September 9, 2015

What exactly does House Bill 40 do?

House bill 40 provides cities with authority to reasonably regulate aboveground activity related to oil and natural gas operations like setbacks from other structures, traffic and noise. House Bill 40 affirms that regulation of oil and natural gas operations like fracking and production is under the exclusive jurisdiction of the state.

Why does Texas need House Bill 40?

Recently, municipal regulations have begun to erode the state’s preeminent role in regulating oil and natural gas development. Outright bans on completion techniques, onerous setbacks designed to prohibit drilling, and duplicative regulations have created a patchwork of inconsistent regulations that undermines safe and efficient production of oil and natural gas.

Historically, what has been the state’s role in regulating the oil and natural gas industry?

For more than 100 years, the legislature – and its delegated agencies of the railroad commission and the Texas commission on environmental quality – have enacted and imposed stringent state oil and natural gas and environmental regulations that simultaneously (1) allow development of the state’s natural resources (2) protect the environment and (3) allow for the oil and natural gas industry to grow jobs and anchor the Texas economy.

Texas Railroad Commission:
RRC general phone numbers:
Toll free: (877) 228-5740
(512) 463-7158

RRC emergency numbers:

Toll free: (844) 773-0305
(512) 463-6788
Oil and Natural Gas line: (512) 463-6838
Or visit www.rrc.state.tx.us

Texas Commission on Environmental Quality:
Main switchboard: (512) 239-1000
Office of Compliance and Enforcement:
Main line: (512) 239-5100
Or visit www.tceq.state.tx.us