Louisiana's carbon well permitting application heads to Federal Register

Reuters

Published Apr 28, 2023 01:27PM ET

Updated Apr 28, 2023 03:31PM ET

By Liz Hampton

(Reuters) - Louisiana's application to obtain enforcement authority over carbon capture wells has gone to the Federal Register for public comment, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) said on Friday, a key step in receiving "so-called" primacy and speeding up the permitting process.

The EPA currently manages permitting for most Class VI wells across the United States, which are used to store carbon dioxide. Carbon capture and sequestration is viewed by many as a critical technology in helping reduce emissions and slow global warming.

States that have received primacy over Class VI wells - so far just North Dakota and Wyoming - have been able to cut the permitting process to months from years.