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<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:12.0pt"><span style="font-size:16.0pt;font-family:&quot;Times New Roman&quot;,&quot;serif&quot;">The California Department of Conservation (DOC) has sent out public notice of proposed regulations for the use of well stimulation in oil
 and gas production. The public notice begins the formal rulemaking process and marks the beginning of a 60-day public comment period. The regulations, which are to go into effect on January 1, 2015, are designed to protect health, safety and the environment,
 and supplement existing strong well construction standards. They address a comprehensive list of issues, including testing, monitoring, public notice, and permitting. The Department also will have emergency regulations in place by January 1, 2014 to ensure
 the major requirements on SB 4 are addressed in the interim.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:16.0pt;font-family:&quot;Times New Roman&quot;,&quot;serif&quot;">To read the proposed regulations and other material, to see a schedule of upcoming public meetings, or to learn how to make a comment on the proposed regulations that
 will go into the official rulemaking record, please visit &nbsp;<a href="http://www.conservation.ca.gov/Index/Pages/Index.aspx">http://www.conservation.ca.gov/Index/Pages/Index.aspx</a> or
<a href="http://www.conservation.ca.gov/dog/Pages/Index.aspx">http://www.conservation.ca.gov/dog/Pages/Index.aspx</a>.&nbsp;<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:16.0pt;font-family:&quot;Times New Roman&quot;,&quot;serif&quot;"><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:16.0pt;font-family:&quot;Times New Roman&quot;,&quot;serif&quot;">The Notice of Proposed Rulemaking Action is attached.</span><span style="color:#1F497D"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p></p>
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