In early 2010, the Louisiana Office of Conservation published in the Louisiana Register a Notice of Intent to amend Statewide Order 29-B, the regulation governing the storage, treatment, and disposal of exploration and production waste at oilfield sites. The proposed amendments provide specific procedures for the evaluation and remediation of groundwater conditions and potential sources that may have contributed to those conditions at oil and gas exploration and production sites. Specifically, the amendments provide that agency submissions made pursuant to Statewide Order 29-B must demonstrate compliance with the conditions set forth in the Louisiana Department of Natural Resources Exploration and Production Site Evaluation and Remediation Procedures Manual (SERP Manual). The SERP Manual, which will become effective upon final promulgation of the amendments, will include site evaluation and remediation protocol and procedures established in conformance with the latest revision of the Louisiana Department of Environmental Quality’s Risk Evaluation/Corrective Action Program (RECAP) document.

The public hearing for the proposed amendments will take place on April 5, 2010 at 9:00 a.m. in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. Written comments will be accepted until 4:30 p.m. on April 12, 2010.

To view the proposed amendments, go to:
http://www.doa.louisiana.gov/osr/reg/1002/1002.pdf