Bill > HB4572

This bill addresses the regulation of reserve and mud circulation pits used in oil and gas drilling operations by the Railroad Commission of Texas. The bill defines two types of pits: reserve pits (used for collecting spent drilling fluids, cuttings, and wash water) and mud circulation pits (used for storing drilling fluids). The Railroad Commission is required to develop comprehensive rules covering these pits, including minimum siting standards, technical and construction requirements, financial security guidelines, groundwater monitoring standards, and notification procedures for landowners when oil and gas waste will be permanently buried in these pits. Specifically, the bill mandates that operators must provide written notice to the county clerk within 30 days of closing a pit used for permanent waste burial, including details about the pit's location, type, and volume of waste. The county clerk must then record this information in the county's public records at no charge. The rules established by the commission must be consistent with existing standards for produced water recycling pits, and the bill is set to take effect on September 1, 2025.

Agriculture and Natural Resources

https://capitol.texas.gov/BillLookup/History.aspx?LegSess=89R&Bill=HB4572