SB 2313 North Dakota Senate · 69th Legislative Assembly (2025-26)

A BILL for an Act to amend and reenact section 38-08-04.12 of the North Dakota Century Code, relating to reclamation of land disturbed by oil and gas activity.

This bill would require oil and gas operators in North Dakota to restore land disturbed by their activities (like well sites, pipelines, and facilities) as close as possible to its original condition before disturbance. Key provisions include mandating the preservation and documented use of suitable plant growth material from the site for reclamation, requiring a pre-disturbance meeting with the state commission to plan this, and needing commission approval before land disturbance begins. The commission could also waive reclamation requirements after decommissioning with proper documentation. The bill does not apply to properly reclaimed pits or abandoned pipelines.

Issues: ✓ Environment

Bill status passed 2 of 4 stages cleared

Introduction

Jan 2025

Committee Review

Feb 2025

Senate Failed

Feb 2025

Governor

Introduced Jan 20, 2025 Last action Feb 19, 2025

Maddy AI version diff · 1 comparison

What changed between versions

INTRODUCED → FIRST ENGROSSMENT · 6 edits

MODERATE

The bill was renumbered from 25.1310.01000 to 25.1310.02000 and reclassified as an engrossed bill. The most significant substantive change is the removal of detailed requirements for preserving and documenting suitable plant growth material before land disturbance, replacing them with a simpler mandate to document and preserve such material. This streamlines the reclamation process while maintaining the core obligation to preserve vegetation for site restoration.

Scope change

The bill's scope remains focused on oil and gas well site reclamation, but the procedural requirements for vegetation preservation have been simplified.

REQUIREMENT

Removed detailed provisions requiring preservation of suitable plant growth material based on soil classifications, predisturbance meetings with the commission, and documentation of volume and location.

Replaced complex preservation requirements with a simpler mandate that suitable plant growth material disturbed for construction must be documented and preserved.

Eliminated the requirement for a predisturbance meeting between the commission and land disturbance proponents to discuss preservation plans.

Removed the requirement that land owners receive written notice ten days in advance of preservation planning meetings.

Eliminated the mandate that preserved plant growth material must be used exclusively for the site from which it was gathered.

TECHNICAL

Bill renumbered from 25.1310.01000 to 25.1310.02000 and status changed from introduced to first engrossment.

Floor votes · Senate Feb 19, 2025

How they voted

7–40

Failed

Total votes 47

Feb 19, 2025

D Democratic5

4 Yea 1 Nay

80% Yea

R Republican42

3 Yea 39 Nay

92% Nay

Vote distribution

All Yea All Nay Mixed No data

Full legislative history

Actions timeline

Total actions

Key actions

Committee

Feb 19, 2025

Upper · Passed

Amendment adopted

upper

Feb 18, 2025

Upper · Passed

Reported back amended, do not pass, placed on calendar 4 3 0

upper

Jan 30, 2025

Upper · Passed

Committee Hearing 10:30

upper

Jan 20, 2025

Introduced

Introduced, first reading, referred Energy and Natural Resources Committee

upper

1 primary · 1 co-sponsor