EPA Seeks Comment on Utah Class VI Well Primacy; Comment Period Runs Through December 7
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) published a proposed rule on October 22 seeking public comment on Utah's application to take over primary enforcement authority (primacy) for Class VI underground injection wells. Class VI wells inject industrial carbon dioxide into deep rock formations for long-term storage and are part of carbon capture and storage technology.
Utah submitted its application on December 23, 2025, under Section 1422 of the Safe Drinking Water Act. If approved, the Utah Division of Oil, Gas and Mining (UDOGM) will be able to issue permits for Class VI wells in the state itself, under the requirements of the federal Underground Injection Control program.
The EPA said written comments must be submitted by December 7, 2026, through the Federal Register docket (docket no. EPA-HQ-OW-2026-0496). A virtual hearing is scheduled for December 1 from 5 to 7 p.m. Mountain Time, with each speaker allotted three minutes; those needing interpretation or accessibility accommodations must register by November 17. Carbon storage is viewed as one tool for cutting energy and industrial emissions; devolving permitting to the state is expected to speed approvals, while groundwater protection standards remain unchanged and the EPA retains an oversight role.
Published by GSM · USA (original Chinese edition)
Photo: 图：加拿大萨斯喀彻温省 Boundary Dam 碳捕集电站。摄影：Quintin Soloviev，CC BY 4.0（Wikimedia Commons）。Photo: The Boundary Dam carbon capture power station in Saskatchewan, Canada. Photo by Quintin Soloviev, CC BY 4.0 (Wikimedia Commons).
