EPA’s Responses to Public Comments on the Notice of Data Availability and Request for
 

Comment
 

On August 31, 2009, EPA published Federal Requirements Under the Underground Injection

Control (UIC) Program for Carbon Dioxide (CO2) Geologic Sequestration (GS) Wells; Notice of

Data Availability (NODA) and Request for Comment (74 FR 44802). Following publication of the

NODA and Request for Comment, the Agency invited the public to comment over a 45‐day

comment period, which closed on October 15, 2009. EPA received submittals from 64

commenters.

EPA held a public hearing on the NODA and Request for Comment in Chicago, IL on September

17, 2009. Six people attended the hearing, and two attendees submitted oral comments at the

hearing. Attendees' comments were transcribed and responded to in the same way that the

Agency addressed written comments (i.e., those submitted to the EPA docket).

EPA reviewed, evaluated, and responded to all comments submitted. EPA prepared line‐by‐line

responses to each commenter’s submittal. The rulemaking docket contains responses to each

comment letter (i.e., from individual commenters or organizations). These responses are also

compiled and presented according to topic area (e.g., on the injection depth waiver approach).

Note: responses to comments on the proposed GS rule (73 FR 43492) are available elsewhere in

the rulemaking docket.

To view EPA's responses to a particular comment letter:

For each comment letter, EPA created a corresponding commenter‐specific response

document. See Attachment 1 for a list of all commenters, the associated docket number of the

original comment (from www.regulations.gov), and the docket number of EPA’s response.

The table in Attachment 1 is presented in alphabetical order by the organization of the

commenter (or the commenter’s name, where no organization was provided). Please note the

correct docket number for organizations that submitted multiple comments; higher docket

numbers correspond to later submittals.

To view EPA's responses to all comments on a specific topic:

The final rulemaking docket also contains a compilation of all comments on a given topic (e.g.,

on the injection depth waiver approach), and EPA's responses to each individual comment.

Note that, due to the nature of the comments and “common themes” in the submitted

comments, there is a great deal of repetition in these sections. Conversely, some topics may

not have any comments associated with them.

1 
                           

                          

   

                     

   

     

                     

                 

     

                   

                   

                 

     

                       

                           

                        

The table below presents: the major topic areas into which EPA organized individual comments

and the associated EPA‐assigned comment codes. All of the responses are presented in EPA‐

HQ‐OW‐2008‐0390‐0500.

Topic Comment Codes

1. General comments on the NODA and a comprehensive approach to

regulating GS

1000 to 1100

2. Comments on research, data analysis, and findings presented in the NODA

(e.g., DOE Partnership Projects and the LBNL studies described)

2000 to 2400

3. Comments on the injection depth waiver approach (e.g., concerns about

injection depth for Class VI wells, comments supporting/opposing the waiver

approach, and comments on specific elements of the approach)

3000 to 3430

4. Comments on current State GS activities and federal legislative actions 4000 to 4100

5. Comments on the proposed rule (out of the scope of the NODA) 5000 to 5700

6. Other comments that are out of the scope of the NODA 6000

2 
                         

                     

         

   

         

   

     

       

   

       

     

       

       

   

       

   

       

   

       

   

  

         

   

       

  

       

     

  

       

  

       

     

       

     

     

       

               

  

       

       

   

       

Attachment 1: Reference table for locating EPA’s responses to individual comments on the

Notice of Data Availability and Request for Comment (74 FR 44802)

Commenter Docket ID ‐ Comment Docket ID – EPA Response

Ameren Corporation EPA‐HQ‐OW‐2008‐0390‐0354 EPA‐HQ‐OW‐2008‐0390‐0503

American Electric Power (AEP), on

behalf of Multi‐Stakeholder

Discussion (MSD) group

EPA‐HQ‐OW‐2008‐0390‐0353 EPA‐HQ‐OW‐2008‐0390‐0502

American Electric Power Service

Corporation (AEP)

EPA‐HQ‐OW‐2008‐0390‐0345 EPA‐HQ‐OW‐2008‐0390‐0501

American Petroleum Institute (API) EPA‐HQ‐OW‐2008‐0390‐0350 EPA‐HQ‐OW‐2008‐0390‐0509

American Water Works Association

(AWWA)

EPA‐HQ‐OW‐2008‐0390‐0369 EPA‐HQ‐OW‐2008‐0390‐0512

Anadarko Petroleum Corporation

(APC)

EPA‐HQ‐OW‐2008‐0390‐0380 EPA‐HQ‐OW‐2008‐0390‐0508

Anonymous comment EPA‐HQ‐OW‐2008‐0390‐0322 EPA‐HQ‐OW‐2008‐0390‐0506

Anonymous comment EPA‐HQ‐OW‐2008‐0390‐0335 EPA‐HQ‐OW‐2008‐0390‐0507

Arizona Public Service Company

(APS)

EPA‐HQ‐OW‐2008‐0390‐0363 EPA‐HQ‐OW‐2008‐0390‐0510

Association of Metropolitan Water

Agencies (AMWA)

EPA‐HQ‐OW‐2008‐0390‐0365 EPA‐HQ‐OW‐2008‐0390‐0504

Association of Metropolitan Water

Agencies (AMWA)

EPA‐HQ‐OW‐2008‐0390‐0383 EPA‐HQ‐OW‐2008‐0390‐0505

Association of Metropolitan Water

Agencies (AMWA)

EPA‐HQ‐OW‐2008‐0390‐0367 See response to duplicate

submittal at:

EPA‐HQ‐OW‐2008‐0390‐0505

Association of State Drinking Water

Administrators (ASDWA)

EPA‐HQ‐OW‐2008‐0390‐0392 EPA‐HQ‐OW‐2008‐0390‐0511

Basin Electric Power Cooperative

(Basin Electric)

EPA‐HQ‐OW‐2008‐0390‐0351 EPA‐HQ‐OW‐2008‐0390‐0513

California State Water Resources

Control Board (SWRCB)

EPA‐HQ‐OW‐2008‐0390‐0339 EPA‐HQ‐OW‐2008‐0390‐0561

Carbon Sequestration Council EPA‐HQ‐OW‐2008‐0390‐0382 EPA‐HQ‐OW‐2008‐0390‐0519

Chicago Public Hearing Transcript EPA‐HQ‐OW‐2008‐0390‐0391 EPA‐HQ‐OW‐2008‐0390‐0517

and

EPA‐HQ‐OW‐2008‐0390‐0518

Coal Utilization Research Council

(CURC)

EPA‐HQ‐OW‐2008‐0390‐0338 EPA‐HQ‐OW‐2008‐0390‐0520

Consumers Energy (CE) EPA‐HQ‐OW‐2008‐0390‐0356 EPA‐HQ‐OW‐2008‐0390‐0516

Dominion Resources Services, Inc. EPA‐HQ‐OW‐2008‐0390‐0358 EPA‐HQ‐OW‐2008‐0390‐0522

Duke Energy Corporation EPA‐HQ‐OW‐2008‐0390‐0368 EPA‐HQ‐OW‐2008‐0390‐0523

Ecospec USA, Inc. EPA‐HQ‐OW‐2008‐0390‐0324 EPA‐HQ‐OW‐2008‐0390‐0524

Edison Electric Institute (EEI) EPA‐HQ‐OW‐2008‐0390‐0384 EPA‐HQ‐OW‐2008‐0390‐0526

Edison Electric Institute (EEI) EPA‐HQ‐OW‐2008‐0390‐0359 See response to duplicate

submittal at:

EPA‐HQ‐OW‐2008‐0390‐0526

Electric Power Research Institute

(EPRI)

EPA‐HQ‐OW‐2008‐0390‐0355 EPA‐HQ‐OW‐2008‐0390‐0528

Energy & Environmental Research

Center (EERC)

EPA‐HQ‐OW‐2008‐0390‐0352 EPA‐HQ‐OW‐2008‐0390‐0527

Environmental Defense Fund (EDF) EPA‐HQ‐OW‐2008‐0390‐0376 EPA‐HQ‐OW‐2008‐0390‐0525

3 
         

             

     

       

   

  

   

  

   

  

   

   

   

       

       

     

   

     

   

       

     

   

   

       

  

   

       

   

       

     

       

       

     

   

     

   

     

     

     

     

       

       

     

       

     

     

Commenter Docket ID ‐ Comment Docket ID – EPA Response

Fond du Lac Band of Lake Superior EPA‐HQ‐OW‐2008‐0390‐0347 EPA‐HQ‐OW‐2008‐0390‐0529

Global Energy, Inc. EPA‐HQ‐OW‐2008‐0390‐0332 EPA‐HQ‐OW‐2008‐0390‐0534

Greenpeace International EPA‐HQ‐OW‐2008‐0390‐0342 EPA‐HQ‐OW‐2008‐0390‐0535

Ground Water Protection Council

(GWPC)

EPA‐HQ‐OW‐2008‐0390‐0373 EPA‐HQ‐OW‐2008‐0390‐0536

Holliday Environmental Services,

Inc.

EPA‐HQ‐OW‐2008‐0390‐0323 EPA‐HQ‐OW‐2008‐0390‐0537

Holliday Environmental Services,

Inc.

EPA‐HQ‐OW‐2008‐0390‐0325 EPA‐HQ‐OW‐2008‐0390‐0538

Holliday Environmental Services,

Inc.

EPA‐HQ‐OW‐2008‐0390‐0326 EPA‐HQ‐OW‐2008‐0390‐0539

I.M. Speakings EPA‐HQ‐OW‐2008‐0390‐0336 EPA‐HQ‐OW‐2008‐0390‐0540

Illinois Environmental Protection

Agency (IEPA)

EPA‐HQ‐OW‐2008‐0390‐0333 EPA‐HQ‐OW‐2008‐0390‐0542

Illinois State Geological Survey EPA‐HQ‐OW‐2008‐0390‐0337 EPA‐HQ‐OW‐2008‐0390‐0543

Irrigation & Electrical Districts

Association of Arizona

EPA‐HQ‐OW‐2008‐0390‐0372 EPA‐HQ‐OW‐2008‐0390‐0541

Jean Public EPA‐HQ‐OW‐2008‐0390‐0330 EPA‐HQ‐OW‐2008‐0390‐0544

Jeffrey A Miller EPA‐HQ‐OW‐2008‐0390‐0331 EPA‐HQ‐OW‐2008‐0390‐0545

Jim Stovall EPA‐HQ‐OW‐2008‐0390‐0389 EPA‐HQ‐OW‐2008‐0390‐0560

Joint Global Change Research

Institute, Pacific Northwest

National Laboratory

EPA‐HQ‐OW‐2008‐0390‐0334 EPA‐HQ‐OW‐2008‐0390‐0555

Joyce Dillard EPA‐HQ‐OW‐2008‐0390‐0364 EPA‐HQ‐OW‐2008‐0390‐0521

National Rural Electric Cooperative

Association

EPA‐HQ‐OW‐2008‐0390‐0348 EPA‐HQ‐OW‐2008‐0390‐0551

Navajo Nation EPA‐HQ‐OW‐2008‐0390‐0341 EPA‐HQ‐OW‐2008‐0390‐0547

Nebraska Oil and Gas Conservation

Commission (NOGCC)

EPA‐HQ‐OW‐2008‐0390‐0378 EPA‐HQ‐OW‐2008‐0390‐0550

New Jersey Department of

Environmental Protection (NJDEP)

EPA‐HQ‐OW‐2008‐0390‐0361 EPA‐HQ‐OW‐2008‐0390‐0549

North American Carbon Capture

and Storage Association (NACCSA)

EPA‐HQ‐OW‐2008‐0390‐0362 EPA‐HQ‐OW‐2008‐0390‐0546

North Dakota Industrial

Commission (NDIC)

EPA‐HQ‐OW‐2008‐0390‐0343 EPA‐HQ‐OW‐2008‐0390‐0548

NRG Energy, Inc. EPA‐HQ‐OW‐2008‐0390‐0360 EPA‐HQ‐OW‐2008‐0390‐0552

Ohio Environmental Protection

Agency (Ohio EPA)

EPA‐HQ‐OW‐2008‐0390‐0390 EPA‐HQ‐OW‐2008‐0390‐0554

Oregon Department of

Environmental Quality (DEQ)

EPA‐HQ‐OW‐2008‐0390‐0366 EPA‐HQ‐OW‐2008‐0390‐0553

Pacific Northwest National

Laboratory

EPA‐HQ‐OW‐2008‐0390‐0375 EPA‐HQ‐OW‐2008‐0390‐0556

Questar Exploration & Production

Company

EPA‐HQ‐OW‐2008‐0390‐0374 EPA‐HQ‐OW‐2008‐0390‐0557

Sierra Club, Environmental Law

Program

EPA‐HQ‐OW‐2008‐0390‐0388 EPA‐HQ‐OW‐2008‐0390‐0558

Spectra Energy Corp EPA‐HQ‐OW‐2008‐0390‐0385 EPA‐HQ‐OW‐2008‐0390‐0559

Texas Pipeline Association (TPA) EPA‐HQ‐OW‐2008‐0390‐0340 EPA‐HQ‐OW‐2008‐0390‐0562

Tri‐State Generation and

Transmission Association, Inc. (Tri‐

State)

EPA‐HQ‐OW‐2008‐0390‐0346 EPA‐HQ‐OW‐2008‐0390‐0563

4 
         

           

       

       

  

           

       

       

         

          

         

          

         

         

          

         

         

      

         

     

     

     

     

Commenter Docket ID ‐ Comment Docket ID – EPA Response

Univ. Texas at Austin, Bureau of

Economic Geology, Jackson School

of Geosciences, Gulf Coast Carbon

Center

EPA‐HQ‐OW‐2008‐0390‐0377 EPA‐HQ‐OW‐2008‐0390‐0531

Univ. Texas at Austin, Bureau of

Economic Geology, Jackson School

of Geosciences, Gulf Coast Carbon

Center

EPA‐HQ‐OW‐2008‐0390‐0379 EPA‐HQ‐OW‐2008‐0390‐0532

University of Texas at Austin,

Bureau of Economic Geology (BEG)

EPA‐HQ‐OW‐2008‐0390‐0371 EPA‐HQ‐OW‐2008‐0390‐0514

University of Texas at Austin,

Bureau of Economic Geology (BEG)

EPA‐HQ‐OW‐2008‐0390‐0381 EPA‐HQ‐OW‐2008‐0390‐0515

University of Texas at Austin,

Bureau of Economic Geology (BEG),

Gulf Coast Carbon Center (GCCC)

EPA‐HQ‐OW‐2008‐0390‐0387 EPA‐HQ‐OW‐2008‐0390‐0533

University of Texas at Austin,

Bureau of Economic Geology, Gulf

Coast Carbon Center

EPA‐HQ‐OW‐2008‐0390‐0370 EPA‐HQ‐OW‐2008‐0390‐0530

Utility Solid Waste Activities Group

(USWAG)

EPA‐HQ‐OW‐2008‐0390‐0349 EPA‐HQ‐OW‐2008‐0390‐0564

Western Business Roundtable EPA‐HQ‐OW‐2008‐0390‐0357 EPA‐HQ‐OW‐2008‐0390‐0566

Wyoming Department of

Environmental Quality (WDEQ)

EPA‐HQ‐OW‐2008‐0390‐0386 EPA‐HQ‐OW‐2008‐0390‐0565

Xcel Energy, Inc. EPA‐HQ‐OW‐2008‐0390‐0344 EPA‐HQ‐OW‐2008‐0390‐0567

5 
                         

         

     

               

       

                       

           

       

         

         

     

             

             

     

          

             

         

           

                   

       

             

                   

             

             

           

             

                 

               

   

         

   

                   

       

             

                 

           

                         

Attachment 2: Topic‐specific comment codes for the Notice of Data Availability and Request

for Comment (74 FR 44802)

Comment Code Description Code

1. General Comments on the Notice of Data Availability 1000

1.1 Comments on the Comprehensive Approach 1100

2. Comments on Research, Data Analysis, and Findings presented in the NODA 2000

2.1 DOE Regional Carbon Sequestration Partnership Projects 2100

2.1.1. SECARB (Escatawpa, MS) 2110

2.1.2. SWP (Aneth Field, UT) 2120

2.1.3. SWP (Pump Canyon, NM) 2130

2.2. LBNL Studies 2200

2.2.1. Groundwater Quality and Mobilization of Trace Elements 2210

2.2.2. Basin‐Scale Hydrologic Impacts of CO2 Storage 2220

2.3. Additional Research 2300

2.3.1. Review of Modeling Studies 2310

2.3.2. Recent Publications on Risk and Risk Management 2320

2.4. Other Research Offered by Commenters 2400

3. Injection Depth for GS Projects 3000

3.1. Comments on Concerns About Injection Depth for Class VI Wells 3100

3.1.1. National Storage Capacity 3110

3.1.2. Allowing GS in All Formation Types 3120

3.1.3. Addressing the Differences Between Class II and Class VI Wells 3130

3.2. Comments on Alternative Injection Depth Waiver Approach 3200

3.2.1. Comments Generally in Support of the Approach 3210

3.2.2. Comments in Opposition to the Approach 3220

3.2.3. Comments that Additional Submissions are Needed 3230

3.2.4. Comments that the Approach Requests Too Much Data 3240

3.3. Comments on Specific Elements of the Waiver Approach 3300

3.3.1. Site Characterization 3310

3.3.2. AoR and Corrective Action 3320

3.3.3. Emergency and Remedial Response 3330

3.3.4. Financial Responsibility 3340

3.3.5. Requirement to Submit Waiver Application to UIC and PWSS Program Directors 3350

3.3.6. Requirement to Apply for Waiver Separately from UIC Permit Application 3360

3.3.7. Notice and Hearing 3370

3.3.8. Additional Requirements Established by the UIC Director 3380

3.3.9. Comments Regarding State Discretion to Adopt the Waiver Approach 3390

3.4 Additional Information Regarding the Waiver Approach 3400

3.4.1. Applicability of Waiver Process to Deep Saline and Other Types of Formations 3410

6 
     

                            

                     

             

             

                 

               

           

                 

           

         

                 

           

           

             

               

                     

               

                   

Comment Code Description Code

3.4.2. Request for Information on Areas Where Injection Depth and USDWs Are a Concern 3420

3.4.3. Request for Information on Constructing Wells Through Existing CO2 Plumes 3430

4. Comments on Current State GS Activities 4000

4.1 Comments on federal legislative actions (e.g., Waxman‐Markey, IRS/Stimulus, etc.) 4100

5. Comments on the Proposed Rule (out of NODA Scope) 5000

5.1. Comments on the Proposed Permit Application Information (146.82) 5050

5.2. Comments on the Proposed Siting Requirements (146.83) 5100

5.3. Comments on the Proposed AoR and Corrective Action Requirements (146.84) 5150

5.4. Comments on the Proposed Financial Responsibility Requirements (146.85) 5200

5.5. Comments on the Proposed Construction Requirements (146.86) 5250

5.6. Comments on the Proposed Logging, Sampling, and Testing Requirements (146.87) 5300

5.7. Comments on the Proposed Operating Requirements (146.88) 5350

5.8. Comments on the Proposed MIT Requirements (146.89) 5400

5.9. Comments on the Proposed Monitoring Requirements (146.90) 5450

5.10. Comments on the Proposed Reporting Requirements (146.91) 5500

5.11. Comments on the Proposed Well Plugging Requirements (146.92) 5550

5.12. Comments on the Proposed Post‐Injection Site Care Requirements (146.93) 5600

5.13. Comments on the Proposed Emergency and Remedial Response Requirements (146.94) 5650

5.14. Comments on Other Aspects of the Proposed Rule 5700

6. Other Comments that are Out of Scope for the NODA 6000

7