Tuesday, June 24, 2008 : 11:00 a.m.

Underground Injection Control: Requirements for Authorization to Inject

Frank C. Brock Jr. and Dennis J. McChesney, U.S. EPA Region 2

EPA's Underground Injection Control (UIC) program, authorized under the federal Safe Drinking Water Act, protects underground sources of drinking water (USDWs) from contaminants injected into the subsurface.  UIC wells are defined as bored, drilled, or driven shafts; dug holes deeper than they are wide; improved sinkholes; and subsurface fluid distribution systems. The UIC program regulates 5 well classes.  Class I wells inject hazardous wastes, industrial non-hazardous liquids, or municipal wastewater beneath the lowermost USDW.  Class II wells inject hazardous wastes, industrial non-hazardous liquids, or municipal wastewater beneath the lowermost USDW.  Class III wells inject fluids associated with solution mining of minerals beneath the lowermost USDW.  Class IV wells inject hazardous or radioactive wastes into or above USDWs. These wells are banned unless authorized under a federal or state ground water remediation project. Class V wells incorporate all injection wells not included in Classes I-IV. In general, Class V wells inject non-hazardous fluids into or above USDWs and are typically shallow, on-site disposal systems. However, there are some deep Class V wells that inject below USDWs.  EPA is considering adding a new Class VI well for geologic sequestration of carbon dioxide.

 

Most UIC wells in EPA Region 2 are Class V, which includes large capacity septic systems, motor vehicle waste disposal wells, industrial or process wastes wells, and stormwater drywells.  Class V wells may be authorized by rule, or may require permits.  All UIC wells must be inventoried with a delegated state or EPA.  The UIC program and specific well inventory and permitting requirements will be presented along with case studies to illustrate the UIC well injection authorization process.

 

The information is provided by officials of the United States Environmental Protection Agency.  However, neither this abstract nor the actual presentation have been peer reviewed by EPA.

Frank C. Brock Jr., U.S. EPA Region 2 Frank Brock has worked for EPA for 20 years, 13 of them in the Underground Injection Control Program. Prior to that, Frank worked for 7 years in the oil industry as both an exploration and production geologist. He holds a B.S. in geology from Allegheny College and an M.S. in geology from Louisiana State University.

Dennis J. McChesney, U.S. EPA Region 2 Dennis McChesney is Chief of the Groundwater Compliance Section at U.S. EPA Region 2.


[ Manuscript ] Manuscript

2008 NGWA Conference on Eastern Regional Ground Water Issues