NAC445A.923. Plugging and abandonment: Plan; notice; procedure; certification.

     1. If the plan for plugging and abandoning an injection well is determined by the Director to be adequate, it will be incorporated as a condition to the permit.

     2. The plan for plugging and abandoning an injection well must contain an estimate, based on the current and prevailing economy, of the cost of plugging each well for which the application for the permit is made. The applicant shall certify in the plan that the estimate of the cost will be reviewed annually during the life of the permit, and that the bond required pursuant to NAC 445A.871 will be increased when the review indicates that the cost of plugging is more than 10 percent greater than the original or most recent estimate of the cost.

     3. The holder of a permit, or any person planning to abandon or close any injection well, including, without limitation, shallow Class V wells such as motor vehicle waste disposal wells, shall notify the Director of the intent of the holder or person to abandon or close the injection well at least 30 days, or in the case of a newly drilled injection well at least 5 working days, before the abandonment or closure of the well.

     4. Before abandonment, an injection well must be plugged with cement in a manner which will not allow the movement of fluids into or between underground sources of drinking water.

     5. All cavities in the well bore not plugged with cement must be filled with heavy drilling fluids in a state of static equilibrium with the weight of the fluid equalized from top to bottom.

     6. Upon completion of the procedure for the plugging and abandonment of an injection well, the holder of a permit shall certify to the Director that the condition of the permit relating to plugging and abandonment has been satisfied.

     (Added to NAC by Environmental Comm’n, eff. 7-22-87; A by R042-01, 10-25-2001)