The Oil, Gas, & Minerals Division (OGMD), within the Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy (EGLE), has responsibility for issuing permits to drill and deepen brine, solution mining, waste disposal, storage, and test wells under the authority of Part 625, Mineral Wells (formerly Public Act 315 of 1969, as amended), of the Natural Resources and Environmental Protection Act, 1994 PA 451, as amended. The purpose of this permit is for resource protection and to prevent surface or underground waste.
A. NAME OF PERMIT OR APPROVAL:
Permit to drill/deepen/convert, and operate a mineral well
B. STATUTORY AUTHORITY:
Part 625, Mineral Wells,Natural Resources and Environmental Protection Act, Public Act 451 of 1994, as amended
C. APPLICABLE REGULATION:
Michigan Administration Code, Rules Administered by EGLE, OGMD
Mineral Wells (R 299.2211 to R 299.2229)
D. SUMMARY OF PERMIT/APPROVAL PROCESS:
1. Applicability (activities that require the permit)
Drilling or deepening wells for brine production, solution mining, waste disposal, storage, or as test wells.
2. Pre-Application Requirements
- A permit to drill is required from OGMD
- Other permits (e.g., wetlands, stream crossings, surface water discharge) are required if the project impacts regulated features
3. Application Submission Requirements
An administratively complete application consists of the following
- Form EQP 7200-1 Application for Permit to Drill/Deepen/Convert, and Operate a Well
- Form EQP 7200-2 Survey Record of Well Location
- A surveyor's expanded plat of the proposed well site
- A bond for conformance (Form EQP 7200-3 or other acceptable financial instrument)
- Form EQP 7200-4 Wellhead Blowout Control Systems
- Form EQP 7200-13 Well Permittee Organizational Chart
- Form 7500-3 Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) for Mineral Wells and Surface Facilities
- Form EQP 7200-18 Soil Erosion and Sedimentation Control Plan and Attachments
- Description of project and operations
- Work plan for conducting drilling operations
- Permit fee
- Additional information specific to the proposed well type
4. Procedures and Time-Frame for Obtaining Permit or Approval
- Applicant submits application to Lansing Office of OGMD.
- Each application is reviewed to verify it is administratively complete and technically accurate. In addition, each proposed well site is inspected to verify the EIA is accurate.
- Other divisions of EGLE or Michigan Department of Natural Resources may be involved in the review process if the proposed drilling operation is likely to impact natural resources.
- A public hearing may be held if a storage or disposal well raises issues of public safety or potential waste.
- If the application is found to be administratively incomplete within the first 30 days, a written or email notice will be sent to the applicant specifying the information necessary to make the application complete. The 30-day application period is tolled (suspended) pending receipt of the specified information.
- If the application is found to have a technical deficiency or error, a written notice or email will be sent to the applicant specifying the information needed to correct the application. If the applicant does not correct the deficiency by the 45th day since the application was received (not counting any days the application was tolled) it will be denied as being technically deficient.
- A permit decision is made within 50 calendar days from receipt, minus any period that the application was tolled.
5. Operational Requirements
Applicant must comply with all applicable statutes, rules, permit conditions, and stipulations set forth in the application.
6. Fees
Permits:
- Disposal well for waste products other than processed brine: $2,500
- Disposal well for processed brine: $500
- Storage well: $500
- Natural brine production well: $500
- Artificial brine production well: $500
- Individual test well: $500
- Blanket test wells;
1 to 24 wells: $75, 25 to 49 wells: $150, 50 to 75 wells: $300, 76 to 200 wells: $600
Annual mineral well regulatory fee:
- Disposal well for waste products other than processed brine: $2,500
- Disposal well for processed brine: $500
- Storage well: $500
- Natural brine production well: $500
- Artificial brine production well: $500
- Individual test well: $500
- Blanket test wells;
1 to 24 wells: $75, 25 to 49 wells: $150, 50 to 75 wells: $300, 76 to 200 wells: $600
Bonds:
- $33,000 for an individual disposal, storage, or brine well
- $5,500 for an individual test well to a depth of 0 to 1,000'
- $11,000 for an individual test well to a depth greater than 1,000' to 2,000'
- $22,000 for an individual test well to a depth greater than 2,000' to 4,000'
- $33,000 for an individual test well to a depth greater than 4,000'
- A maximum 50 individual disposal, storage, brine, or test wells or combination of these wells may be covered by a blanket bond in the amount of $440,000
- $5,500 for a blanket test well permit for 1 to 24 wells
- $11,000 for a blanket test well permit for 25 to 49 wells
- $16,500 for a blanket test well permit for 50 to 75 wells
- $22,000 for a blanket test well permit for 76 to 200 wells
- Blanket test well permits are not eligible for blanket conformance bonds
7. Appeal Process
Public hearing before the Supervisor of Wells, then to Circuit Court
8. Public Input Opportunities
For applications to drill disposal or storage wells individual or public notice may be published by the applicant. The Supervisor of Mineral Wells is the decision maker in this process and may schedule a hearing to collect public input for disposal or storage wells. If a hearing is scheduled, then notice is provided in the EGLE Calendar. Natural brine wells, artificial brine wells and test wells are confidential under Part 625. Therefore, there is no public notice related to these applications. The best opportunity for public comment would be at the hearing, if one is scheduled, or direct to the Permits and Bonding Unit of OGMD.
E. ADMINISTERING AGENCY:
EGLE; Oil, Gas, & Minerals Division; Minerals and Mapping Unit; P.O. Box 30256; Lansing, Michigan 48909-7756
- Program Phone: 517-241-1532
Revision Date: December 2019
