Bill > HB1191

This bill establishes a voluntary "certificate of compliance" process for oilfield and exploration and production sites, allowing surface owners and operators to jointly request an evaluation by the Department of Conservation and Energy and the Department of Environmental Quality (referred to as "the departments") to determine if a site meets applicable environmental laws, including the Risk Evaluation/Corrective Action Program (RECAP) and Statewide Order 29-B. If the site is found to be in compliance, a certificate is issued, which creates a rebuttable presumption that the site was operated reasonably and in accordance with standards at the time of certification, and generally bars future legal or administrative action by government entities or private parties for pre-certification site conditions. If noncompliance is found, a "corrective action period" is provided for remediation, during which certain legal proceedings are stayed, and the departments can issue a final report of noncompliance if issues remain unresolved. The process is voluntary and cannot be initiated during existing litigation, and it includes provisions for fees, rulemaking by the departments, and a public records exemption for information submitted during the corrective action period.

Agriculture and Natural Resources

https://www.legis.la.gov/legis/BillInfo.aspx?s=26rs&b=HB1191&sbi=y