1144 LAWS OF MARYLAND [CH. 613

(1951 Edition), title "Natural Resources", sub-title "Con-
servation of the Natural Resources", said new sections to
be known as Sections 45A-45M, inclusive, to follow imme-
diately after Section 45 of said Article and to be under
a new sub-heading "Oil and Gas", and to read as follows:

45A. (Oil and Gas. ) The Department of Geology,
Mines and Water Resources, hereinafter catted Depart-
ment, in furtherance of its general powers of supervision
over the natural resources of the State and their conserva-
tion for the public use, is hereby authorized and empow-
ered to make effective the provisions of this sub-title and
to adopt and promulgate such rules and regulations as may
be proper for this purpose. PROVIDED, HOWEVER,
THAT NO RULE OR REGULATION ADOPTED AND
PROMULGATED UNDER ANY OF THE PROVISIONS
OF THIS SUB-HEADING SHALL BE EFFECTIVE
WITHIN THE LIMITS OF GARRETT COUNTY UN-
LESS THE RULE OR REGULATION SHALL HAVE
BEEN EXPRESSLY APPROVED BY A WRITTEN
RESOLUTION OF THE BOARD OF COUNTY COM-
MISSIONERS OF GARRETT COUNTY.

45B. It is the declared policy of the State that its
natural resources be conserved and that waste of oil and
gas be prohibited.

45C. (a) The Department is hereby given jurisdiction
and authority over all persons and property, public and
private, necessary to enforce effectively the provisions of
this sub-title.

(b) The Department is hereby authorized, and it is its
duty, to make such investigations as it deems proper to
determine whether waste exists or is imminent or whether
other facts exist which justify action by the Department.

(c) The Department is hereby authorized:

(1) To require: (a) identification of ownership of oil
or gas wells, producing leases, tanks, plants, structures,
and facilities for the transportation or refining of oil and
gas; (b) the making and filing of well logs, directional
surveys, and reports on well location, drilling, and produc-
tion; (c) the drilling, casing, operation, and plugging of
wells in such manner as to prevent the escape of oil or gas
out of one zone into another, the intrustion of water into
oil or gas zones, except when authorized for secondary
recovery water flood operations, the pollution of fresh
water supplies by oil, gas, or salt water, and to prevent