Louisiana Administrative Code › Title 43 - NATURAL RESOURCES › Part I - Office of the Secretary › Subpart 1 - General › Chapter 7 - Coastal Management › Subchapter B - Coastal Use Guidelines › Section I-719 - Guidelines for Oil, Gas, and Other Mineral Activities

Current through Register Vol. 50, No. 6, June 20, 2024
A. Geophysical surveying shall utilize the
					 best practical techniques to minimize disturbance or damage to wetlands, fish
					 and wildlife, and other coastal resources.
B. To the maximum extent practicable, the
					 number of mineral exploration and production sites in wetland areas requiring
					 floatation access shall be held to the minimum number, consistent with good
					 recovery and conservation practices and the need for energy development, by
					 directional drilling, multiple use of existing access canals, and other
					 practical techniques.
C.
					 Exploration, production, and refining activities shall, to the maximum extent
					 practicable, be located away from critical wildlife areas and vegetation areas.
					 Mineral operations in wildlife preserves and management areas shall be
					 conducted in strict accordance with the requirements of the wildlife management
					 body.
D. Mineral exploration and
					 production facilities shall be to the maximum extent practicable designed,
					 constructed, and maintained in such a manner to maintain natural water flow
					 regimes, avoid blocking surface drainage, and avoid erosion.
E. Access routes to mineral exploration,
					 production, and refining sites shall be designed and aligned so as to avoid
					 adverse impacts on critical wildlife and vegetation areas to the maximum extent
					 practicable.
F. Drilling and
					 production sites shall be prepared, constructed, and operated using the best
					 practical techniques to prevent the release of pollutants or toxic substances
					 into the environment.
G. All
					 drilling activities, supplies, and equipment shall be kept on barges, on
					 drilling rigs, within ring levees, or on the well site.
H. Drilling ring levees shall to the maximum
					 extent practicable be replaced with small production levees or removed
					 entirely.
I. All drilling and
					 production equipment, structures, and storage facilities shall be designed and
					 constructed utilizing best practical techniques to withstand all expectable
					 adverse conditions without releasing pollutants.
J. Mineral exploration, production, and
					 refining facilities shall be designed and constructed using best practical
					 techniques to minimize adverse environmental impacts.
K. Effective environmental protection and
					 emergency or contingency plans shall be developed and complied with for all
					 mineral operations.
L. The use of
					 dispersants, emulsifiers, and other similar chemical agents on oil spills is
					 prohibited without the prior approval of the Coast Guard or Environmental
					 Protection Agency on-scene coordinator, in accordance with the National Oil and
					 Hazardous Substances Pollution Contingency Plan.
M. Mineral exploration and production sites
					 shall be cleared, revegetated, detoxified, and otherwise restored as near as
					 practicable to their original condition upon termination of operations to the
					 maximum extent practicable.
N. The
					 creation of underwater obstructions which adversely affect fishing or
					 navigation shall be avoided to the maximum extent practicable.
AUTHORITY NOTE:
						Promulgated in accordance with
						R.S.
						49:214.27.