Kan. Admin. Regs. § 82-3-710 - Groundwater management districts #2 and #5: abandonment, plugging methods, and procedures for cathodic protection boreholes, reports, and restoration

This regulation shall apply only within the boundaries of groundwater management districts #2 and #5.

(a) A cathodic protection borehole shall be deemed abandoned when any of the following conditions exists:

(1) The cathodic protection borehole is not completed due to unforeseen circumstances.

(2) The cathodic protection borehole either threatens to contaminate or contaminates a freshwater aquifer.

(3) Uncontrollable fluid or gas flow is present in the cathodic protection borehole.

(4) The cathodic protection borehole is not operational or is in a state of disrepair.

(b) The operator, owner, or person responsible shall plug each abandoned cathodic protection borehole.

(c) The minimum plugging requirements for an abandoned cathodic protection borehole shall be the following:

(1) At least 72 hours before plugging operations are scheduled to begin, the operator, owner, or person responsible shall submit a plugging plan to the appropriate GMD office. The operator, owner, or person responsible shall not begin plugging operations until the plugging plan is approved.

(2) As part of initial plugging operations, any cables and anodes, the vent pipe and anode conductor, and any other cathodic equipment or materials installed in the borehole shall be removed as necessary to ensure that the borehole is properly plugged and to facilitate proper plugging.

(3) All surface casing shall be cut off a minimum of three feet below the land surface and removed.

(4) Each cased cathodic protection borehole shall be plugged with grout from a minimum of five feet below the bottom of the surface casing to the top of the surface casing.

(5) Each uncased cathodic protection borehole shall be plugged with grout from the bottom of the borehole to three feet below the land surface.

(6) All grout shall be placed with a tremie pipe or in a manner recommended by the grout manufacturer.

(7) Each borehole shall be backfilled with clean topsoil and compacted from three feet below land surface to the land surface.

(8) Each vent pipe not removed from a cased cathodic protection borehole shall be completely filled with grout.

(9) Wherever subsurface fluid or gas pressure flow is encountered, a pressure sufficient for placement of the grout shall be maintained long enough for the grout to set.

(10) The operator shall submit a final plugging report to the manager of the appropriate GMD office within 60 days after plugging operations are completed, on forms prescribed by the manager of the appropriate GMD office.

(d) Each former cathodic protection borehole site shall be restored, as close as practical to predrilling conditions, by removing from the site any cables and anodes, the vent pipe and anode conductor, any surface casing sections, and any other material installed at the surface or in the borehole.

(e)

(1) Each failure to provide notice under paragraph (c)(1) shall be punishable by a penalty of up to $1,000.

(2) Each failure to properly plug any cathodic protection borehole in accordance with this regulation shall be punishable by a penalty of up to $2,500.

Notes

Kan. Admin. Regs. § 82-3-710

Authorized by K.S.A. 55-152 and K.S.A. 2003 Supp. 82a-1028; implementing K.S.A. 55-152, K.S.A. 2003 Supp. 55-164, and K.S.A. 2003 Supp. 82a-1028; effective, T-82-1-21-04, Jan. 21, 2004; effective May 14, 2004.