Proposed Rules

This page lists the RRC's proposals to change or delete existing rules, or to add new rules. Rules listed on this page have been approved for submission to the Texas Register for publication for public comment. Except where noted, these proposals have not been adopted.

For rules that have been published in the Texas Register, a link is provided to the Texas Register issue.

For rules that have been adopted, the last two rows link to the Texas Register issue, which includes the adopted rule and indicate the effective date for the rule. Rules will be removed from this page after the effective date of the adoption and will be added to the Current Rules page.

For additional information on any proposed changes to Commission forms, see the Proposed Form Amendments page.

For plain language summaries of Railroad Commission of Texas rulemakings prepared pursuant to Texas Government Code §2001.023, see the Plain Language Rules Summaries page.

Para resúmenes en lenguaje sencillo de las reglamentaciones de la Comisión de Ferrocarriles de Texas preparados de acuerdo con la sección (§) 2001.023 del Código de Gobierno de Texas, consulte la página de Resúmenes de Normas en Lenguaje Sencillo




    • Rule Title & Contact Person
    • Amend §1.201 relating to Time Periods for Processing Applications and Issuing Permits Administratively
      (Paul DuBois, 512-463-6778)
    • Proposal Approved at Conference for Submission to the Texas Register
    • 10/15/2024 (pdf format)
    • Proposal Published in the Texas Register
    • 11/1/2024
    • Comment Period Ends
    • 12/2/2024 at 12:00 noon     Comments Received
    • Adoption Approved at Conference
    • ---
    • Adoption Published in the Texas Register
    • ---
    • Effective Date of Adoption
    • ---

    • Rule Title & Contact Person
    • Amend §3.70 and various rules in Chapter 8 re: Form T-4B and federal updates
      (Stephanie Weidman, 512-463-2519)
    • Proposal Approved at Conference for Submission to the Texas Register
    • 8/15/2024 (pdf format) 
    • Proposal Published in the Texas Register
    • 8/30/2024 
    • Comment Period Ends
    • Comment period extended to 10/15/2024 at 5:00 pm      Comments Received
    • Adoption Approved at Conference
    • 11/19/2024 (pdf format)
    • Adoption Published in the Texas Register
    • 12/06/2024
    • Effective Date of Adoption
    • 12/09/2024

    • Rule Title & Contact Person
    • Amend §3.8 and other rules in Chapter 3, and new and amended rules in Chapter 4 to update oil and gas waste management procedures and incorporate recent legislation
      (Paul DuBois, 512-463-6778)
    • Proposal Approved at Conference for Submission to the Texas Register
    • 8/15/2024 (pdf format) 
    • Proposal Published in the Texas Register
    • 8/30/2024 
    • Comment Period Ends
    • Comment period extended to 10/15/2024 at 5:00 pm     Public Hearing Notice  (Español)  Webcasts: September 5 and September 6, 2024     Comments Received
    • Adoption Approved at Conference
    • -
    • Adoption Published in the Texas Register
    • -
    • Effective Date of Adoption
    • -


    • Rule Title & Contact Person
    • Amend various rules in Chapter 3 and new §3.82, Brine Production Projects and Associated Brine Production Wells and  Class V Spent Brine Return Injection Wells (Leslie Savage, 512-463-7308)
    • Proposal Approved at Conference for Submission to the Texas Register
    • 10/15/2024 (pdf format)
    • Proposal Published in the Texas Register
    • 11/1/2024
    • Comment Period Ends
    • 12/2/2024 at 12:00 noon    Comments Received
    •  Adoption Approved at Conference
    • ---
    • Adoption Published in the Texas Register
    • ---
    • Effective Date of Adoption
    • ---

    • Rule Title & Contact Person
    • Amend §3.8 and other rules in Chapter 3, and new and amended rules in Chapter 4 to update oil and gas waste management procedures and incorporate recent legislation
      (Paul DuBois, 512-463-6778)
    • Proposal Approved at Conference for Submission to the Texas Register
    • 8/15/2024 (pdf format) 
    • Proposal Published in the Texas Register
    • 8/30/2024 
    • Comment Period Ends
    • Commend period extended to 10/15/2024 at 5:00 pm   Email comments to rulescoordinator@rrc.texas.gov or Comment Online      Public Hearing Notice  (Español)  Webcasts: September 5 and September 6, 2024    Comments Received
    • Adoption Approved at Conference
    • -
    • Adoption Published in the Texas Register
    • -
    • Effective Date of Adoption
    • -
  • Various Rules
    • Rule Title & Contact Person
    • Amend re: HB 1284 (2021), RRC's sole jurisdiction over carbon sequestration wells
      (Leslie Savage, 512-463-7308)
    • Proposal Approved at Conference for Submission to the Texas Register
    • 5/3/2022 (pdf format)          Additional information:  Program MOA and Program Description
    • Proposal Published in the Texas Register
    • 5/20/2022 
    • Comment Period Ends
    • 7/1/2022 (at 5:00 pm; extended from 6/20/2022)
      Virtual public hearing information (6/14/2022)  Comments Received
    • Adoption Approved at Conference
    • 08/30/2022 (pdf format)
    • Adoption Published in the Texas Register
    • 9/16/2022
    • Effective Date of Adoption
    • 9/19/2022

    • Rule Title & Contact Person
    • Amend re: enforcement primacy for the federal Class VI Underground Injection Control (UIC) program
      (Leslie Savage, 512-463-7308)
    • Proposal Approved at Conference for Submission to the Texas Register
    • 6/13/2023 (pdf format) 
    • Proposal Published in the Texas Register
    • 06/30/2023
    • Comment Period Ends
    • 07/31/2023 at 5:00 pm
      Virtual public hearing information | (Versión en español) (7/19/2023)   
      Comments Received
    • Adoption Approved at Conference
    • 08/22/2023 (pdf format)
    • Adoption Published in the Texas Register
    • 09/08/2023
    • Effective Date of Adoption
    • 09/11/2023

    • Rule Title & Contact Person
    • New rules in Chapter 6 (Senate Bill 786, 2023 session) regarding shallow closed-loop geothermal systems (Jared Ware, 512-463-7336)
    • Proposal Approved at Conference for Submission to the Texas Register
    • 09/24/2024 (pdf format) 
    • Proposal Published in the Texas Register
    • 10/11/2024  
    • Comment Period Ends
    • 11/12/2024 at 5:00 pm         Comments Received
    • Adoption Approved at Conference
    • -
    • Adoption Published in the Texas Register
    • -
    • Effective Date of Adoption
    • -
  • 16 TAC §7.480 and §7.460
    • Rule Title & Contact Person
    • 16 TAC §7.480 and §7.460 (New rule and amendment regarding energy conservation programs)
      (Mark Evarts 512-463-7167)
    • Proposal Approved at Conference for Submission to the Texas Register
    • 09/19/2023 (pdf format)

    • Proposal Published in the Texas Register
    • 10/06/2023

    • Comment Period Ends
    • 10/25/2023 (at 5:00 pm)

      Comments Received
    • Adoption Approved at Conference
    • §7.460: 11/15/2023 (pdf format)   §7.480:  03/19/2024 (pdf format)
    • Adoption Published in the Texas Register
    •  §7.460: 12/01/2023    §7.480:  04/05/2024
    • Effective Date of Adoption
    •  §7.460:  12/05/2023    §7.480:  04/08/2024

    • Rule Title & Contact Person
    • Amend §3.70 and various rules in Chapter 8 re: Form T-4B and federal updates (Stephanie Weidman, 512-463-2519)
    • Proposal Approved at Conference for Submission to the Texas Register
    • 8/15/2024 (pdf format) 
    • Proposal Published in the Texas Register
    • 8/30/2024 
    • Comment Period Ends
    • Comment period extended to 10/15/2024 at 5:00 pm    Comments Received
    • Adoption Approved at Conference
    • 11/19/2024 (pdf format)
    • Adoption Published in the Texas Register
    • 12/06/2024
    • Effective Date of Adoption
    • 12/09/2024
  • Various Rules
    • Rule Title & Contact Person
    • Amend re: SB 1582 (2021) and other clarifications
      (April Richardson, 512-463-6935)
    • Proposal Approved at Conference for Submission to the Texas Register
    • 10/11/2022 (pdf format)
    • Proposal Published in the Texas Register
    • 10/28/2022 
    • Comment Period Ends
    • 11/28/2022 (at 5:00 pm)  Comments Received
    • Adoption Approved at Conference
    • 01/18/2023 (pdf format)
    • Adoption Published in the Texas Register
    • 02/03/2023
    • Effective Date of Adoption
    • 02/07/2023
  • Various Rules
    • Rule Title & Contact Person
    • Amend re: SB 1582 (2021) and other clarifications
      (April Richardson, 512-463-6935)
    • Proposal Approved at Conference for Submission to the Texas Register
    • 10/11/2022 (pdf format)
    • Proposal Published in the Texas Register
    • 10/28/2022 
    • Comment Period Ends
    • 11/28/2022 (at 5:00 pm)  Comments Received
    • Adoption Approved at Conference
    • 01/18/2023 (pdf format)
    • Adoption Published in the Texas Register
    • 02/03/2023
    • Effective Date of Adoption
    • 02/07/2023


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