Section 41.06.055 - Regulatory cost charge for geothermal wells(a) Each person that, on the first day of a state fiscal year, operates a well within the jurisdiction of the commission for which a permit to drill has been issued under AS 41.06.050 shall pay to the commission an annual regulatory charge for each well that has not, before the first day of that state fiscal year, been(1) plugged and abandoned; and(2) reported as abandoned in accordance with regulations of the commission.(b) The commission shall annually determine the regulatory cost charge to be paid under this section. The regulatory cost charge to be paid by a person for a state fiscal year must be based on the total volume during the most recent calendar year for the wells described in (a) of this section of which the person was the operator on the first day of the fiscal year as a percentage of the total volume during the same calendar year for all wells described in (a) of this section. In this subsection, "total volume" means the sum of the volume of all geothermal resources produced from a well and all fluids and substances injected or otherwise artificially introduced into the well.(c) The commission shall determine the regulatory cost charges levied under this section so that the total amount to be collected approximately equals the appropriations made for the operating costs of the commission that have been incurred under AS 41.06.005 - 41.06.060 for the fiscal year.(d) The commission shall collect the regulatory cost charges imposed under this section. The Department of Administration shall identify the amount of appropriations made for the operating costs of the commission under AS 41.06.005-41.06.060 that lapse into the general fund each year. The legislature may appropriate an amount that is at least equal to the lapsed amount to the commission for its operating costs under AS 41.06.005 - 41.06.060 for the next fiscal year. If the legislature makes an appropriation to the commission under this subsection that is equal to or greater than the lapsed amount, the commission shall reduce the total regulatory cost charge collected for that fiscal year by a comparable amount.(e) The commission may adopt regulations relating to the investigation of the accuracy of reported information and for collecting required payments under this section.Amended by SLA 2024, ch. 23,sec. 37, eff. 10/29/2024.Amended by SLA 2024, ch. 23,sec. 36, eff. 10/29/2024.