Chris Heaps
Christopher Heaps is a member of the firm's Resources, Development, and Environment group. His practice focuses on leasing, siting, and permitting energy and natural resource development projects. Chris' practice includes land title due diligence, drafting and negotiating leases, resource agreements, and other agreements for development of oil, gas, mineral, and geothermal resources, agreements for the purchase and sale of renewable energy certificates ("RECs," also known as "green tags") and carbon emission credits, and assisting clients in obtaining permits under Clean Water Act Section 404 and the Oregon Removal-Fill Law and complying with the Endangered Species Act.
Oregon Senate Bill 190 Would Change Oregon Geothermal Law
The Oregon Legislature is set to consider a bill during the 2009 Regular Session (Senate Bill 190) that would substantially revise ORS Chapter 522 dealing with geothermal resources. Among other things, the bill eliminates the specified minimum per well and blanket bond amounts and gives the State Department of Geology and Mineral Industries (“DOGAMI”) authority to set bonds amounts in a future rulemaking. Future bond amounts set by DOGAMI “must be based on the estimated costs of plugging and decommissioning the well and any other associated expenses for reclamation of the site of the well.”
SB190 also increases permitting fees and extends permitting timelines. For example, geothermal well permit fees are increased from $250 to $2,000 and DOGAMI’s timeline for responding to a complete permit application is extended from 45 to 90 days. The bill also imposes new fees for extending the period for completion of drilling ($500), permit transfers ($500), and requests to plug and decommission a well ($1,000).
The bill would take effect July 1, 2009 and would apply to wells permitted before that date.
Stoel Rives has also published information about the bill in the Geothermal Energy Association's "GEA Weekly Update" for February 18, 2009 (p. 8).
