Geologic Sequestration Regulations

Final rule for Federal Requirements Under the Underground Injection Control (UIC) Program for Carbon Dioxide (CO₂) Geologic Sequestration (GS) Wells

In December 2010, EPA published the Federal Requirements Under the Underground Injection Control (UIC) Program for Carbon Dioxide (CO₂) Geologic Sequestration (GS) Wells Final Rule.

Federal Register Notice:

• Announcement of Federal Underground Injection Control (UIC) Class VI Program for Carbon Dioxide (CO₂) Geologic Sequestration (GS) Wells
  Online Version | Official PDF version (2pp, 148K)
  
  EPA is announcing the establishment of a Federal Underground Injection Control (UIC) Class VI Program for Carbon Dioxide (CO2) Geologic Sequestration (GS) Wells under which EPA will directly implement the Class VI program nationally as of September 7, 2011. As of this date, states and owners or operators must submit all permit applications to the appropriate EPA Region in order for a Class VI permit to be issued per the Federal Requirements under the Underground Injection Control (UIC) Program for Carbon Dioxide (CO2) Geologic Sequestration (GS) Wells final rule of December 10, 2010. Direct implementation of the final Class VI requirements is in effect until such time as a State-submitted primary enforcement responsibility (primacy) application is approved by EPA. For additional information, please see the Federal Register notice and the final Class VI Rule.

• Federal Requirements Under the Underground Injection Control (UIC) Program for Carbon Dioxide (CO₂) Geologic Sequestration (GS) Wells Final Rule
  Online Version | Official PDF version (74pp, 682K)
  

• Underground Injection Control (UIC) Program Requirements for Geologic Sequestration of Carbon Dioxide (CO₂) Final Rule Fact Sheet PDF (3pp, 32K)
  

• EPA Finalizes Rules to Foster Safe Carbon Storage Technology Actions part of efforts to reduce barriers to widespread deployment of carbon capture and sequestration, an important set of technologies to combat climate change.

Final support documents

• Geologic CO2 Sequestration Technology and Cost Analysis PDF (63pp, 348K)
  EPA 816-R-10-008, November 2010

• Cost Analysis for the Federal Requirements Under the Underground Injection Control Program for Carbon Dioxide Geologic Sequestration Wells (Final GS Rule) PDF (131pp, 1M)
  EPA 816-R-10-013, November 2010

• Cost Analysis for the Final GS Rule Appendix A-C PDF (93pp, 348K)
  EPA 816-R-10-013, November 2010

Top of page

Regulatory Development History

Proposed rule for Federal Requirements Under the Underground Injection Control (UIC) Program for Carbon Dioxide (CO₂) Geologic Sequestration (GS) Wells

In July 2008, EPA published the Federal Requirements Under the Underground Injection Control (UIC) Program for Carbon Dioxide (CO₂) Geologic Sequestration (GS) Wells Proposed Rule for public review and comment. The comment period closed December 24, 2008.

• Federal Register Notice: Federal Requirements Under the Underground Injection Control (UIC) Program for Carbon Dioxide (CO₂) Geologic Sequestration (GS) Wells Proposed Rule HTML Version | PDF Version (51pp, 1K)
  
  • Fact sheet on the proposed rule PDF (3pp, 59K)
    EPA 816-F-08-032, July 2008
    
    
  • Press Release - July 15, 2008: EPA Lays Groundwork for Promising Technologies to Help Mitigate Climate Change

• Proposal support documents
  • Approaches to Geologic Sequestration Site Stewardship After Site Closure PDF (27pp, 193K)
    EPA 816-B-08-002, July 2008
    
    
  • Geologic CO2 Sequestration Technology and Cost Analysis PDF (67pp, 574K)
    EPA 816-B-08-009, July 2008
    
    
  • Vulnerability Evaluation Framework for Geologic Sequestration of Carbon Dioxide PDF (85pp, 2M)
    EPA 430-R-08-009, July 2008

Top of page

Public Hearings

September 17, 2009
EPA held a public hearing to solicit public comment on this Notice of Data Availability and Request for Comment (NODA) on September 17, 2009 at EPA’s Region 5 Office in Chicago, IL.

• Federal Requirements Under the Underground Injection Control (UIC)Program for Carbon Dioxide (CO2)Geologic Sequestration (GS) Wells; Notice of Data Availability and Request for Comment
  HTML Version | PDF Version (2 pp, 88K)

Presentation

• Geologic Sequestration of Carbon Dioxide Public Hearing on EPA’s Notice of Data Availability and Request for Comment PDF (19 pp, 421K)

September 30th and October 2nd, 2008
EPA held two public hearings on September 30, 2008 at EPA’s Region 5 Office in Chicago, IL and on October 2, 2008 in Denver, CO at the Colorado Convention Center to solicit public comment on the proposed regulations for geologic sequestration of carbon dioxide.

• September 30, 2008: Chicago, IL at the EPA Region 5 Office
• October 2, 2008: Denver, CO at the Colorado Convention Center

The Federal Register Notice

• Proposed Federal Requirements Under the Underground Injection Control (UIC) Program for Carbon Dioxide (CO2) Geologic Sequestration (GS) Wells; Notice of Public Hearings
  HTML Version | PDF Version (12 pp, 58K)

Presentations
The presentation delivered at each hearing is available at the link below and reviews UIC and GS background, the proposed requirements, the schedule, and the importance of public comments:

• Geologic Sequestration of Carbon Dioxide: EPA Proposed Rule Making Public Hearings: September 30, 2008 and October 2, 2008 PDF (26pp, 483K)

EPA announced in October 2007 that the Agency planned to propose regulations to ensure consistency in permitting full-scale geologic sequestration projects in the summer of 2008. Several public stakeholder workshops were held to inform the regulatory development process.

October 2007 Press Release: EPA To Develop Regulations for Geologic Sequestration of Carbon Dioxide

Top of page