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ECMC standardizes reclamation inspection export; operators reminded to resolve spills before bond releases
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Summary
ECMC updated its reclamation inspection export so operators and staff see the same three-tab spreadsheet (wells/reclamation status, facilities, and a new incidents/remediation tab). Staff said final reclamation is required to start bond-release requests and urged operators to resolve open spills and NOABs.
ECMC staff told operators the agency has aligned the reclamation inspection export so the spreadsheet operators download now matches the version used by financial-assurance staff.
"To get a bond released, at a minimum, you gotta start with having all your wells passed final reclamation," said Mike Leonard, QAQC manager at ECMC, explaining the new report includes three tabs: a list of wells and reclamation status; a facilities tab with locations, pits and compressors; and a new incidents/remediation tab listing NOABs, complaints, spills/releases and remediation projects. Leonard advised operators to review the third tab and contact the appropriate ECMC office to resolve any open items.
Leonard said the financial-assurance staff will use the standardized report as their first check when processing bond-release requests. He warned that the ECMC database contains historical records and “there's gonna be some anomalies,” so operators who find incorrect or missing inspection records should contact reclamation enforcement, environmental staff or remediation teams to get records corrected.
Leonard also noted the export will include federal and tribal wells for visibility but that federal surface wells (managed by the BLM) and tribal wells do not require passing reclamation inspections for bond-release purposes. ECMC plans to issue an electronic bond-release request form to replace scattered email requests and to release electronic Form 1 and Form 1A to streamline operator registration and agent designation.
The agency did not announce a formal change to the bond-release legal standard; staff framed the changes as administrative improvements to reporting, record access and processing.
