Show Utah given EPA control of wells The state of Utah has become the first state in Regions Region 8 to assume delegation of the federal program to regulate underground Injection wells related to the recovery and production of oil and natural gas under the safe drinking water act Environmental Protection Agency EPA Regional Administrator St Steven ven j Jr Durham recently announced approval of the State of Utah Division of Oil Gas and Mining's application by EPA Ad- Ad Administrator Administrator Anne Gorsuch The federal Underground Injection Control program was established to protect underground sources of drinking drink drink- drinking ing water from contamination by im- im improperly Improperly properly designed and operated injection wells Injection wells are used for the process of forcing fluids into the ground either to flush oil or natural gas or to dispose of wastes The basic concept of the mc pro pro- program program gram is i to prevent the contamination of underground sources of drinking water by keeping Injected fluids within the well welland welland and in the intended Injection zone Class II injection wells the category covered by this delegation are those related to the recovery and production of natural gas There are an estimated such wells in Utah Other categories orthe of the wells are Class I municipal and industrial waste disposal wells Class III wells which Inject for solution mining of minerals such as uranium salt potash etc or for mining sulfur by the Frasch process Class IV wells used to Inject hazardous injection wastes and Class V all tion wells not Included In other classifications In addition to Utah Region 8 includes Colorado North Dakota South Dakota Montana and Wyoming In granting this delegation to the state of Utah EP EPA A demonstrates its con con- confidence confidence that the state program meets federal requirements and represents an effective program to prevent endanger endanger- endangerment endangerment ment of underground sources of drinking water explained Durham He said the delegation to Utah Is In line with EPA policy to turn enforcement of en- en environmental environmental programs over to capable state agencies as quickly as possible Delegation of the program by EPA means that effective Immediately the State of Utah Division of Oil Gas and Mining Is authorized to begin Issuing mc permits for Class II wells to require operators to submit reports to inspect in- in injection injection well operations and to enforce compliance with program regulations |