The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Region 7 has issued a final Underground Injection Control (UIC) Class VI permit to PureField Carbon Capture, LLC, marking the first such authorisation in Kansas and across the agency’s four-state Heartland region. The permit allows for the geologic sequestration of carbon dioxide (CO2) in deep rock formations near the city of Russell.
Under the 12-year permit, the PureField facility is authorised to inject up to 150,000 metric tons of CO2 annually into the Arbuckle rock formation, located approximately 3,500 feet below the surface. The CO2, a byproduct of ethanol production, will reach a total permitted volume of 1.8 million metric tons.
“This permit exemplifies EPA’s support of domestic energy production and unleashing American energy dominance,” said EPA Region 7 Administrator Jim Macy. “We’ll continue to advance projects that grow rural economies while fulfilling the agency’s core mission of protecting human health and the environment.”
To safeguard underground sources of drinking water, the EPA has mandated a rigorous safety framework. PureField is required to conduct testing and monitoring of the well and surrounding area throughout the 12-year injection phase and for an additional 50 years following the completion of the project.
This decision follows the EPA’s authority under the Safe Drinking Water Act to ensure that geologic sequestration projects are managed with strict adherence to geological safety and environmental protection.
