EPA Announces New Rules to Govern Carbon Capture and Sequestration

EPA has come out with several new rules pertaining to sequestration of carbon dioxide and protection of underground sources of drinking water.  EPA is encouraging carbon sequestration as a way to deal with its perception that it is contributing to global climate change.  Of particular interest is the development of a new Safe Drinking Water Act Class VI underground injection control (UIC) well category for wells used to sequester carbon dioxide. Here is EPA's summary of what it did, and hyperlinks for follow up:

EPA Finalizes Rules to Foster Safe Carbon Storage Technology:

As part of efforts to reduce barriers to widespread deployment of carbon capture and sequestration, an important set of technologies to combat climate change Today, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) finalized two rules related to the capture and sequestration of carbon dioxide. Carbon capture and sequestration (CCS) technologies have the potential to enable large emitters of carbon dioxide, such as coal fired power plants, to significantly reduce greenhouse gas emissions. This technology allows carbon dioxide to be captured at stationary sources like power plants and large industrial operations and injected underground for long-term storage in a process called geologic sequestration.

The new rules aim to protect drinking water and to track the amount of carbon dioxide that is sequestered from facilities that carry out geologic sequestration. Together, these actions are consistent with the recommendations made by President Obama’s interagency task force on this topic and help create a consistent national framework to ensure the safe and effective deployment of technologies that will help position the United States as a leader in the global clean energy race.

In August 2010, President Obama’s Interagency Task Force on Carbon Capture and Storage, co-chaired by the EPA, delivered a series of recommendations to the president on overcoming the barriers to widespread, cost-effective deployment of CCS within 10 years. The task force concluded that the rules being announced today were an important part of the strategy to promote development of this technology. CCS can play an important role in domestic greenhouse gas emissions reductions while preserving the option of using coal and other abundant domestic fossil energy resources.

Drinking Water Protection:

EPA finalized a rule that sets requirements for geologic sequestration of carbon dioxide, including the development of a new class of injection well called Class VI, established under EPA’s Underground Injection Control (UIC) Program.  The rule requirements are designed to ensure that wells used for geologic sequestration of carbon dioxide are appropriately sited, constructed, tested, monitored, and closed. The UIC Program was established under the authority of the Safe Drinking Water Act.

Greenhouse Gas Reporting:

EPA also finalized a rule on the greenhouse gas reporting requirements for facilities that carry out geologic sequestration. Information gathered under the Greenhouse Gas Reporting Program will enable EPA to track the amount of carbon dioxide sequestered by these facilities. The program was established in 2009 under authority of the Clean Air Act and requires reporting of greenhouse gases from various source categories in the United States.

More information on the geologic sequestration rule: http://water.epa.gov/type/groundwater/uic/wells_sequestration.cfm

More information on the greenhouse gas reporting final rule: http://www.epa.gov/climatechange/emissions/ghgrulemaking.htm