A. Within one day of the day on which the application for a permit for a gas or oil operation is filed, the applicant shall provide notice of the application to the following persons:
1. All surface owners, coal owners, and mineral owners on the tract to be drilled;
2. Coal operators who have registered operation plans with the Department for activities located on the tract to be drilled;
3. All surface owners on tracts where the surface is to be disturbed;
4. All gas, oil, or royalty owners within one-half of the distance specified in § 45.1-361.17 for that type of well, or within one-half of the distance to the nearest well completed in the same pool, whichever is less, or within the boundaries of a drilling unit established pursuant to the provisions of this chapter;
5. All coal operators who have applied for or obtained a mining or prospecting permit with respect to tracts located within 500 feet of the proposed well location or in the case of a proposed coalbed methane gas well location, within 750 feet thereof;
6. All coal owners or mineral owners on tracts located within 500 feet of the proposed well location or in the case of a proposed coalbed methane gas well location, within 750 feet thereof; and
7. All operators of gas storage fields certificated by the State Corporation Commission as a public utility facility whose certificated area includes the well location, or whose certificated boundary is within 1,250 feet of the proposed well location.
B. Within one day of the day on which the application for a permit modification for a gas or oil operation is filed, the applicant requesting such permit modification shall provide notice of the application to all persons listed in subsection A of this section who may be directly affected by the proposed activity.
C. Within one day of the day on which the application for a permit for geophysical operations is submitted, the applicant shall provide notice to those persons listed in subdivisions 1, 2, and 3 of subsection A of this section.
D. All notices required to be given pursuant to subsections A, B, and C of this section shall contain a statement of the time within which objections may be made and the name and address of the person to whom objections shall be forwarded. Only those persons entitled to notice under subsections A, B, and C of this section shall have standing to object to the issuance of the proposed permit or permit modification for a gas, oil, or geophysical operation as the use may be. Upon receipt of notice, any person may waive in writing the time and right to object.
E. Within seven days of the day on which the application for a permit is filed, the applicant shall provide notice to (i) the local governing body or chief executive officer of the locality where the well is proposed to be located and (ii) the general public, through publication of a notice in at least one newspaper of general circulation that is widely circulated in the locality where the well is proposed to be located.
F. An applicant shall make a reasonable effort to provide the notices required under subsections A, B, and C. If an applicant is unable to identify or locate any person to whom notice is required, then the notice provided in clause (ii) of subsection E shall be considered sufficient notice to such persons and the date of notification shall be the date of publication.
History
1982, c. 347, § 45.1-313; 1984, c. 590; 1987, c. 452; 1989, c. 529; 1990, c. 92; 1996, c. 854; 2008, c. 534.
