RRC Accepting Comments on Proposed Rulemaking: New Chapter 6, Geothermal Resources, §§6.101-6.112

At its open meeting on September 24, 2024, the Railroad Commission proposed a rulemaking regarding new Chapter 6, Geothermal Resources, specifically new rules in Subchapter A, Shallow Closed-Loop Geothermal Systems.

Senate Bill 786 transfers regulatory authority of closed-loop geothermal injection wells from the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality to the Railroad Commission, allowing the RRC jurisdiction and permitting authority for these types of wells.

The proposed rules specifically address shallow closed-loop geothermal systems, including the associated injection wells, and require engineering and infrastructure safety measures to ensure protection of groundwater.

The proposal will be published in the Friday, October 11, 2024, issue of the Texas Register. Comments on the proposal will be accepted until 5:00 pm, Tuesday, November 12, 2024.

Online comments are currently being accepted. A PDF of the proposed new rules and comment forms are available online at https://www.rrc.texas.gov/general-counsel/rules/proposed-rules/ under Chapter 6. Geothermal Resources.