Ch. 367                                     1993 LAWS OF MARYLAND

BY repealing and reenacting, with amendments,
Article - Natural Resources

Section 6-101, 6-104, 6-104.1, 6-104.2, 6-104.3, 6-104.4, 6-105, and 6-114
Annotated Code of Maryland
(1989 Replacement Volume and 1992 Supplement)

BY adding to

Article - Natural Resources
Section 6-104.3, 6-104.5 and 6-104.6 , and 6-104.7
Annotated Code of Maryland
(1989 Replacement Volume and 1992 Supplement)

SECTION 1. BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF
MARYLAND, That the Laws of Maryland read as follows:

Article - Natural Resources

6-101.

[It is in the public interest to foster, encourage, and promote the development,
production, and utilization of natural resources of oil and gas in the State, to prevent
waste, to protect the environmental resources of the State from adverse effects associated
with drilling, production, and underground storage of gas and oil, and to protect fully the
rights of every owner to the end that landowners, royalty owners, producers of oil and gas,
and the general public realize and enjoy the greatest possible good from these vital
natural resources.] THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY FINDS AND DECLARES THAT THE
PRODUCTION AND DEVELOPMENT OF OIL AND GAS RESOURCES IS IMPORTANT TO
THE ECONOMIC WELL-BEING OF THE STATE AND THE NATION. THE DRILLING AND
PRODUCTION OF OIL AND GAS SHOULD BE CONDUCTED IN A MANNER THAT WILL
MINIMIZE THEIR EFFECTS ON THE SURROUNDING ENVIRONMENT. FURTHERMORE,
PROPER EVALUATION OF A PROJECT AND THE USE OF THE MOST
ENVIRONMENTALLY SOUND DRILLING AND PRODUCTION METHODS ARE
NECESSARY TO PREVENT ADVERSE ENVIRONMENTAL CONSEQUENCES THAT
WOULD BE DETRIMENTAL TO THE GENERAL WELFARE, HEALTH, SAFETY, AND
PROPERTY. INTERESTS OF THE CITIZENS OF THE STATE. IN ADDITION, THERE ARE
CERTAIN CIRCUMSTANCES WHERE OIL AND GAS EXPLORATION OR PRODUCTION
SHOULD BE PROHIBITED, SUCH AS WHEN THESE OPERATIONS WILL HAVE A
SIGNIFICANT ADVERSE EFFECT ON THE ENVIRONMENT. THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY
FINDS THAT THE CONDUCT OF EXPLORATION OR PRODUCTION OF OIL AND GAS
RESOURCES UNDER THIS SUBTITLE WILL ALLOW THE SAFE UTILIZATION OF THE
STATE'S NATURAL RESOURCES AND WILL PROVIDE FOR THE PROTECTION OF THE
STATE'S ENVIRONMENT.

6-104.

(A) A person may not drill any well for the [production] EXPLORATION,
PRODUCTION, or underground storage of gas or oil in the State without obtaining a
permit from the Department of Natural Resources under the terms and conditions and
on the forms the Department prescribes.

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