WILLIAM DONALD SCHAEFER, Governor                            Ch. 739

Article - Natural Resources

6-104.1.

(a) An applicant for a permit to drill a well under § 6-104 of this subtitle shall
submit an application in a manner satisfactory to the Department. [The application shall
include:

(1)     Certification by the applicant that the applicant has notified, in writing,
each landowner and leaseholder of real property that borders the proposed drillable lease
area of the applicant's intention to file an application for permit to drill a well, provided
that an applicant for a proposed well in an underground storage reservoir existing on
January 1, 1988 need only notify the owners or leaseholders of property within 2,000 feet
of the proposed well;

(2)     A copy of the applicant's written notice to landowners and leaseholders
under paragraph (1) of this subsection, which includes:

(i) A description of the location and boundaries of the proposed
drillable lease area sufficiently detailed for the proposed operation to be easily located by
local residents;

(ii) The location where the application is available for public
inspection; and

(iii) Notice that any interested person may submit written comments
and requests for a public hearing to the Department for at least 30 days after the date of
the applicant's notice;

(3)     Written approval by the local zoning authority that all local planning and
zoning requirements are met; and

(4)     Except for an application for a permit to drill an underground storage
well, an environmental assessment that shall contain a comprehensive analysis of
potential impacts to the environment resulting from exploration and production of oil or
gas including:

(i) All adverse environmental impacts that may not be avoided or
mitigated;

(ii) All adverse environmental impacts that may be avoided or
mitigated, together with the measures that may be taken to avoid or mitigate these
impacts;

(iii) The potential damage resulting from the loss of the beneficial use
of property, natural resources, or economic livelihood that may result from a discharge of
oil or gas or other production or exploration activities;

(iv) The modes of transportation that may be used to transport oil or
gas discovered at the proposed site and the potential environmental impacts that may
result from the use of these modes of transportation;

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