Section 14-121 – Inspection of Coalbed Methane Production
(a) The Department may make inspections as it determines necessary to ensure compliance with this subtitle. (b) In order to carry out an inspection in accordance with this section, the Department, or its authorized agents, may: (1) Conduct tests or sampling, or examine books, papers, and records that relate to any matter under an investigation in accordance with […]
Section 14-122 – Oil and Gas Fund
(a) There is an Oil and Gas Fund. (b) The Fund consists of: (1) Fees collected by the Department under § 14–105 of this subtitle; (2) Funds appropriated by the General Assembly for deposit to the Fund; (3) Fines and proceeds from financial assurance instruments collected by the Department in accordance with this subtitle that exceed the amount necessary to […]
Section 14-108 – Drilling Well and Disposing of Well’s Products — Denial of Permit
The Department shall deny the permit if the Department determines that: (1) The proposed operation shall violate a requirement of this subtitle or a regulation adopted under this subtitle; (2) The proposed drilling or well operation poses a substantial threat to public safety or a risk of significant adverse environmental impact to, but not limited to, the […]
Section 14-123 – Use of Money
The Department shall use money in the Fund solely to administer and implement programs to oversee the drilling, development, production, and storage of oil and gas wells, and other requirements related to the drilling of oil and gas wells, including all costs incurred by the State to: (1) Review, inspect, and evaluate monitoring data, applications, licenses, […]
Section 14-109 – Seismic Operations; Permit Required; Use of Explosives
(a) (1) In this section the following words have the meanings indicated. (2) “Explosives” means normal commercial explosives, blasting agents, and detonators. (3) “Seismic operations” means the controlled application of vibratory energy from any source to determine if favorable conditions exist for the subsurface entrapment of oil or gas. (4) “Seismic section” means a graphic, near-vertical display of waveform data […]
Section 14-124 – Report
Beginning November 1, 2010, the Department shall report each year to the General Assembly, in accordance with § 2–1257 of the State Government Article, on: (1) The status of the Fund; (2) Revenues of and expenditures from the Fund; (3) The efficiency of the regulatory program under this subtitle; (4) Compliance rates within the regulatory program under this subtitle; […]
Section 14-110 – Conditions on Permits
(a) (1) A permit shall be expressly conditioned upon compliance with all requirements of this subtitle and any regulations adopted under this subtitle. (2) The Department may place in a permit conditions which the Department deems reasonable and appropriate to assure that the operation shall fully comply with the requirements of this subtitle, and provide for public safety […]
Section 14-125 – Regulations
The Department shall adopt regulations: (1) To carry out this subtitle; and (2) To establish procedures for imposing and collecting the fees established in accordance with § 14–105 of this subtitle.
Section 14-110.1 – Presumptive Impact Areas Around Gas Wells
(a) In this section, “water supply” means a source of water used for drinking or other domestic purpose or for agriculture, including livestock. (b) For each permit the Department issues under this subtitle to drill a well for the exploration or production of gas in deep shale deposits, there is a presumptive impact area around the gas […]
Section 14-101 – Legislative Findings
The General Assembly finds and declares that the production and development of oil and gas resources is important to the economic well-being of the State and the nation. The drilling and production of oil and gas should be conducted in a manner that will minimize their effects on the surrounding environment. Furthermore, proper evaluation of […]