Permit Processing
1. Review Turnaround Time - The Commission adopted Practice and Procedure Rule 201, which sets specific time limits for RRC staff to act on permit applications.
- Commission staff has 30 days to complete the initial review or the application. Commission staff must either:
- Request additional data if the application is incomplete.
- If the application involves injection of fresh water, an additional 30 day review period is allowed for GAU review.
- Notify the applicant that the application is administratively complete
- Request additional data if the application is incomplete.
- Commission staff has 15 days to complete the final review and either issue, or deny the permit applications.
2. Expediting Your Permit Application - The most effective method of expediting permit approval is to file a complete and correct application initially.
- The average permit application that requires a request for additional information or explanation takes twice as long (an average of 46 days) to process than the average application that is initially complete and correct (an average of 23 days).
- Check the application before sending it in to make sure that all required items are present.
- Check over the application as a stranger would see it. For example, you may know that the property to the North is unleased, but the RRC staff that checks the application won't know this unless it is clearly marked on the map.
- Check over the application to make sure any discrepancies or apparent deficiencies are explained or resolved. For example, check the RRC mapping database to make sure that all wells on the RRC map are shown on your area of review map.
3. Requests for additional information
- When an incomplete application is received, the staff mail out a letter requesting additional information.
- Commission staff has up to 30 days to evaluate the additional information filed by the operator.
- A second Request additional data letter will be sent within 30 days of the first if no response is received.
- Commission staff has up to 30 days to evaluate the additional information filed by the operator.
- The Commission adopted Practice and Procedure Rule 201, which limits subsequent filings on incomplete applications to two filings of additional data.
- After the second filing of additional information, Technical Permitting staff must either approve or deny the permit application.
- Since incomplete applications must be denied, it is imperative that application deficiencies be resolved promptly to avoid the application being returned.
4. Administrative permit denial
- A permit denial letter will be sent if the proposed well completion or operating conditions do not meet minimum standards. The applicant's revisions to the application to include changes in the well completion, remedial cementing, etc. will be reviewed for reconsideration of the permit application. If the deficiency cannot be resolved, the permit application will be denied. Once the permit is denied, the operator has two options:
- A hearing may be requested once the application is administratively complete.
- The denial letter may include instructions for modifying the application to allow administrative approval.
