Opinion ID: 1859698
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: facts

Text: ¶ 2. Since at least 1962, the Mississippi Department of Health, through various agencies including the Division of Radiological Health, has regulated sources of radiation. In 1995, the Mississippi Legislature passed a number of statutory changes to address the problem of oil field NORM which arises as a byproduct of oil exploration & production. Through these changes, the Legislature made the regulation of NORM the exclusive province of the State Oil and Gas Board: Notwithstanding any other provision contained in the Laws of the State of Mississippi, the Board shall have exclusive jurisdiction and authority, and it shall be its duty, to make, after notice and hearings as hereinafter provided, such reasonable rules, regulations, standards and orders, and to issue such permits as may be necessary, to regulate the use, management, manufacture, production, ownership, investigation and non-commercial disposal of oilfield exploration and productive wastes in order to prevent, eliminate or reduce waste by pollution to acceptable levels in order to protect the public health, safety and the environment. Miss.Code Ann § 53-1-17(7) (1999). The Legislature amended the definition of oilfield exploration and production wastes to include naturally occurring radioactive... substance. Miss.Code Ann. § 53-1-3(t)(i) (1999). Rule 69 was promulgated pursuant to the legislative mandate codified at Miss.Code Ann. § 53-1-17(7). ¶ 3. From the end of August through the beginning of September of 1995, the Board provided public notice that a hearing would be conducted to discuss the regulation of NORM. The hearing was postponed and ultimately held April 2-4, 1996. In the interim, the Board conducted exploratory committee meetings to investigate the various concerns surrounding oil field NORM. This rulemaking process consisted mainly of consultations with Carol D. Berger, an expert in the field, and with the Department of Health. Through this process, the Board drafted a proposed rule to address the regulation of NORM. ¶ 4. At the public hearing, the Board received arguments and opinions from representatives of the oil industry as well as from landowners and others with environmental concerns. Representatives of various oil and gas industry organizations and corporations appeared at the hearings and encouraged the Board to adopt a Rule that was less stringent than the one that had been proposed because they believed a less stringent rule would still be fully protective of public health and the environment. Representatives of various landowners and other interested parties appeared before the Board and argued that the Board should adopt a rule more stringent than the one proposed; they believed that Rule 69 as proposed by the Board would not adequately protect the public health and environment. After considering the testimony of a number of experts, the Board passed an order adopting the present form of Rule 69 regulating the handling, dispersion, and other disposition of oil field NORM. ¶ 5. Aggrieved by the chancery court's denial of the relief requested, the appellants appeal to this Court and assign the following issues as error: I. WHETHER THE PROMULGATION OF RULE 69 WAS ARBITRARY AND CAPRICIOUS BECAUSE IT WOULD CAUSE THE VIOLATION OF FEDERAL LAW, AS SET FORTH IN THE COMPREHENSIVE ENVIRONMENTAL RESPONSE, COMPENSATION AND LIABILITY ACT (CERCLA); THE RESOURCE CONSERVATION AND RECOVERY ACT (RCRA); AND THE OCCUPATIONAL SAFETY AND HEALTH ACT (OSHA). II. WHETHER THE PROMULGATION OF RULE 69 WAS ARBITRARY AND CAPRICIOUS BECAUSE THE ASSUMPTIONS UPON WHICH IT IS BASED ARE INVALID. III. WHETHER RULE 69 SHOULD BE DECLARED INVALID BECAUSE THE RULEMAKING PROCESS WAS TAINTED BY EX PARTE CONTACTS. IV. WHETHER DURING THE RULEMAKING PROCESS THAT CULMINATED IN THE PROMULGATION OF RULE 69, APPELLANTS WERE DEPRIVED OF THEIR DUE PROCESS RIGHTS. V. WHETHER THE PROMULGATION OF RULE 69 WAS PROCEDURALLY DEFECTIVE BECAUSE THE BOARD NEITHER SOUGHT NOR RECEIVED THE APPROVAL OF THE MISSISSIPPI COMMISSION ON ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY BEFORE PROMULGATING THE RULE.