EPA Moves to Reduce Barriers to CCS

Earlier this month, the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) took regulatory action to promote greater investment in CCS technology. Specifically, EPA proposed that CO2 injections be excluded from strict controls on hazardous materials mandated by the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA). So long as CO2 streams are delivered via special "Class VI" wells (defined in a complementary new final rule under the Safe Drinking Water Act, or SDWA), project developers would be exempt from otherwise stringent RCRA requirements for handling hazardous waste. The idea behind the proposed change is to reduce regulatory burdens and enhance business certainty in order to spur more spending on CCS deployment. The proposed rule will soon be open for public comment.