Report - Maryland Department of the Environment

Oil and Gas Exploration and Production
PURPOSE
Permits are required for the drilling and operation of a gas or oil well, the operation
of a natural gas storage facility, and for oil and natural gas exploration using seismic
operations. Permits include environmental controls to ensure public safety, to
provide for the protection of public and private property, and to minimize impacts
resulting from the operation.
AUTHORITY
STATE: Environment Article - Title 14, Subtitles 1, 2 and 3; COMAR 26.19.
PROCESS
Upon issuance of a permit, license, or authorization, the file is transferred to WMA’s
Compliance Program where an inspection priority is assigned. The inspectors then
schedule routine inspections of the facilities in accordance with the assigned priority.
Facilities are not given advance notification of routine inspections. Site inspections
may be adjusted to reflect changing workloads or inspection priorities. The
inspections verify that the operator is in compliance with any special conditions
specific to the permit.
SUCCESSES/CHALLENGES
The Compliance Program strives to perform annual inspections of these facilities as
resources allow, but they are given a lower priority than other sites that may have
more significant impacts to public health and the environment. Many of the sites are
inactive. No inspections of these facilities were performed in FY 2009.
MDE FY 2009 Annual Enforcement and Compliance Report 118