Class VI Well Permitting

The document details the regulatory framework of the EPA's Underground Injection Control (UIC) program, specifically Class VI wells used for carbon capture and storage (CCS). It outlines stringent requirements for site characterization, construction, monitoring, and financial responsibility to protect underground sources of drinking water. As of December 2023, 12 Class VI wells have been permitted in the U.S., with 178 additional applications submitted. The text emphasizes the need for increased funding and state primacy to alleviate permitting bottlenecks and support the rapid expansion of the CCS market driven by the Inflation Reduction Act and the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law.

• The EPA's Class VI permitting program for permanent geologic storage of carbon dioxide includes rigorous requirements for site characterization, including reservoir modeling and the identification of a "caprock" to prevent fluid movement, as well as construction standards for materials compatible with CO2.
• Class VI wells are subject to comprehensive monitoring and financial obligations, including a default 50-year post-injection site care period and the requirement to maintain funds for corrective action, well plugging, and emergency response.
• As of December 2023, there were 12 permitted Class VI wells in the U.S., with 10 permitted by the North Dakota Industrial Commission and 2 by EPA region 5; furthermore, 178 permit applications have been submitted to EPA or state agencies.
• State primacy allows states to assume regulatory authority over Class VI wells provided their rules are at least as protective as federal standards; North Dakota and Wyoming have been granted primacy, and Louisiana's application is nearing final approval.
• Under the Greenhouse Gas Reporting Program's subpart RR, Class VI permit holders must implement an EPA-approved monitoring, reporting, and verification (MRV) plan and submit annual reports on the amount of geologically stored CO2.
• Funding for Class VI permitting is identified as a key challenge; the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law (IIJA) allocated $25 million (FY22-FY26) for EPA permitting support and $50 million (FY22-FY26) to support state primacy.

APA

Clean Air Task Force (n.d.). Class VI Well Permitting. https://cdn.catf.us/wp-content/uploads/2023/12/12114813/class-vi-wells-fact-sheet.pdf

Chicago

Clean Air Task Force. Class VI Well Permitting. n.d. https://cdn.catf.us/wp-content/uploads/2023/12/12114813/class-vi-wells-fact-sheet.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |author=Clean Air Task Force |title=Class VI Well Permitting |url=https://cdn.catf.us/wp-content/uploads/2023/12/12114813/class-vi-wells-fact-sheet.pdf |access-date=23 October 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{cleanairtaskforcendclass, author = {{Clean Air Task Force}}, title = {{Class VI Well Permitting}}, institution = {Clean Air Task Force}, url = {https://cdn.catf.us/wp-content/uploads/2023/12/12114813/class-vi-wells-fact-sheet.pdf}, urldate = {2026-10-23}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }