La. Admin. Code tit. 43 § I-719

Current through Register Vol. 50, No. 5, May 20, 2024

Section I-719 - Guidelines for Oil, Gas, and Other Mineral Activities

A. Geophysical surveying shall utilize the best practical techniques to minimize disturbance or damage to wetlands, fish and wildlife, and other coastal resources.

B. To the maximum extent practicable, the number of mineral exploration and production sites in wetland areas requiring floatation access shall be held to the minimum number, consistent with good recovery and conservation practices and the need for energy development, by directional drilling, multiple use of existing access canals, and other practical techniques.

C. Exploration, production, and refining activities shall, to the maximum extent practicable, be located away from critical wildlife areas and vegetation areas. Mineral operations in wildlife preserves and management areas shall be conducted in strict accordance with the requirements of the wildlife management body.

D. Mineral exploration and production facilities shall be to the maximum extent practicable designed, constructed, and maintained in such a manner to maintain natural water flow regimes, avoid blocking surface drainage, and avoid erosion.

E. Access routes to mineral exploration, production, and refining sites shall be designed and aligned so as to avoid adverse impacts on critical wildlife and vegetation areas to the maximum extent practicable.

F. Drilling and production sites shall be prepared, constructed, and operated using the best practical techniques to prevent the release of pollutants or toxic substances into the environment.

G. All drilling activities, supplies, and equipment shall be kept on barges, on drilling rigs, within ring levees, or on the well site.

H. Drilling ring levees shall to the maximum extent practicable be replaced with small production levees or removed entirely.

I. All drilling and production equipment, structures, and storage facilities shall be designed and constructed utilizing best practical techniques to withstand all expectable adverse conditions without releasing pollutants.

J. Mineral exploration, production, and refining facilities shall be designed and constructed using best practical techniques to minimize adverse environmental impacts.

K. Effective environmental protection and emergency or contingency plans shall be developed and complied with for all mineral operations.

L. The use of dispersants, emulsifiers, and other similar chemical agents on oil spills is prohibited without the prior approval of the Coast Guard or Environmental Protection Agency on-scene coordinator, in accordance with the National Oil and Hazardous Substances Pollution Contingency Plan.

M. Mineral exploration and production sites shall be cleared, revegetated, detoxified, and otherwise restored as near as practicable to their original condition upon termination of operations to the maximum extent practicable.

N. The creation of underwater obstructions which adversely affect fishing or navigation shall be avoided to the maximum extent practicable.

La. Admin. Code tit. 43, § I-719

Promulgated by the Department of Natural Resources, Office of the Secretary, LR 6:493 (August 1980).

AUTHORITY NOTE: Promulgated in accordance with R.S. 49:214.27.