UIC Program Guidance Specific to Well Class

The guidance documents presented below were developed by the UIC program to inform decision-making, clarify issues and questions, and guide UIC program implementation consistent with the requirements of the Safe Drinking Water Act and the federal UIC regulations.  They are organized and presented by well class beginning with guidance documents for Class I wells.

EPA is committed to ensuring that the guidance documents posted here are consistent with the requirements of Section 508 of the Rehabilitation Act (29 U.S.C. 794d).  Please contact Jeff Jollie ([email protected]) if you have any questions or concerns.

• Class I Permit Conditions Guidance (pdf) (561.67 KB, February 28, 1986)
  This document provides the regional EPA offices, and states with guidance on a number of special conditions that should be included in UIC Class I permits.
• UIC Land Ban Petitions: Common Deficiencies (pdf) (693.84 KB, April 27, 1989)
  Presents a technical discussion of common UIC land ban deficiencies classified on the basis of geology, hydrogeology, area of review, predictive modeling, and seismicity.
• Guidance For Case-by-Case Extension Petitions For Class I Hazardous Waste Injection Wells With Submitted No Migration Petitions (pdf) (183.95 KB, June, 19,1990)
  Guidance for action on case-by-case extensions under Section 3004(h)(3) of the RCRA, from the effective date of land disposal restrictions for deep well injection of hazardous wastes provided under 40 CFR14.4 and 268.5.
• Incorporation of UIC No Migration Petition Conditions Into Class I Hazardous Well Permits (pdf) (149.29 KB, January 30, 1991)
  Guidance for incorporating any special conditions for a "no migration" exemption to the land disposal restrictions required by the HSWA of 1984 into the operator's Class I hazardous waste injection well permit.
• Modification of Class I Hazardous Well No Migration Exemptions (pdf) (368.28 KB, February 13, 1991)
  Guidance for modifying "no migration" exemptions from the land disposal restrictions imposed by the HSWA to the RCRA,
• UIC Class I SNC Redefinition (pdf) (409.37 KB, March 3, 1995)
  Provides redefined significant non-compliance violations developed through a subcommittee of the GWPC.
• Guidance for State Submissions Under Section 1425 of the SDWA (pdf) (140.39 KB, May 15, 1981)
  Contains guidance on: (1) how states may apply for approval under SDWA Section 1425; and (2) the criteria EPA will use in approving or disapproving application under SDWA Section 1425.
• Casing and Cementing Requirements for Existing Class II Wells (pdf) (148.94 KB, July 27,1981)
  Address questions raised by industry and states concerning construction requirements for existing Class II wells as outlined in 40 CFR 146.22(b), and as applied in certain circumstances in paragraph (e).
• Five Year Review of Class II and III Permits (pdf) (88.54 KB, July 27,1981)
  Clarifies what comprises permit "review' at least once every five years for Class II and III UIC permits under 40 CFR 122.9 (c).
• Maximum Injection Pressure Requirements for Class II Enhanced Recovery Wells and Wells Disposing of Produced Brines (pdf) (280.99 KB, January 11,1985)
  Address inquiries from industry and EPA regional staff concerning the maximum injection pressure allowable for Class II enhanced recovery injection wells and for wells disposing of produced brines.
• Casing and Cementing Requirements for Enhanced Recovery and Hydrocarbon Storage Wells (pdf) (299.23 KB, January 11,1985)
  Addresses inquiries from industry and EPA regional staff concerning the casing and cementing requirements for enhanced recovery and hydrocarbon storage wells.
• Assuring Continued Compliance of Rule Authorized Class II Wells in Primacy and Direct Implementation States (pdf) (1006.95 KB, April 1, 1987)
  Provides an explanation on how compliance for rule authorized Class II wells was initially determined and to provides regions and states two options for assuring continued compliance.
• Guidance for Financial Responsibility in Federally Administered UIC Class II Programs (pdf) (964 KB, March 29, 1989)
  Guidance for use on a case-by-case basis, taking into consideration all relevant factors including other reasonable criteria and methods not explicitly delineated in the 1984 Guidance for Financial Responsibility in Federally Administered UIC Programs.
• Maximum Injection Pressures for Class II Enhanced Recovery and Hydrocarbon Storage Wells in Rule Authorized Fields (pdf) (183.86 KB, July 24,1985)
• Follow Up to Loss of Mechanical Integrity for Class II Wells (pdf) (425.99 KB, June 22, 1992)
  Identifies a procedural framework to ensure more consistent follow-up for wells which fail a MIT or otherwise are discovered to lack mechanical integrity and still permit UIC Directors the necessary discretion to manage their programs based upon specific or unique regional geology/hydrology and policy issues.
• Operating Monitoring and Reporting Guidelines for Class II D Commercials Salt Water Disposal Wells (pdf) (1.65 MB, June 22, 1992)
  Identifies suggested minimum guidelines and procedures to promote a greater degree of consistency and standardization among the UIC program in the regulation of temporarily abandoned Class II wells.
• Permitting Guidance for Oil and Gas Hydraulic Fracturing Activities Using Diesel Fuels (pdf) (482.12 KB, February, 2014, EPA 816-R-14-001)
  Provides technical recommendations for protecting USDWs from potential endangerment posed by hydraulic fracturing activities where diesel fuels are used.
• Maximum Injection Pressure Requirements for Class II Enhanced Recovery Wells and Wells Disposing of Produced Brines (pdf) (280.99 KB, January 11. 1985)
  Address inquiries from industry and EPA regional staff concerning the maximum injection pressure allowable for Class II enhanced recovery injection wells and for wells disposing of produced brines,
• Revised Federal Financial Responsibility Demonstrations for Owners or Operators of Class II Oil- and Gas-Related Injection Wells (pdf) (760.65 KB, July 2016)
  Guidance document makes suggestions and offers alternatives that go beyond the minimum requirements indicated by the Class II UIC regulations.
• Casing and Cementing Requirements for Enhanced Recovery and Hydrocarbon Storage Wells (pdf) (299.23 KB, January 11, 1985)
  Addresses inquiries from industry and EPA regional staff concerning the casing and cementing requirements for enhanced recovery and hydrocarbon storage wells.
• Five Year Review of Class II and III Permits (pdf) (88.54 KB, July 27,1981)
  Provides clarification as to what comprises permit "review' at least once every five years for Class II and III UIC permits under 40 CFR 122.9 (c)
• Identifying and Prioritizing Enforcement Cases at Class V Wells and Available Enforcement Options (pdf) (511.88 KB, April 28, 1988)
  For use by regions directly implementing UIC programs to assist them in identifying and prioritizing Class V wells for enforcement.
• Aquifer Storage and Recovery - Florida (pdf) (1.44 MB, September 27, 2017)
  Explains how SDWA and the UIC regulations allow states to address water shortages and at the same time protect the quality of future water supplies. It provides a solution for public water systems experiencing water shortages and wish to use aquifer storage and recovery wells.
• Review and Approval of Primacy State Class V Rule Changes (pdf) (4.8 MB, February 12,2001)
  Provides direction to the regional offices regarding EPA's review and approval of state program revisions made in response to UIC regulations for Class V wells.
• Using the Class V Experimental Technology Well Classification for Pilot Geologic Sequestration Projects (pdf) (438.71 KB, March 1, 2007)