Introduced to Senate and referred to Committee on Sporting Heritage, Mining and Forestry
This bill authorizes counties to issue licenses for the exploration of frac sand, which is a type of industrial sand that can be used in deep wells to prop open rock fissures and increase the flow of natural gas or oil. Exploration consists of drilling holes for the purpose of searching for frac sand or establishing the nature and extent of a frac sand deposit. Current law requires counties to regulate the reclamation of nonmetallic mining sites. Nonmetallic mining is the extraction of nonmetallic materials, including stone, gravel, clay, and sand.
Under the bill, a person who applies to a county for a frac sand exploration license must submit a bond to ensure that drillholes will be properly filled and proof that the person has liability insurance covering personal injury and property damage. The bill also requires a licensee to notify the county before beginning drilling and before filling a drillhole. The bill requires the Department of Natural Resources to provide technical assistance related to frac sand exploration to a county upon request.