The Mississippi Oil and Gas Board proposed amendments to 26 Miss. Code R. §1.4. The proposed amendments would impose additional annual well fees to incentivize oil and gas operators to plug inactive and non-producing wells in a more timely manner and provide critical resources to the Emergency Plugging Fund. A hearing will be held July 17, 2019. Comments are due July 9, 2019. See http://www.sos.ms.gov/adminsearch/ACProposed/00024204a.pdf.

The Oklahoma Water Resources Board proposed to amend Okla. Admin. Code §§785:35-7-1 and 785:35-7-1.1, and adopt §785:35-7-3. The proposed amendments and adoption would prohibit construction of fresh groundwater wells in marginal-quality water zones to protect against contamination of fresh groundwater, add a provision identifying and referencing industry standards for the plugging of vertical closed loop heat exchange wells, and provide minimum construction standards for marginal water wells. A hearing will be held January 15, 2019, and comments are due that same date.