Governor Patrick Morrisey and West Virginia Department of Environmental Protection Cabinet Secretary Harold Ward announced the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has officially granted Class VI Underground Injection Control primacy to West Virginia. Class VI primacy gives the state authority to oversee the permitting and regulation of Class VI wells, which are used to inject carbon dioxide deep underground for long-term storage, a vital component of carbon capture and storage technology.
West Virginia becomes just the fourth state in the country to achieve this milestone.
“West Virginia continues to lead the nation in energy innovation,” said Governor Morrisey. “Securing Class VI primacy opens the door for new investment and job creation in our energy, manufacturing and petrochemical sectors, while significantly reducing emissions. I commend our WVDEP staff for their tireless efforts to help secure this approval, as well as the members of the West Virginia Legislature and the Attorney General’s Office for their work in establishing a legal framework and ensuring the state’s authority to enforce Class VI regulations.”
CCS Technology can be used by a wide array of industries, including power generation, steel and petrochemical manufacturing, cement production, pulp and paper operations, hydrogen production, oil and gas, ethanol production and more.
“This has been a years-long process and the EPA’s determination underscores WVDEP’s readiness to implement this program successfully,” said Secretary Ward. “This primacy allows our staff to utilize their comprehensive knowledge of West Virginia’s diverse regions and tailor state and federal regulations to the state’s specific needs, ensuring efficient and effective permitting and oversight, while supporting innovation.”
The approval follows nearly three years of collaboration between WVDEP and the EPA to align the state’s program with federal standards. WVDEP demonstrated its capacity to address public concerns about groundwater safety, emergency response and transparency while meeting rigorous regulatory requirements.
With this primacy, WVDEP will oversee Class VI well permitting, monitoring and compliance, ensuring safe and effective operations.
