States Fear CCS Guide Allows Unlawful EPA Preemption Of UIC Permits

摘要

State attorneys general (AGs) fear EPA's draft guide on permitting "Class VI" underground injection control (UIC) wells to store carbon dioxide (CO2) may allow the agency to "unlawfully" preempt states' control over oil wells and force them to obtain strict Class VI permits - even as EPA appears poised to delegate the first Class VI program to a state, a move that could limit preemption. "The draft guidance has introduced confusion and uncertainty into the oil and gas industry and failed to resolve the business community's outstanding issues with the UIC program," says a Feb. 28 letter to EPA from the state AGs of Oklahoma, Texas, Wyoming, Alabama, Michigan, Nebraska and South Carolina. The threat of Class VI preemption "unlawfully interferes with the authority granted to States under the UIC program," they say. Relevant documents are available on InsideEPA.com. Seepage 2 for details.