1. Texas Underground Injection Control Program 2015
TCEQ Environmental Conference and Trade Fair May 6, 2015
Lorrie Council, P.G., Manager, UIC Permits Section
Jan Bates, P.E., UIC Permits Section Project Manager
Radioactive Materials Division
Office of Waste
Image Group is TCEQ Logo and Diagram of Class I Injection Wells

2. UIC Program Overview
Image Group is a poster of the six classes of injection wells with labels that show TCEQ regulates Class I, Class III (except brine mining), Class IV and Class V injection wells in Texas while RRC regulates Class II, Class III brine mining, and a few Class V injection wells associated with the oil and gas industry.
TCEQ Regulates
RRC Regulates
None in TX

3. TCEQ Well Inventory by Class
Well Class
Type of Injection Well
Number of Facilities
Active Wells
Wells Temp. Abandoned I
Hazardous Waste Disposal 24 59 5
Nonhazardous Waste Disposal 27 48 2
III
In Situ Mining 7
7,008 - IV
Prohibited (unless specifically authorized) 6
140 V
Miscellaneous Wells (~21 subclasses)
2,422
43,502
Total No. Facilities and Wells (as reported to EPA in February 2015)
2,486
50,757
Image Group is TCEQ Logo and Diagram of Class I Injection Wells
Table lists number of TCEQ-regulated UIC facilities and wells, as reported by TCEQ to EPA in February 2015, broken down by class of injection well

4. UIC Class I Permit Applications and Permits Issued in 2014
Class I Applications
Class I Permits
New Permit 12
Permit Renewal 8 5
Permit Renewal/Major Amend 6
Permit Renewal/Minor Amend
Major Amendment 1
Minor Amendment
Minor Modification 24
Endorsement 7
Transfer 11
PIU Registration New/Renewal 2
PIU Minor Amendment 4
Image Group is TCEQ Logo and Diagram of Class I Injection Wells

5. Class I Highlights
TCEQ received a large number of new Class I permit applications; some for new facilities, others as replacements for old wells (half of active wells are > 30 years old). TCEQ also processed 24 minor modifications related to workovers
Railroad Commission “No-Harm” letters were initially not granted for a few applications due to presence of newer Oil & Gas wells in Texas (production from new petroleum reservoirs); this required Class I applicants to provide more detailed information to Railroad Commission for their evaluation
TCEQ successfully flowed Class I injection well permit data to EPA in 2014 using the NEIEN dataflow process
Image Group is TCEQ Logo and Diagram of Class I Injection Wells

6. UIC Class III Applications and Permits Issued in 2014
Class III Permits
New Area Permit 2
Area Permit Renewal 1
Permit Renewal/Major Amend
Production Area Authorization
Major Amendment
Permit or PAA Minor Amend 3
Permit or PAA Minor Mod
Endorsement
Transfer
Aquifer Exemption
Image Group is TCEQ Logo and Diagram of Class I Injection Wells

7. Class III Highlights
TCEQ’s UIC Program coordinated more closely with EPA Region 6 to facilitate EPA’s review and approval of UIC Program revision requests related to Aquifer Exemptions at Class III in-situ uranium mines.
TCEQ/EPA site visit to the Mesteña mine to view proposed exempted area and nearby wells (non-potable)
TCEQ began early coordination with EPA for the Palangaña mine to provide technical information related to a proposed exemption expansion, nearby wells, groundwater flow, etc.
EPA Region 6 approved two aquifer exemption related UIC Program revision requests in 2014/2015:
Rosita Expansion (Requested 5/20/10;Approved 1/30/14)
Mesteña Expansion (Requested 5/7/13; Approved 9/25/14)
La Palangana Expansion (Requested 12/5/14; Approved 3/26/15)
Image Group is TCEQ Logo and Diagram of Class I Injection Wells

8. UIC Class V Authorizations 2014
Class V Well Type
Number of Authorizations & Amendments
Number of Associated Wells
Aquifer Recharge 5R21 1
Aquifer Remediation 5X26 67
1,578
Other Wells 5X27 2 5
Total 70
1,584
70 Voluntary Revocation Applications Processed - All Were Aquifer Remediation Authorizations (most related to UIC outreach efforts)
Image Group is TCEQ Logo and Diagram of Class I Injection Wells

9. Class V Inventory Initiative
TCEQ was able to use a student intern in 2014 to conduct a pilot program for a new initiative to review Class V authorization files, obtain updated information from regulated entities, and update TCEQ’s databases
TCEQ met with EPA Region 6 and HQ staff to discuss challenges with electronic reporting and to conceptually lay out a simple data reporting project
TCEQ requested UIC Special Project funding from EPA Region 6 and was granted a partial award for FY16 to expand the Class V authorization research and database update initiative, with a longer-term focus on electronic data reporting to EPA
Image Group is TCEQ Logo and Diagram of Class I Injection Wells

10. Injection Well Usage Trends
Municipal water providers, industry, and agriculture sectors expressed interest in developing Aquifer Storage and Recovery (ASR) projects in Texas as a water management tool (legislation on ASR was introduced in the 84th Texas Legislature)
Water providers continue to express interest in desalinating brackish groundwater and seawater to create new water supplies, as well as using injection wells to dispose drinking water treatment residuals (DWTR) (legislation was introduced in the 84th Texas Legislature on desalination)
TCEQ and Texas Railroad Commission, in consultation with EPA Region 6 and Oklahoma DEQ, evaluated dual permitting of Class II salt water disposal wells and Class V wells for disposal of DWTR (legislation was introduced the 84th Texas Legislature on dual permitting)
Image Group is TCEQ Logo and Diagram of Class I Injection Wells

11. UIC Related Rule Revisions
HB 1079 (83rd Texas Legislature) regarding when contested case hearings can be considered for Class III Production Area Authorizations and use of Range Tables in Class III mine area permits – adopted 11/19/14, effective 12/11/14
SB 1532 (83rd Texas Legislature) concerning limited new authorizations for injection into and through the Edwards Aquifer in specific locations – to be considered for adoption at the Commission’s 6/3/15 Agenda
Image Group is TCEQ Logo and Diagram of Class I Injection Wells

12. Focus on In-Situ Uranium Mining
During its February 2014 periodic program evaluation of the Texas Agreement State Programs, the Nuclear Regulatory Commission closely reviewed TCEQ’s UIC uranium mining regulatory program(Class III and Class I injection well permits and facilities); NRC found the UIC Program to be satisfactory
EPA proposed new rules on 1/27/15 relating to groundwater restoration standards for in-situ uranium mining operations; the proposed federal rules would require substantial revisions to the Texas Class III UIC and Uranium Licensing rules; EPA’s deadline for comments on the proposed rules is 5/27/15
Image Group is TCEQ Logo and Diagram of Class I Injection Wells

13. TCEQ UIC Permits Section Staffing Update
UIC Permits Section recently added new technical staff to address retirements and transfers that occurred in the last few years; Staffing now includes:
1 Section Manager (TX PG)
7 Geologists (TX PGs)
3 Engineers (TX PEs)
1 Environmental Permit Specialist
1 Customer Service Rep (part-time, contract)
Image Group is TCEQ Logo and Diagram of Class I Injection Wells

14. Questions?
Image Group is TCEQ Logo and Diagram of Class I Injection Wells

15. UIC Program Contact Information
Lorrie Council, PG, Manager UIC Permits Section Radioactive Materials Division, Office of Waste Phone: , Fax:
Image Group is TCEQ Logo and Diagram of Class I Injection Wells