Members of the Natural Resources Committee heard testimony March 11 on a bill that would\u00a0authorize the state to deal with wastewater from oil production.<\/p>\n
LB512, introduced by Gering Sen. John Stinner, would authorize the state Oil and Gas Commission to monitor and regulate the disposal of wastewater generated from oil and gas well production, including wastewater generated from oil and gas well production in other states, that is injected into commercial salt water injection wells in Nebraska.<\/p>\n
Stinner said the number one priority must be the safety of the state\u2019s water resources.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe need to ensure that we have the appropriate amount of due diligence to make sure the quality of our water is maintained,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
An assessment of 20 cents per barrel would be levied on commercial wells used for wastewater disposal imported to Nebraska from neighboring oil and gas production facilities. The revenue collected would be allocated to monitor and regulate oil and gas wastewater disposal.<\/p>\n
Ken Winston, representing the Sierra Club of Nebraska, spoke in favor of the bill, but suggested that more research should be done first.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe should instead establish a moratorium on the importation of [oil and gas production] wastewater into Nebraska until adequate safeguards can be put into place to protect the citizens of western Nebraska, the interests of everyone in our state and our land and water,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
Patty Goodschmidt, a landowner in Sioux County, also gave proponent testimony, but cautioned against encouraging wastewater disposal in the state.<\/p>\n
\u201cIf we allow this well, we will become the dumping ground for all of the surrounding states,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n
Dana Wreath, vice president of Berexco, a Kansas oil production company, opposed the bill. He said wastewater disposal wells already exist safely in the state.<\/p>\n
\u201cRight now in Nebraska, there is already a number of disposal and injection wells,\u201d Wreath said. \u201cState regulators in Nebraska would never let us do things that are unsafe or inappropriate.\u201d<\/p>\n
Steven Sibray, a geoscientist with the University of Nebraska\u2014Lincoln, provided neutral testimony. He said that disposal wells do not pose a threat to the state\u2019s groundwater resources.<\/p>\n
\u201cIf the steel tubing [of the well] should leak, there are four layers of protection\u2014two of steel and two of cement,\u201d he said. \u201cThe risk of contaminating the aquifer and the danger of earthquakes is very minimal.\u201d<\/p>\n
The committee took no immediate action on the bill.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
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