Western Waters and Surface Owners Protection Act

openUnited States· United States Congress· EN

Introduced

8 December 2003

Last action

23 March 2004 · Introduced

Status

Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR E431)

Summary

Western Waters and Surface Owners Protection Act - Amends the Mineral Leasing Act to require operators producing oil or gas (including coalbed methane), to: (1) replace water supplies affected by drilling; (2) reinject water produced by drilling into the aquifer from which it was extracted or one of no better quality; and (3) submit water management plans along with their lease applications. Amends the Federal Water Pollution Control Act to require pollution discharge permits for the production of oil or gas and permit stipulations to minimize adverse effects from the disposal of extracted waters. Prohibits the Secretary of the Interior from authorizing exploration and drilling operations on lands where title to oil and gas resources are owned by the United States but the surface estate is owned by a non-Federal entity unless: (1) an agreement has been reached with the surface owner (with the possibility of arbitration); or (2) the operator has made a good faith attempt to secure such an agreement and meets other specified requirements. Requires the Secretary to give surface owners advance notice of lease sales. Requires operators to meet specified reclamation standards for lands affected by oil or gas production and to post reclamation bonds. Directs the Secretary to: (1) develop a Federal remediation program for abandoned wells drilled to explore or develop Federally owned minerals or located on Federal lands; and (2) establish a technical assistance program for States and Tribes addressing environmental problems caused by abandoned wells on other lands.

This text is taken from the official record. PoliticalRepo does not editorialize.

Timeline

8 December 2003
Introduced
Introduced in House
Source: IntroReferral
8 December 2003
Introduced
Introduced in House
Source: IntroReferral
8 December 2003
Introduced
Referred to the Committee on Resources, and in addition to the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
Source: IntroReferral
8 December 2003
Introduced
Referred to the Committee on Resources, and in addition to the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
Source: IntroReferral
9 December 2003
Referred
Referred to the Subcommittee on Water Resources and Environment.
Source: Committee
9 December 2003
Introduced
Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR E2533-2534)
Source: IntroReferral
15 December 2003
Committee
Executive Comment Requested from Interior.
Source: Committee
15 December 2003
Referred
Referred to the Subcommittee on Energy and Mineral Resources.
Source: Committee
23 March 2004
Introduced
Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR E431)
Source: IntroReferral

Votes

No vote records are attached yet.

Versions

Introduced in House · 8 December 2003 · Download file

Documents

3 official files

Introduced in House (text)

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Introduced in House (text)
Introduced in House · EN · 8 December 2003
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Introduced in House (PDF)
Introduced in House · EN · 8 December 2003
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Introduced in House
summary · EN · 8 December 2003
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Related records

related to ← Western Waters and Farm Lands Protection Act

Sources

PoliticalRepo is an index and interpretation layer, not the authoritative legal source.

Official source: https://www.congress.gov/bill/108th-congress/house-bill/3698
Open data entity: https://api.congress.gov/v3/bill/108/hr/3698
us · 108-hr-3698 · source updated 18 August 2025