All About NDEE: Underground Injection Control
Since 1986, the Nebraska Department of Environment and Energy (NDEE) has administered the Underground Injection Control (UIC) program to protect groundwater quality in the state of Nebraska.
This program regulates the construction and operation of injection wells and permits the injection of fluid into the subsurface via an injection well.
A fluid is defined as any substance that flows or moves including gases, liquids, or solids. An injection well can be any bored, drilled, driven, or dug excavation with a depth greater than its width.
An injection well is used to place fluid underground into geologic formations. These underground formations can range from deep sandstone or limestone to a shallow soil layer. Injected fluids can include water, wastewater, and brine (saltwater).
The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has granted Nebraska primacy, or primary enforcement responsibility, to administer most program authorities as outlined in in Title 122- Rules and regulations for Underground Injection and Mineral Production Wells.
Specifically, permitted facilities are required to carry out activities in a manner that does not contaminate underground sources of drinking water. Program information is located on NDEE’s UIC web page.
The EPA categorizes injection wells by a class. Each class is based on the type and depth of the injection activity, and the potential for that injection activity to result in endangerment of an underground source of drinking water. The UIC program has a total of six categorization classes for injection wells:
· Class I injection wells are for the injection of wastewater below the lowermost underground sources of drinking water.
· Class II wells are associated with oil and gas production and are regulated by the Nebraska Oil and Gas Conservation Commission.
· Class III wells are used to inject fluids for the purpose of extracting minerals.
· Class IV wells are associated with the injection of hazardous waste, which are illegal, have never been allowed in Nebraska.
· Class V injection wells are any wells not included in the other specific classes. Common examples of Class V wells include open loop heat pump systems, large capacity septic systems, and subsurface drip irrigation systems.
· Class VI wells are used to inject carbon dioxide into deep rock formations for long-term underground storage. This class of well is currently regulated by the EPA.
NDEE issues Class I, III, and V permits for the UIC program in the state of Nebraska. Currently the state of Nebraska has five permitted Class I wells. Two of these are issued to a uranium facility. The other three are issued to a municipality, a fertilizer company, and a Nebraska public power district. The only Class III wells in the state are at the same uranium facility. Class V wells are located throughout the state and make up the majority of Nebraska UIC wells. There are approximately 1,793 Class V authorizations in the state.