March 30, 2015 4:10 PM

House Energy Resources passes urban drilling bill

Compromise with TML moves forward

The House Energy Resources Committee just passed HB 40, as expected, with a provision recognizing existing city ordinances in place five years or longer as "commercially reasonable" if oil and gas activities have continued under the local rules.

The substitute bill, the result of negotiations with the Texas Municipal League, also now states that municipal ordinances can determine reasonable setbacks, wording that was left out of the original version of the bill by the committee chairman, Rep. Drew Darby, R-San Angelo.

The bill passed with 10 ayes, one nay from Rep. Rafael Anchia, D-Dallas, and one present not voting from Rep. Gene Wu, D-Houston.

Full coverage of this story is available in Texas Energy Report.

By Polly Ross Hughes