Industry groups are warning that EPA's proposal to narrowly exempt carbon capture and sequestration (CCS) wells from strict hazardous waste rules does not provide sufficient protection from potential liability and are urging the agency to broadly exempt carbon dioxide (CO_2) from the Resource Conservation & Recovery Act (RCRA) to address their concern. In recent comments on EPA's proposal, industry groups are warning that the agency's proposed finding that CO_2 streams used for sequestration are not only "solid wastes" but could be considered hazardous wastes in some circumstances will result in a "regulatory morass" of greater uncertainty, stigmatize the promising technology, render owners and operators vulnerable to citizen suits and increase regulatory burdens for CO_2 injection activities, including enhanced oil recovery (EOR) and other industrial uses of CO_2.
展开▼
