Natural resources: oil and gas: drilling.

Existing law requires the owner of mineral rights in real property to give written notice to the owner or representative of the real property who is listed as the assessee on the current local assessment roll or as a lessee, and to any public utility that has a recorded interest in the real property if there is to be excavation of the utility interest, prior to the first entry upon the real property to prospect for, mine, or extract any mineral. This bill would require the owner of mineral rights or its agent to provide a minimum of 5 days' notice specifying, among other information, the date of entry, the estimated length of time, and the general nature of the work when that owner or agent intends to enter the real property to undertake non-surface-disrupting activities, including surveying, water and mineral testing, and removal of debris and equipment. The bill would also require the owner of mineral rights, or its agent, to provide a minimum of 30 days' notice in writing, specifying the extent and location of the prospecting, mining, or extracting operation, and the approximate time or times of entry and exit upon the real property, when that owner or agent intends to enter real property to undertake, surface-disrupting activities, including excavation, drilling new wells, constructing structures, bringing excavation vehicles or equipment on the real property, or reclamation of the real property after it has been disturbed. The bill would also require written notice for any further entry by the mineral rights owner, for the purpose of surface-disturbing activities pursuant to those provisions, if the mineral rights owner's entry to the real property ceases for a period of one year or more. The bill would waive the 30-day notice requirement described above under an emergency situation if authorized by the Division of Oil, Gas, and Geothermal Resources. The bill would exclude from the requirement to provide notice an owner of the real property or an assessee that has a current, already negotiated agreement with the mineral rights owner, lessee, agent, or operator.