Bill > SB1474

This bill requires the Corporation Commission to levy new fees on oil and gas production to protect agricultural land and water resources. Specifically, operators will pay a $25 per acre annual surface impact fee for any disturbance on agricultural land, though this fee is waived for land restored within 12 months or used for multi-use grazing under an approved plan. Additionally, a produced water impact fee of one cent per barrel will be charged on wastewater generated from oil and gas operations, with deductions allowed for water that is recycled, reused for agricultural or industrial purposes, or disposed of in wells with advanced seismicity-reduction practices. Operators can receive credits, up to 100% of the surface impact fee and 75% of the produced water fee, for implementing "best environmental practices" such as interim reclamation, reduced pad footprints, pollinator-friendly seeding, consolidated facilities, and significant water recycling. The bill also establishes the "Water and Agricultural Protection Revolving Fund" to receive these fees, federal grants, private contributions, and appropriations, which will be used for testing groundwater, restoring affected land, plugging abandoned wells, providing technical assistance, and funding water recycling research. This new law will take effect on November 1, 2026.

Agriculture and Natural Resources

http://www.oklegislature.gov/BillInfo.aspx?Bill=sb1474&Session=2600