reglab/housing_qa huggingface dataset:
AL Code § 9-17-135 (2021)
2021 Code of Alabama|Title 9 - Conservation and Natural Resources.|Chapter 17 - Oil and Gas.|Article 5 - Coalbed Methane Gas Well Plugging Fund.|Section 9-17-135 - Action Authorized to Be Taken by Board.

Section 9-17-135Action authorized to be taken by board. Upon making the determination described in Section 9-17-134, the board shall first collect the proceeds of the bond or bonds or the blanket bond of the operator filed as security under Section 9-17-6(c)(5), and shall forthwith apply the proceeds of such bond or bonds to the expense of causing such well or wells with respect to which such determination shall have been made to be plugged, which action the board is hereby authorized to take either directly or through contracts therefor entered into by the board with private persons or with other governmental agencies. Should the board determine that the proceeds of such bond or bonds are in fact insufficient to cover the entire expense of causing such well or wells to be plugged, the supervisor shall be authorized to execute and verify itemized vouchers to be submitted to the state Comptroller for the withdrawal from the fund of amounts equal to such expenses as may be incurred by the board in connection therewith in excess of bond coverage. Upon the presentation of such vouchers, there is hereby appropriated from moneys in the fund such amount as shall be necessary for the payment of such expenses, and the state Comptroller is authorized to issue appropriate warrants on the State Treasurer for reimbursement to the board of such expenses incurred by it in taking the aforesaid action to plug coalbed methane gas wells or for payment of such private persons or governmental agencies as shall have been engaged by the board to take such action pursuant to the provisions hereof. (Acts 1990, No. 90-635, p. 1164, §6.)
AL Code § 9-17-136 (2021)
2021 Code of Alabama|Title 9 - Conservation and Natural Resources.|Chapter 17 - Oil and Gas.|Article 5 - Coalbed Methane Gas Well Plugging Fund.|Section 9-17-136 - Liability of Owners and Operators.

Section 9-17-136Liability of owners and operators. Whenever costs of plugging a coalbed methane gas well shall have been incurred by the board pursuant to this article and the board shall have authorized the expenditure of moneys from the fund pursuant to Section 9-17-135 for the purpose of plugging a coalbed methane gas well, the operator thereof and each and every owner of a working interest in the well bore of such well shall be jointly and severally liable to the state for repayment of the amount of such moneys, and the board is authorized to institute appropriate civil actions in the courts in the name of the state to recover such amounts. Any amounts so recovered shall be paid into the fund. Further, nothing in this article shall be construed to relieve any operator or owner of a working interest in the well bore of any coalbed methane gas well of any liability to any third party for damages incurred because of failure to plug any coalbed methane gas well. (Acts 1990, No. 90-635, p. 1164, §7.)
AL Code § 9-17-137 (2021)
2021 Code of Alabama|Title 9 - Conservation and Natural Resources.|Chapter 17 - Oil and Gas.|Article 5 - Coalbed Methane Gas Well Plugging Fund.|Section 9-17-137 - Plugging Fees Payable Into Fund; Investment and Use of Fund.

Section 9-17-137Plugging fees payable into fund; investment and use of fund. (a) In addition to the requirements and fees provided for in Section 9-17-24(a), any person desiring, after April 25, 1990, to drill any coalbed methane gas well in this state shall pay to the state a plugging fee of $150.00 respecting each such well desired to be drilled, such plugging fees to be deposited with the State Treasurer in the fund; provided, however, that no plugging fees shall be required to be paid during any time when the unobligated balance of the fund shall exceed the sum of $1,000,000. Any provisions of law to the contrary notwithstanding, no permit for the drilling of any coalbed methane gas well shall be issued by the board until the fee provided for in this section shall be paid, if due. (b) The moneys in the fund shall be invested by the State Treasurer of Alabama in the same manner as state funds generally; provided, however, that only 50 percent of all interest and earnings accruing thereon shall be credited to the State General Fund and the remainder shall be credited to the fund; said moneys and the interest and earnings credited to the fund shall be used only for the purposes set forth in this article and for no other purposes, and no portion thereof shall be available for loan to any agency or branch of state government, it being the intent of the Legislature that the fund shall remain intact and inviolate for the purposes set out in this article or until terminated as provided herein. (c) Moneys in the fund shall be paid out only by warrant of the state Comptroller upon the State Treasurer, upon itemized vouchers executed by the supervisor as provided in Section 9-17-135, and in the event of termination of the fund as provided herein. (Acts 1990, No. 90-635, p. 1164, §8.)
AL Code § 9-17-138 (2021)
2021 Code of Alabama|Title 9 - Conservation and Natural Resources.|Chapter 17 - Oil and Gas.|Article 5 - Coalbed Methane Gas Well Plugging Fund.|Section 9-17-138 - Termination of Fund.

Section 9-17-138Termination of fund. Should the board determine that all coalbed methane gas wells in the State of Alabama have been plugged and abandoned, or should the board determine, after notice and hearing, that the fund is no longer necessary in order to carry out the purposes of this article, then the supervisor shall so certify this determination to the state Comptroller and the State Treasurer and all moneys in the fund shall, promptly following the filing with the state Comptroller and the State Treasurer of such certification, be disbursed and are hereby appropriated to all counties in the State of Alabama where coalbed methane gas wells shall have been permitted pursuant to the provisions of this chapter, to be divided among such counties based on the number of coalbed methane gas wells permitted in each such county, for deposit into the general funds of such counties, and to be used for those purposes for which said general funds were established. (Acts 1990, No. 90-635, p. 1164, §9.)
AL Code § 9-17-139 (2021)
2021 Code of Alabama|Title 9 - Conservation and Natural Resources.|Chapter 17 - Oil and Gas.|Article 5 - Coalbed Methane Gas Well Plugging Fund.|Section 9-17-139 - No Liability of State, Board or Supervisor to Third Parties.

Section 9-17-139No liability of state, board or supervisor to third parties. Nothing in this article shall establish or create any liability or responsibility on the part of the board, the supervisor or the State of Alabama to pay any costs incurred or damages incurred or damages suffered by any person or to pay any third party claims from any source arising from the failure of any coalbed methane gas well to be properly plugged, nor shall moneys in the fund be used to make any payments of such costs or damages. (Acts 1990, No. 90-635, p. 1164, §10.)
AL Code § 9-17-150 (2021)
2021 Code of Alabama|Title 9 - Conservation and Natural Resources.|Chapter 17 - Oil and Gas.|Article 6 - Underground Gas Storage.|Section 9-17-150 - Definitions.

Section 9-17-150Definitions. Unless the context otherwise requires, the words and terms defined in this section shall have the following meanings when found in this article: (1) UNDERGROUND STORAGE. Storage in an underground reservoir. (2) GAS. All natural gas, casinghead gas, and occluded natural gas found in coal beds, and all other hydrocarbons not defined as oil in Section 9-17-1(3), except and not including liquid petroleum gas. (3) UNDERGROUND RESERVOIR. Any subsurface sand, stratum, formation, aquifer, or cavity, cavern or void (whether natural or artificially created), suitable for or capable of being made suitable for the injection and storage of gas therein and the withdrawal of gas therefrom. (4) STORAGE FACILITY. Any underground reservoir used or to be used for the underground storage of gas and all surface and subsurface rights and appurtenances necessary or useful in the operation of the facility for the underground storage of gas, including any necessary or reasonable buffer zone as designated by the board for the purpose of insuring the safe operation of the storage of gas and to protect the storage facility against pollution, invasion, and escape or migration of gas therefrom, together with any and all subsequent extensions thereof. (5) STORAGE OPERATOR. Any company, person, corporation, partnership, limited partnership, association of persons, municipality, association of municipalities, public utility, gas district, or other entity, authorized by the State Oil and Gas Board pursuant to Section 9-17-152 to operate any storage facility as defined in this section. (6) STATE OIL AND GAS BOARD or BOARD. The State Oil and Gas Board of Alabama; and (7) CODE. The Code of Alabama 1975, as amended. (Acts 1992, No. 92-564, p. 1172, §1.)
AL Code § 9-17-151 (2021)
2021 Code of Alabama|Title 9 - Conservation and Natural Resources.|Chapter 17 - Oil and Gas.|Article 6 - Underground Gas Storage.|Section 9-17-151 - Legislative Declaration; Jurisdiction.

Section 9-17-151Legislative declaration; jurisdiction. (a) The underground storage of gas which promotes the conservation thereof, which permits the accumulation of large quantities of gas in reserve for orderly withdrawal in periods of peak demand, making gas more readily available to commercial, industrial or residential consumers, or which provides more uniform withdrawal from various gas or oil fields, is in the public interest and welfare of this state and is for a public purpose. (b) The State Oil and Gas Board shall have jurisdiction and authority over all persons and property necessary to administer and enforce effectively the provisions of this article concerning the underground storage of gas. In exercising such jurisdiction and authority, the board shall have and may exercise all powers and authorities granted to it pursuant to Article 1 of this chapter with respect to holding hearings and promulgating and enforcing rules, regulations, and orders. (Acts 1992, No. 92-564, p. 1172, §2.)
AL Code § 9-17-153 (2021)
2021 Code of Alabama|Title 9 - Conservation and Natural Resources.|Chapter 17 - Oil and Gas.|Article 6 - Underground Gas Storage.|Section 9-17-153 - Protection Against Pollution and Escape of Gas; Property Rights.

Section 9-17-153Protection against pollution and escape of gas; property rights. (a) The board shall issue such orders, rules and regulations as may be necessary for the purpose of protecting any such storage facility against pollution, invasion, and the escape or migration of gas therefrom, including such necessary orders, rules and regulations as may pertain to the drilling into or through such storage facility. (b) Any and all hydrocarbons which are within the storage facility on May 21, 1992 and at all times thereafter and which have been acquired by the storage operator by condemnation or otherwise and any and all gas injected into said facility by the storage operator shall be deemed the property of the storage operator, his heirs, successors and assigns, and in no event shall such hydrocarbons or injected gas be subject to the right of the owner of the surface of the lands or of any mineral interest therein under which such storage facility shall lie or be adjacent to or of any person other than the storage operator, his heirs, successors and assigns, to produce, take, reduce to possession, waste or otherwise interfere with or exercise any control thereover. (Acts 1992, No. 92-564, p. 1172, §4.)
AL Code § 9-17-154 (2021)
2021 Code of Alabama|Title 9 - Conservation and Natural Resources.|Chapter 17 - Oil and Gas.|Article 6 - Underground Gas Storage.|Section 9-17-154 - Eminent Domain.

Section 9-17-154Eminent domain. (a) Any storage operator is hereby empowered, after obtaining approval of the board as herein required, to exercise the right of eminent domain in the manner provided by law, to acquire all surface and subsurface rights and interests necessary or useful for the purpose of operating the storage facility (including easements and rights-of-way across lands for transporting, by pipeline or otherwise, gas to and from said facility) and to exercise eminent domain rights to acquire any hydrocarbons therein, pursuant to the provisions hereof. Such power shall be exercised under the procedure provided by Chapter 1A, Title 18. (b) No rights or interests in storage facilities acquired for the injection, storage and withdrawal of gas by a party who has eminent domain rights under this act and who has obtained an order from the board under the provisions of Section 9-17-152, shall be subject to the exercise of any eminent domain rights; and no portion of any salt dome (including any cavity therein) and no portion of any lands within a radial distance of 1500 feet from the outer wall of a salt dome may be acquired, by exercise of the eminent domain rights granted hereunder, for use as an underground reservoir for storage of gas unless the storage operator has first obtained the consent, in writing, to such use from: (a) at least a 75% in interest (as calculated on a surface acre basis) of the owners of the salt in that portion of the salt dome that is to be acquired or that is within a radial distance of 1500 feet of the proposed underground reservoir, and (b) if said portion of the salt dome is subject to a salt lease, at least 75% in interest (as calculated on a surface acre basis) of the owners of the lessee's rights under said lease. (Acts 1992, No. 92-564, p. 1172, §5.)
AL Code § 9-17-155 (2021)
2021 Code of Alabama|Title 9 - Conservation and Natural Resources.|Chapter 17 - Oil and Gas.|Article 6 - Underground Gas Storage.|Section 9-17-155 - Right of Landowner to Drill and Make Other Use of Land.

Section 9-17-155Right of landowner to drill and make other use of land. The right of eminent domain granted by Section 9-17-154 shall be without prejudice to the right of the owner of said land or of other rights or interests therein to drill or bore through the storage facility so appropriated in such manner as shall comply with orders, rules and regulations of the board issued for the purpose of protecting the storage facility against pollution or invasion and against the escape or migration of gas therefrom, and shall be without prejudice to the rights of the owners of said lands or other rights or interests therein as to all other uses not acquired for the storage facility. (Acts 1992, No. 92-564, p. 1172, §6.)
AL Code § 9-17-156 (2021)
2021 Code of Alabama|Title 9 - Conservation and Natural Resources.|Chapter 17 - Oil and Gas.|Article 6 - Underground Gas Storage.|Section 9-17-156 - Exemption From Taxation and Certain Gas Deemed Injected.

Section 9-17-156Exemption from taxation and certain gas deemed injected. No storage operator shall be subject to any privilege or other tax on production, severance, extraction or withdrawal of gas that has been injected into a storage facility when such gas is extracted or withdrawn from such storage facility, and, specifically, no such gas shall be subject to taxation under the provisions of Sections 9-17-25 through 9-17-31 or under the provisions of Article 1, Chapter 20 of Title 40. All hydrocarbons extracted or withdrawn from the underground reservoir which were not injected, including any oil, condensate or natural gas liquids, shall be subject to applicable severance taxes under Sections 9-17-25 through 9-17-31 and under Article I, Chapter 20 of Title 40. (Acts 1992, No. 92-564, p. 1172, §7.)
AL Code § 9-17-157 (2021)
2021 Code of Alabama|Title 9 - Conservation and Natural Resources.|Chapter 17 - Oil and Gas.|Article 6 - Underground Gas Storage.|Section 9-17-157 - Secondary or Tertiary Operations.

Section 9-17-157Secondary or tertiary operations. Nothing in this article shall apply to the conduct of gas storage operations as a part of or in conjunction with any secondary or tertiary recovery methods being utilized with respect to a unit pool in a unit area heretofore or hereafter established by the board pursuant to Article 3 of this chapter; and the board shall not allow the creation or operation of a storage facility pursuant to this article within any underground reservoir where such secondary or tertiary recovery methods are being utilized. (Acts 1992, No. 92-564, p. 1172, §8.)
AL Code § 9-17-170 (2021)
2021 Code of Alabama|Title 9 - Conservation and Natural Resources.|Chapter 17 - Oil and Gas.|Article 7 - Alabama Propane Education and Research Act of 2009.|Section 9-17-170 - Short Title.

Section 9-17-170Short title. This article may be cited as the Alabama Propane Education and Research Act of 2009. (Act 2009-580 §1.)
AL Code § 9-17-171 (2021)
2021 Code of Alabama|Title 9 - Conservation and Natural Resources.|Chapter 17 - Oil and Gas.|Article 7 - Alabama Propane Education and Research Act of 2009.|Section 9-17-171 - Definitions.

Section 9-17-171Definitions.  As used in this article, the following terms shall have the following meanings: (1) AGRICULTURE. The art or science of cultivating the ground and raising and harvesting crops, including also feeding, breeding, and management of livestock and poultry; tillage; husbandry; or farming. The following items or areas fall within the definition of agriculture: Tree farming; raising horticultural products in commercial greenhouses and nurseries; fruit and nut trees, whether or not in groves or orchards; vegetable gardens, whether or not on farms; livestock farming; dairy farming; commercial fish ponds; commercial sod farms; and poultry and egg farming. (2) COUNCIL. The Alabama Propane Education and Research Council created pursuant to Section 9-17-175. (3) EDUCATION. Any action to provide information regarding propane and the use of propane to consumers and members of the propane gas industry. (4) ODORIZED PROPANE. Propane which has an odorant added to it. (5) PROPANE. Hydrocarbon whose chemical composition is predominately C3H8, whether recovered from natural gas or crude oil, and includes liquefied petroleum gases and mixtures thereof. (6) PROPANE GAS INDUSTRY. Those persons involved in the production, transportation, and sale of propane. (7) PUBLIC MEMBER. A member of the council, other than a representative of wholesalers or retail marketers, representing significant users of propane, public safety officials, state regulatory officials, or other groups knowledgeable about propane. (8) QUALIFIED INDUSTRY ORGANIZATION. The Alabama Propane Gas Association or its successor. (9) RESEARCH. Any type of study, investigation, or other activities designed to advance the image, desirability, usage, marketability, and efficient use of propane gas and to further the development and distribution of the information. (10) RETAIL MARKETER. A person engaged primarily in the sale of odorized propane gas to the end user or to retail propane dispensers. (11) RETAIL PROPANE DISPENSER. A person who sells odorized propane to the end user but is not engaged primarily in the business of the sales. (12) WHOLESALER. A company engaged primarily in the sale of odorized propane gas to the retail marketer or to the end user. (Act 2009-580, p. 1707, §2.)
AL Code § 9-17-172 (2021)
2021 Code of Alabama|Title 9 - Conservation and Natural Resources.|Chapter 17 - Oil and Gas.|Article 7 - Alabama Propane Education and Research Act of 2009.|Section 9-17-172 - Purpose.

Section 9-17-172Purpose.  It is hereby declared to be in the interest of public welfare that propane gas wholesalers are encouraged to act jointly and in cooperation with the retail marketers in promoting and stimulating through research, education, marketing, and other methods, the increased and efficient distribution, use, and sale of propane gas. It is further the intent and purpose of this article to provide a method and procedure for financing programs for the propane gas industry pursuant to powers conferred upon the Legislature by Amendment ___ to the Constitution of Alabama of 1901. (Act 2009-580, p. 1707, §3.)
AL Code § 9-17-173 (2021)
2021 Code of Alabama|Title 9 - Conservation and Natural Resources.|Chapter 17 - Oil and Gas.|Article 7 - Alabama Propane Education and Research Act of 2009.|Section 9-17-173 - Promotional Activities.

Section 9-17-173Promotional activities. It is further declared to be in the public interest and highly advantageous to the economy of the State of Alabama that the propane gas industry be permitted by referendum to levy upon itself an assessment to be used to promote the industry through consumer education, safety and training, marketing, research and development, conservation, and regulatory compliance. (Act 2009-580, p. 1707, §4.)
AL Code § 9-17-174 (2021)
2021 Code of Alabama|Title 9 - Conservation and Natural Resources.|Chapter 17 - Oil and Gas.|Article 7 - Alabama Propane Education and Research Act of 2009.|Section 9-17-174 - Referendum for Assessment.

Section 9-17-174referendum for assessment. (a) The qualified industry organization shall conduct at its own expense a referendum among wholesalers and retail marketers doing business in the State of Alabama on the question of whether to levy upon themselves an assessment. The referendum shall be conducted on a statewide basis as determined by the qualified industry organization. The council, if established, shall reimburse the qualified industry organization for the cost of the referendum, accounting, and documentation. The referendum shall be conducted by an independent auditing firm as determined and selected by the qualified industry organization. The results, as certified by the independent auditing firm, shall be submitted to the Secretary of State within 30 days of certification. Voting rights in the referendum shall be based on the volume of odorized propane sold by retail marketers and wholesalers in the previous calendar year in the State of Alabama. Upon approval of those persons representing two-thirds of the total volume of odorized propane sold in the State of Alabama voting in the retail marketer class and two-thirds of the total odorized propane sold in the State of Alabama voting in the wholesaler class, the council shall be established, and shall be authorized to levy an assessment on odorized propane in accordance with Section 9-17-176. All persons voting in the referendum shall certify to the independent auditing firm the volume of odorized propane represented by their vote. (b) In the event a referendum fails to receive the required number of affirmative votes, then the qualified industry organization conducting the referendum may call another referendum in the next succeeding years on the question of an assessment except that no referendum may be held within 12 months from the date on which the last referendum was held. (c) On the council's own initiative, or on petition to the council by retail marketers representing 40 percent of the volume of odorized propane sold in the previous calendar year in the State of Alabama, the council, at its own expense, shall hold a referendum to be conducted by an independent auditing firm selected by the council, to determine whether the industry favors termination or suspension of the council. Termination or suspension shall not take effect unless it is approved by persons representing more than one half of the total volume of odorized propane sold in the previous calendar year in the State of Alabama in the retail marketer class and more than one half of the total volume of odorized propane sold in the previous calendar year in the State of Alabama in the wholesaler class. (Act 2009-580, p. 1707, §5.)