Underground Injection Control (UIC)
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Underground Injection Control in EPA Region 8 (CO, MT, ND, SD, UT, and WY)

Due to the current situation surrounding the coronavirus (COVID-19), EPA R8 UIC staff are now working remotely. We are asking everyone to please use email to send all communications and documents until further notice.

EPA R8 UIC Permitting, Compliance and Financial Responsibility contacts may be found at the following link. 

EPA Region 8 serves Colorado, Montana, North Dakota, South Dakota, Utah, Wyoming, and 27 tribal nations.

On this page:

Announcements and Public Notice of Proposed Actions

EPA Region 8 solicits public comment on issuance of permit-related actions under the authority of the Safe Drinking Water Act and UIC Program regulations for a minimum of 30 calendar days on this website and publishes a courtesy announcement in one or more local newspapers.

All comments received by the end of the comment period will be considered in the formulation of any final decision. Due to office closures related to the COVID-19 outbreak, at this time please do not submit comments via regular mail. Notification and any details of a public comment period extension will be provided at the web links below and will not be published in local newspapers. Interested parties on our email list will be notified of any extension of the public comment period by email.

If you wish to be added to our email list, please notify the EPA staff listed for the proposed action. After the comment period has closed, the Director intends to issue a Final UIC Permit, Permit Modification and/or Aquifer Exemption decision. EPA will hold a public hearing if the response to a specific action indicates significant public interest, or if requested.

For additional information on a specific action, please contact the EPA staff listed for that proposed action.

Public Notices at U.S. EPA


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Regional Guidance Documents

EPA Region 8 directly implements the Underground Injection Control Program under the SDWA in Indian country and the UIC programs for non-oil and gas related activities in Colorado, Montana, and South Dakota. These guidance assist the regulated community - which consists of hundreds of drinking waters systems and injection well operators, many of which are small and in rural areas – in complying with program requirements.

Resources for Owners and Operators

  • 7520 reporting forms for owners or operators
  • Class II Permit Application Checklist & Spreadsheet
  • Mechanical Integrity Test (MIT) Form
  • UIC Inspector Training 2018
  • UIC Inspector Training 2019

  • Permit Applicant:

    The Class II Permit Application Completeness Review Checklist is intended to assist EPA staff’s review of the permit application during the Administrative Review process. This checklist can also serve as a useful guide as you prepare your Class II permit application and can be used for other well class applications.

    Attachment K lists additional federal laws that EPA must comply with before a new permit can be issued. The National Historic Preservation Act and Endangered Species Act requirements will apply to most permits issued by EPA Region 8. If the applicant is willing and able to initiate and complete the cultural resource and endangered or threatened species surveys, inclusion of the survey and/or consultant’s reports with the permit application can significantly expedite the permitting process. If previous, recent surveys have already been conducted, the results of those surveys are acceptable to include with the application.

    In addition to the permit application, Region 8 also requests that the applicant complete the attached spreadsheet to assist the EPA in technical review of the permit application.

Class V Program Documents

Primary Enforcement Authority

Well Class Colorado Montana North Dakota South Dakota Utah Wyoming
Class I EPA EPA North Dakota Department of Environmental Quality EPA Utah Department of Environmental Quality, Division of Water Quality Wyoming Department of Environmental Quality 
Class II Colorado Oil and Gas Conservation Commission Montana Board of Oil and Gas Conservation North Dakota Industrial Commission, Department of Mineral Resources, Oil and Gas Division  South Dakota Department of Environment and Natural Resources Utah Division of Oil, Gas and Mining Wyoming Oil and Gas Conservation Commission
Class III EPA EPA North Dakota Department of Environmental Quality EPA Utah Department of Environmental Quality, Division of Water Quality Wyoming Department of Environmental Quality 
Class IV EPA EPA North Dakota Department of Environmental Quality EPA Utah Department of Environmental Quality, Division of Water Quality Wyoming Department of Environmental Quality 
Class V EPA EPA North Dakota Department of Environmental Quality EPA Utah Department of Environmental Quality, Division of Water Quality Wyoming Department of Environmental Quality 
Class VI EPA EPA North Dakota Industrial Commission, Department of Mineral Resources, Oil and Gas Division  EPA EPA Wyoming Department of Environmental Quality 

Tribal Programs

EPA Region 8 directly implements the UIC Program on 26 Indian Reservations. The Fort Peck Indian Reservation has been delegated primacy for Class II injection wells.

Fort Peck Program Manager Martina Wilson (martinawilson@fortpecktribes.net); (406) 768-2329

Questions about underground injection wells on Indian Reservations other than Fort Peck should be directed to EPA Region 8.

Contact Information

U.S. EPA Region 8 (8WD-SDU)
1595 Wynkoop Street
Denver, CO 80202-1129

UIC Permitting Staff

Section Chief

Douglas Minter (minter.douglas@epa.gov), 303-312-6079

Permitting Staff Areas of Focus Email Phone

Linda Bowling

Engineer

 Aquifer Storage & Recovery (ASR) Team Lead; Class II Permit Writer for the Wind River Indian Reservation; State Oversight for MBOGCC

bowling.linda@epa.gov

 303-312-6254

Wendy Cheung

Engineer

 UIC Database Design Lead; Class VI Geologic CO2 Sequestration; Aquifer Exemption Team Lead; State Oversight for WDEQ

cheung.wendy@epa.gov

 303-312-6242

Craig Boomgaard

Environmental Scientist

 Class II Permit Lead for Fort Berthold Indian Reservation; State Oversight for NDIC

boomgaard.craig@epa.gov

 303-312-6794

Valois Robinson

Environmental Scientist

 Class III Permit Lead for South Dakota; UIC Database Administrator; SD DENR and Fort Peck OEP robinson.valois@epa.gov 303-312-6276

Omar Sierra-Lopez

Environmental Scientist

 Class V Team Lead; Class II Permitting; State Oversight for UDEQ

              sierra-lopez.omar@epa.gov

 303-312-7045

Bruce Suchomel

Engineer

 Class II Permit Lead for the Uintah and Ouray Indian Reservation; Contracting Officer Representative; State Oversight for UDOGM

suchomel.bruce@epa.gov

 303-312-6001

Rick Arnold

Environmental Scientist

 Groundwater Modeling; Hydrogeology; Aquifer Exemptions; State Oversight for WOGCC

arnold.rick@epa.gov

 303-312-6788

Chris Brown

Physical Scientist

 Class I and II Permitting; State Oversight for NDDEQ and COGCC brown.christopher.t@epa.gov  (303) 312-6669

UIC Enforcement Staff

Section Chief

Tiffany Cantor (cantor.tiffany@epa.gov), 303-312-6521


Communications related to testing, monitoring, or other items associated with compliance and enforcement, should be sent to both Gary Wang (wang.gary@epa.gov) and Don Breffle (Breffle.don@epa.gov). We appreciate your assistance in ensuring continuity of operations.

Enforcement Staff Areas of Focus Email Phone
Gary Wang Class I, II, III, and Class V Deep Wells (inspections, compliance and enforcement)

wang.gary@epa.gov

 303-312-6469
Nathan Wiser Class I, II, III, and Class V Deep Wells (inspections, compliance, enforcement, tips and complaints)

wiser.nathan@epa.gov

 303-312-6211
Lawrence Granato Class V Shallow Wells (inspections, compliance and enforcement)

lawrence.granato@epa.gov

 303-312-6541
Ben D'Innocenzo Financial Responsibility Coordinator dinnocenzo.benjamin@epa.gov 303-312-6342

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