37-43-202. Powers and duties. - Montana Statutes

     37-43-202. Powers and duties. (1) The board may exercise the authority granted to it by this chapter.
     (2) The board shall adopt rules and orders to effectuate this chapter.
     (3) The board shall adopt rules to establish mandatory water well construction standards and enforcement procedures. The standards must address the protection of the drilling site; specifications for casing materials; materials and specifications for well screens; casing perforations; well development procedures; proper sealing and grouting; temporary capping; cleaning and disinfecting; bonds; guaranties; contractors' and drillers' qualifications; tests for yield and drawdown; reporting procedures and requirements for water quality, well logs, location of wells, and information relating to local conditions; well filters; access ports; gravel packing; sampling methods; plumbness and alignment of the hole and casing; well abandonment procedures; and other necessary and appropriate standards.
     (4) The board shall adopt minimum standards regarding the construction, use, and abandonment of monitoring wells. The standards must be designed to protect the state's ground water resource from degradation by contamination and loss of hydrostatic pressure. A violation of the standards does not occur if it can be shown that noncompliance results in equal or greater protection of the ground water resource.
     (5) The board may request the department to inspect water wells or monitoring wells drilled or being drilled, and the department has access to these wells at reasonable times.
     (6) The board may establish a program for training apprentices and licensed or prospective water well contractors, water well drillers, and monitoring well constructors to more effectively carry out this chapter.
     (7) The board shall set and enforce standards and rules governing the licensing, registration, and conduct of water well drillers, water well contractors, and monitoring well constructors.
     (8) The board shall set fees commensurate with costs. The board may establish fees, including but not limited to fees for application, examination, renewal, reciprocity, late renewal, and continuing education. Board costs not related to specific programs may be equitably distributed as determined by the board. The board shall maintain records sufficient to support the fees charged for each program area.
     (9) The rules of the board must be compiled in printed form for distribution to interested persons, for which the department may charge a fee. Sums realized from these sales must be deposited in the state special revenue fund for the use of the board.
     (10) The board shall:
     (a) authorize the department to issue licenses to qualified water well contractors, water well drillers, and monitoring well constructors in this state;
     (b) cause examinations to be made of applicants for licenses;
     (c) take disciplinary action and issue orders pursuant to this chapter; and
     (d) generally perform duties that will carry out this chapter.
     (11) The board shall pay to the department its share of the assessed costs of the department in administering this chapter.

     History: En. Sec. 5, Ch. 176, L. 1961; amd. Sec. 153, Ch. 147, L. 1963; amd. Sec. 3, Ch. 234, L. 1963; amd. Sec. 254, Ch. 350, L. 1974; R.C.M. 1947, 66-2605; amd. Sec. 1, Ch. 277, L. 1983; amd. Sec. 2, Ch. 728, L. 1985; amd. Sec. 4, Ch. 538, L. 1987; amd. Sec. 3, Ch. 516, L. 1989; amd. Sec. 1, Ch. 284, L. 1993.