Brine Mining Amendments
HB 478 enacts the Brine Conservation Act to regulate brine mining operations in Utah. The bill defines "brine" as subterranean saltwater with high dissolved minerals (over 20,000 ppm) and establishes requirements for permits, production drilling units, and payment of brine proceeds to owners. It creates rules for the Board of Oil, Gas, and Mining to oversee operations, including civil/criminal penalties for violations, and clarifies that surface extraction from the Great Salt Lake is excluded. The law directly affects companies engaged in deep brine mining (wells over 7,500 feet) and sets standards for managing mineral extraction from brine resources.
Bill status
signed
all 5 stages cleared
Introduction
Feb 2025
Committee Review
Mar 2025
House Passage
Mar 2025
Senate Passage
Feb 2025
Signed into Law
Mar 2025
Introduced Feb 11, 2025
Signed Mar 24, 2025
Maddy AI version diff · 2 comparisons
What changed between versions
Substitute #1
→
Enrolled
·
2 edits
·
Mar 24, 2025
MINOR
The bill was finalized with minor formatting corrections to Section 5 regarding cessation orders and a critical timing change in Section 11, which now requires approval of unit operation plans within six months instead of seven. These changes ensure the enforcement language is consistent and provide a clearer timeline for landowners to approve or reject drilling plans.
TIMELINE
The deadline for owners to approve a brine field unit plan was shortened from seven months to six months.
TECHNICAL
A typo in Section 5 was corrected, changing 'In an cessation order' to 'In a cessation order'.
Floor votes
How they voted
This bill passed the Senate by voice vote (no roll call recorded).
Full legislative history
Actions timeline
Total actions
40
Key actions
8
Committee
5
Amendments
2
Mar 24, 2025
Signed into law
Governor Signed
executive
Mar 12, 2025
Legislature · Passed
House/ signed by Speaker/ sent for enrolling
legislature
Mar 12, 2025
Lower · Passed
Senate/ signed by President/ returned to House
lower
Mar 8, 2025
Upper · Passed
House/ concurs with Senate amendment
upper
Mar 8, 2025
Introduced
Senate/ to House with amendments
lower
Mar 3, 2025
Upper · Passed
Senate Comm - Favorable Recommendation
upper
Feb 27, 2025
Committee
Senate/ to standing committee
upper
Feb 26, 2025
Introduced
Senate/ 1st reading (Introduced)
upper
Feb 25, 2025
Upper · Passed
House/ passed 3rd reading
upper
Feb 20, 2025
Lower · Passed
House/ committee report favorable
lower
Feb 20, 2025
Lower · Passed
House Comm - Favorable Recommendation
lower
Feb 18, 2025
Committee
House/ to standing committee
lower
Feb 11, 2025
Introduced
House/ 1st reading (Introduced)
lower
1 primary · 1 co-sponsor
Sponsors
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