The owner or operator who proposes to drill, redrill, or deepen a well for geothermal resources shall file with the department a good and sufficient bond in the sum of fifteen thousand dollars for each well or a fifty thousand dollar blanket bond for one or more wells being drilled, redrilled, or deepened at any time. The bond shall be filed with the department at the time of filing the application to drill, redrill, or deepen a well or wells. Approval of the bond by the department must be obtained prior to the commencement of drilling, redrilling, or deepening. The bond shall be made payable to the state of Washington, conditioned for performance of the duty to properly:
(1) Drill all geothermal wells,
(2) Operate and maintain producing wells, and
(3) Plug each dry or abandoned well in accordance with applicable rules and regulations of the department.
The bond shall be executed by such owner or operator as principal and by a surety company authorized to do business in the state of Washington as surety, conditioned upon the faithful compliance by the principal with the laws, rules, regulations, and orders under the Geothermal Resources Act and shall secure the state against all losses, charges, and expenses incurred by the state in obtaining such compliance by the principal of the bond.
A single core-hole bond shall be in the sum of five thousand dollars and a blanket core-hole bond shall be in the sum of twenty-five thousand dollars.
[Statutory Authority: RCW
79.76.050(2). WSR 79-02-001 (Order), § 332-17-160, filed 1/4/79.]