HOUSE BILL No. 5386

 

March 4, 2014, Introduced by Reps. McMillin, LaVoy, Irwin, Driskell, Switalski and Brown and referred to the Committee on Energy and Technology.

 

     A bill to amend 1994 PA 451, entitled

 

"Natural resources and environmental protection act,"

 

by amending section 61506c (MCL 324.61506c), as added by 1998 PA

 

392, and by adding section 61506d.

 

THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF MICHIGAN ENACT:

 

     Sec. 61506c. The department shall maintain a toll-free

 

telephone number that a person or a representative of a local unit

 

of government may call in order to receive information on

 

department standards, safety requirements and educational

 

information related to oil and gas leasing, exploration, drilling,

 

permitting, hydrogen sulfide management, pooling, and other topics

 

related to the extraction of oil and gas. The department shall also

 

provide on the department's website general information related to


 

oil and gas leasing, exploration, drilling, permitting, hydrogen

 

sulfide management, pooling, and other topics related to the

 

extraction of oil and gas.

 

     Sec. 61506d. (1) An individual who solicits a landowner to

 

lease the landowner's oil or gas rights shall provide to the

 

landowner the department's toll-free telephone number, as provided

 

for in section 61506c, where the landowner may obtain information

 

related to oil and gas leasing, exploration, drilling, permitting,

 

hydrogen sulfide management, pooling, and other topics related to

 

the extraction of oil and gas. The individual soliciting the

 

landowner shall obtain a signature from the landowner acknowledging

 

that the toll-free telephone number has been provided.

 

     (2) Notwithstanding any other provision of this part, an

 

application under this part to drill a well to extract oil or gas

 

from any property in which the applicant does not own the oil or

 

gas rights shall be accompanied by a signed acknowledgment of

 

receipt of the toll-free telephone number described in subsection

 

(1) from the owners of all leased oil and gas rights.

 

     (3) An individual who violates subsection (1) is responsible

 

for a state civil infraction and may be ordered to pay a civil fine

 

of not more than $1,000.00.