Yesterday, the California Assembly Committee on Natural Resources passed three bills that would impose new permitting and disclosure requirements on hydraulic fracturing operations.  The Committee passed and referred these three bills, AB 288, AB 7 and AB 669, to the Committee on Appropriations.

As discussed in further detail in the blog post on April 11, 2013, AB 288 and AB 7 would respectively require an operator to obtain a permit specifically allowing well stimulation activities, including fracking, and to disclose the chemicals and volumes of water used in its operations.  AB 669 would also require an operator, before commencing fracking activities, to obtain approval of its wastewater disposal method and location from the regional water board.

This vote moves the bills one step closer to the Governor’s desk, where the decision as to whether California should more stringently regulate fracking will ultimately be decided.

Co-authored by Michael N. Mills and Robin B. Seifried.