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U.S. EPA Releases Class VI Well Permit Dashboard and Data Repository
16th April 2024
On Monday, April 15, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) released a new live data dashboard showing the status of Class VI Injection Well permits submitted to the agency under its Underground Injection Control (UIC) Program. Class VI wells are used to inject carbon dioxide into deep geologic formations for long-term storage. The new dashboard replaces a previous static, intermittent update provided by the agency and offers enhanced visualizations of UIC Class VI program metrics and easy access to the status of CCS projects and permit applications under review by the EPA’s ten regional offices.
The EPA also released a new UIC Class VI data repository providing information on approved Class VI permits as well as permit applications under review. Users can now view and download publicly available Class VI permit application information, including applicant narratives and attachments, final draft permits, final permits, final Environmental Justice documents, community needs assessments, testing and monitoring reports, and permit violation notifications.
“As outlined in the Environmental Justice Guidance for UIC Class VI Permitting and Primacy, the EPA is committed to increasing transparency throughout our UIC Class VI permitting process as part of our continual efforts to advance Environmental Justice for overburdened communities through our implementation of the Class VI program. These new tools have been developed to meet those commitments,” said Jennifer McLain, Office Director, Office of Ground Water and Drinking Water, U.S. EPA.
The data dashboard shows 128 Class VI well applications from 43 projects are under review by EPA regional offices as of March 29, 2024. Additional Class VI well permit applications are under review in Louisiana, North Dakota, and Wyoming – states which have been granted primary enforcement authority (“primacy”) for Class VI wells by the EPA. An additional 69 Class VI well applications from 33 projects are under review in primacy states, as of April 3, 2024.
The EPA’s UIC program is designed to protect public health and prevent contamination of underground sources of drinking water.