Underground Injection Control Program Grants: Class VI Carbon Sequestration Wells

The Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (Public Law 117-58, Nov. 15, 2021), authorized a new Underground Injection Control (UIC) Class VI grant program and appropriated $50 million for the program to support states, tribes, and territories in dev

Section 40306(c) of the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA) (P.L. 117-58, 135 Stat. 429, November 15, 2021). EPA's funding priority is to award funds to eligible states, territories, and tribes (States) to develop and implement Class VI regulations and programs that allow for safe injection of carbon dioxide for the purposes of geologic sequestration. EPA expects States to develop workplans that prioritize those actions to result in a robust and protective Class VI program in a timely manner.

States, U.S. Territories and possessions, and Indian Tribes that qualify as Programs or potential Programs that have primary enforcement authority for UIC Class VI wells.

The funds support the establishment and operation of programs that permit Class VI injection wells. Program activities include initial Class VI primacy and program revision activities such as Class VI regulatory development, development of Class VI program submission, and primacy or program revision application submittal. Program Activities include Class VI implementation and permit review activities such as general program procedures and resources, development of long-term State UIC program funding mechanism (e.g., permit application fee structure, state budget proposal, etc.), initial and ongoing staffing, general initial and ongoing outreach and communication for program (non-project-specific), pre-permitting activities, permit application review and permit preparation, and pre-operations activities, operations activities, post injection activities, site closure activities, outreach and communications specific to individual projects, reporting to EPA data management, and travel. Assistance agreement awards under this program may involve or relate to geospatial information. Further information regarding geospatial information may be obtained by viewing the following website: Geospatial Resources at EPA (https://www.epa.gov/geospatial).Ineligible uses of grant funds include, but are not limited to, the following activities: UIC implementation activities unrelated to Class VI (e.g., permitting non-Class VI wells), Construction, Purchase of land, easements, rights-of-way, and relocations. This program makes Federal awards on a discretionary basis. A discretionary award means an award in which the Federal awarding agency, in keeping with specific statutory authority that enables the agency to exercise judgement ("discretion"), selects the recipient and/or the amount of Federal funding awarded through a competitive process or based on merit of proposals. A discretionary award may be selected on a non-competitive basis, as appropriate. For further information, please contact the Headquarters or regional office.

Grants will be awarded under 5-year work plan terms.

Issuing office will provide location of application procedure details as appropriate.

Applications are assessed consistent with the merit review regulations in 2 CFR 200.205.

Applications are reviewed by the appropriate EPA Regional Office to determine the overall adequacy of the application to meet the statutory objectives. The awards are also subject to the requirements under 2 CFR part 200 (OMB Uniform Grant Guidance) and 2 CFR part 1500 (EPA Uniform Administrative Requirements, Cost Principles, and Audit Requirements for Federal Awards) as they apply to the grant funding.

Disputes relating to matters other than the competitive selection of recipients will be resolved under 2 CFR 1500 Subpart E - Disputes, as applicable.