epicenter of the earthquake until the
division completes a certain evaluation and is satisfied that the
well stimulation treatment does not create a heightened risk of
seismic activity. The bill would also prohibit wastewater disposal
wells and all well stimulation treatments within 10 miles of a
recently active fault, as defined. Because a violation of these
prohibitions would be a crime, this bill would impose a
state-mandated local program.
   The California Constitution requires the state to reimburse local
agencies and school districts for certain costs mandated by the
state. Statutory provisions establish procedures for making that
reimbursement.
   This bill would provide that no reimbursement is required by this
act for a specified reason.
   Vote: majority. Appropriation: no. Fiscal committee: yes.
State-mandated local program: yes.


THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:

  SECTION 1.  Section 3162 is added to the Public Resources Code, to
read:
   3162.  A well operator shall not conduct a well stimulation
treatment following an occurrence of an earthquake of magnitude
 2.0   2.5  or higher, as determined by the
United States Geological Survey, on a well that is within a radius
of  ____   10 miles  from the epicenter of
the earthquake, as determined by the United States Geological Survey,
until the division completes an evaluation on whether there is a
causal connection between the well stimulation treatment and the
earthquake and is satisfied that the well stimulation treatment does
not create a heightened risk of seismic activity.
  SEC. 2.  Section 3163 is added to the Public Resources Code, to
read:
   3163.  (a) Notwithstanding Sections 3160 and 3161, or any other
law, wastewater disposal wells and all well stimulation treatments,
including hydraulic fracturing, within 10 miles of a recently active
fault are prohibited in this state.
   (b) For purposes of this section, "recently active fault" means a
fault that has been active in the past 200 years.
  SEC. 3.  No reimbursement is required by this act pursuant to
Section 6 of Article XIII B of the California Constitution because
the only costs that may be incurred by a local agency or school
district will be incurred because this act creates a new crime or
infraction, eliminates a crime or infraction, or changes the penalty
for a crime or infraction, within the meaning of Section 17556 of the
Government Code, or changes the definition of a crime within the
meaning of Section 6 of Article XIII B of the California
Constitution.