Underground Injection Control Program Grants: Class VI Carbon Sequestration Wells

 

The Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (Public Law 117-58, Nov. 15, 2021), also known as the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law (BIL), 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 developing and implementing UIC Class VI primacy programs. The objective of the grant program is to support Class VI Underground Injection Control (UIC) programs under the Safe Drinking Water Act (SDWA). Class VI UIC programs ensure that sequestration of carbon dioxide through Class VI injection wells is permitted in a manner that is protective of underground sources of drinking water. The grant program provides financial assistance to eligible states, territories, and tribes (States) to defray expenses related to the establishment and operation of programs that permit Class VI injection wells. The grants are for States that have already obtained primacy for Class VI injection wells, as well as for States seeking to obtain Class VI primacy. This Assistance listing considers relevant approaches to achieving the intended goals and objectives of the program consistent with statutory requirements, including priorities in E.O. 14052, Implementation of the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, to invest public dollars equitably, create jobs and high labor stands, ensure goods and services are made in America, and build infrastructure that is resilient and helps combat the climate crisis. Awardees will submit semi-annual performance reports which will be used to measure successful implementation and support evaluation. Funding Priority - Fiscal Year 2023: EPAs 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.

Active 66.486 Environmental Protection Agency B - Project Grants Not applicable. Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA), Section 40306(c), Public Law 117-58 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. Not applicable. Written confirmation of intent to participate letter in the UIC Class VI grant program as authorized and appropriated under the IIJA. Preapplication coordination is not applicable. 2 CFR 200, Uniform Administrative Requirements, Cost Principles, and Audit Requirements for Federal Awards applies to this program. Applicants, except in limited circumstances approved by the Agency, must submit all initial applications for funding through Grants.gov. 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. Contact the headquarters or regional location, as appropriate for application deadlines From 30 to 60 days. Disputes relating to matters other than the competitive selection of recipients will be resolved under 2 CFR 1500 Subpart E - Disputes, as applicable. Not applicable. Not applicable. 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, environmental justice tool and process 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. Geospatial information is information that identifies the geographic location and characteristics of natural or constructed features or boundaries on the earth, or applications, tools, and hardware associated with the generation, maintenance, or distribution of such information. This information may be derived from, among other things, GPS, remote sensing, mapping, charting, and surveying technologies, or statistical data. Further information regarding geospatial information may be obtained by viewing the following website: Geospatial Resources at EPA (https://www.epa.gov/geospatial). Performance Reports: Reporting requirements shall be determined at the time of grant award. Grants and cooperative agreements are subject to inspections and audits by the Comptroller General of the United States, the EPA Office of Inspector General, other EPA staff, or any authorized representative of the Federal government. Reviews by the EPA Project Officer and the Grants Specialist may occur each year. Recipients must keep financial records, including all documents supporting entries on accounting records and to substantiate changes in grants available to personnel authorized to examine EPA recipients grants and cooperative agreements records. Recipients must maintain all records until 3 years from the date of submission of final expenditure reports as required by 2 CFR 200.334. If questions, such as those raised because of audits remain following the 3-year period, recipients must retain records until the matter is completely resolved. Statutory formula is not applicable to this assistance listing.

Matching requirements are not applicable to this assistance listing.

MOE requirements are not applicable to this assistance listing. Grants will be awarded under 5-year work plan terms. The method of fund disbursement will be determined at the time of award. None/Not specified. Colin Dyroff
Environmental Protection Agency, 1200 Pennsylvania Avenue, N.W.
Washington, DC 20460 USA
Dyroff.Colin@epa.gov
Phone: 202-564-3149 https://www.epa.gov/uic 68-0103-0-1-304 (Project Grants (Discretionary)) FY 22$0.00; FY 23 est $0.00; FY 24 est $50,000,000.00; - $1,930,000 per recipient. 2 CFR 1500 (Uniform Administrative Requirements, Cost Principles, and Audit Requirements for Federal Awards (Federal Agency Regulations for Grants and Agreements); 40 CFR Part 33 (Participation by Disadvantaged Business Enterprises in United States Environmental Protection Agency Programs). Not applicable.