§700.14. Rules and regulations

A. In carrying out this Part, the secretary, in conjunction with the board, shall prescribe, and from time to time amend, regulations for the filing, processing, and the fair and expeditious settlement of claims pursuant to this Part, including a time limitation on the filing of such claims. These regulations shall insure that the whole claim procedure is as simple and as expeditious as possible. In no case shall the claim procedure exceed ninety days from the date the request for arbitration is filed with the board. Any designee of the secretary authorized to prescribe and amend such rules and regulations shall do so under the overall supervision and control of the secretary.

B. In the formulation of regulations pursuant to this Part, the secretary, in conjunction with the board, shall establish a procedure whereby an oyster fisherman may recover for actual damages to his oyster beds or grounds caused by oil and gas activities.

C. Any rule, regulation, and fees for the administration of this Part shall be proposed or adopted pursuant to the rulemaking procedures set forth in the Administrative Procedure Act and shall be subject to approval by the Senate Committee on Natural Resources and the House Committee on Natural Resources and Environment.

D. The secretary, in conjunction with the board, shall promulgate rules for developing a uniform evaluation method to be used in the biological surveys to determine the estimated value of the leasehold before the activity takes place and the estimated damages or loss to the leasehold after the activity is completed.

E. The secretary, in conjunction with the board, shall promulgate regulations implementing the Oyster Lease Damage Evaluation Board's procedures and methods of operation on or before October 1, 1997.

Acts 1995, No. 1304, §1, eff. June 29, 1995; Acts 1997, No. 1115, §1; Acts 2008, No. 580, §7.