1510.08 Assessments on production of oil and natural gas.
1510.08 Assessments on production of oil and natural gas.
(A)(1) Except as provided in division (A)(2) of this section, an operating committee may levy assessments on the production of oil and natural gas in this state for the purposes of a marketing program established under this chapter.
(2) An operating committee shall not levy an assessment that was not approved by independent producers or that exceeds the amount authorized under division (B)(1) of section 1510.04 of the Revised Code. An operating committee shall not levy an assessment against an independent producer who is not eligible to vote in a referendum for the marketing program that the operating committee administers, as determined under division (C) of section 1510.02 of the Revised Code.
(B) The technical advisory council may require a first purchaser to withhold assessments from any amounts that the first purchaser owes to independent producers and, notwithstanding division (A)(2) of this section, to remit them to the chairperson of the council at the office of the division of mineral resources management. A first purchaser who pays an assessment that is levied pursuant to this section for an independent producer may deduct the amount of the assessment from any moneys that the first purchaser owes the independent producer.
(C) A marketing program shall require a refund of assessments collected under this section after receiving an application for a refund from an independent producer. An application for a refund shall be made on a form furnished by the council. The operating committee shall ensure that refund forms are available where assessments for its program are withheld.
An independent producer who desires a refund shall submit a request for a refund not later than the thirty-first day of March of the year in which the request is submitted. The council shall refund the assessment to the independent producer not later than the thirtieth day of June of the year in which the request for the refund is submitted.
(D) An operating committee shall not use moneys from any assessments that it levies for any political or legislative purpose or for preferential treatment of one person to the detriment of another person who is affected by the marketing program that the operating committee administers.
Effective Date: 06-14-2000