The West Virginia Department of Environmental Protection (WVDEP) has received primary enforcement authority over Class VI wells used for the long-term underground storage of carbon dioxide. This milestone makes West Virginia the fourth state in the nation to achieve Class VI primacy, following North Dakota (2018), Wyoming (2020) and Louisiana (2023). A number of other states, including Alabama, Arizona, Colorado, Mississippi, Oklahoma, Texas and Utah, are also in the process of seeking the same CO2 well primacy designation.
With this authority, WVDEP will oversee permitting, monitoring, and enforcement for these wells, supporting energy innovation and economic growth while maintaining environmental safeguards.
For more details, see West Virginia’s announcement or visit EPA’s page on Class VI wells.
