Utah DNR Press Release
PRICE — The Utah Division of Oil, Gas and Mining’s Oil and Gas Program staff will hold an open house on October 15 from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. at the South Eastern Regional Development Agency (SERDA) building at 252 S Fairgrounds Road. The event aims to educate the public on the program’s efforts to obtain primacy from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) for administering class VI carbon sequestration wells in Utah. The public is invited to attend to learn more about carbon sequestration wells, the concept of primacy, and the division’s proposed rules and regulations.
In 2022, the Utah Legislature passed House Bill 244, creating a framework for the Utah Division of Oil, Gas, and Mining (OGM) to begin obtaining primacy, or primary enforcement responsibilities, from the EPA to establish an Underground Injection Control (UIC) program. Primacy would give OGM regulatory oversight of the permitting, construction, operation, compliance and closure of class VI carbon sequestration wells on all lands except tribal, which the EPA currently regulates.
Carbon sequestration wells are engineered structures that inject carbon dioxide (CO2) underground for long-term storage. Once the CO2 is injected, it is securely trapped by impermeable rock layers.
OGM and its consultant are developing a primacy application package to submit to the EPA. The package includes state regulations, a quality assurance project plan, a detailed program description, and draft rules to demonstrate that Utah’s rules will be as stringent as the federal rules, a key requirement for receiving primacy. This time-intensive process is anticipated to take several years before approval is given.
For additional information, contact UIC Program Manager Richard Powell at 435-790-6145 or richardpowell@utah.gov.