[Code of Federal Regulations]
[Title 40, Volume 22]
[Revised as of July 1, 2007]
From the U.S. Government Printing Office via GPO Access
[CITE: 40CFR146.67]

[Page 786-787]
 
                   TITLE 40--PROTECTION OF ENVIRONMENT
 
         CHAPTER I--ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY (CONTINUED)
 
PART 146_UNDERGROUND INJECTION CONTROL PROGRAM: CRITERIA AND STANDARDS--Table 
 
 Subpart G_Criteria and Standards Applicable to Class I Hazardous Waste 
 
Sec. 146.67  Operating requirements.

    (a) Except during stimulation, the owner or operator shall assure 
that injection pressure at the wellhead does not exceed a maximum which 
shall be calculated so as to assure that the pressure in the injection 
zone during injection does not initiate new fractures or propagate 
existing fractures in the injection zone. The owner or operator shall 
assure that the injection pressure does not initiate fractures or 
propagate existing fractures in the confining zone, nor cause the 
movement of injection or formation fluids into a USDW.
    (b) Injection between the outermost casing protecting USDWs and the 
well bore is prohibited.
    (c) The owner or operator shall maintain an annulus pressure that 
exceeds the operating injection pressure, unless the Director determines 
that such a requirement might harm the integrity of the well. The fluid 
in the annulus shall be noncorrosive, or shall contain a corrosion 
inhibitor.
    (d) The owner or operator shall maintain mechanical integrity of the 
injection well at all times.
    (e) Permit requirements for owners or operators of hazardous waste 
wells which inject wastes which have the potential to react with the 
injection formation to generate gases shall include:
    (1) Conditions limiting the temperature, pH or acidity of the 
injected waste; and
    (2) Procedures necessary to assure that pressure imbalances which 
might cause a backflow or blowout do not occur.
    (f) The owner or operator shall install and use continuous recording 
devices to monitor: the injection pressure; the flow rate, volume, and 
temperature of injected fluids; and the pressure on the annulus between 
the tubing and the long string casing, and shall install and use:
    (1) Automatic alarm and automatic shut-off systems, designed to 
sound and shut-in the well when pressures and flow rates or other 
parameters approved by the Director exceed a range and/or gradient 
specified in the permit; or
    (2) Automatic alarms, designed to sound when the pressures and flow 
rates or other parameters approved by the Director exceed a rate and/or 
gradient specified in the permit, in cases where the owner or operator 
certifies that a trained operator will be on-site at all times when the 
well is operating.
    (g) If an automatic alarm or shutdown is triggered, the owner or 
operator shall immediately investigate and identify as expeditiously as 
possible the cause of the alarm or shutoff. If, upon such investigation, 
the well appears to be lacking mechanical integrity, or if monitoring 
required under paragraph (f) of this section otherwise indicates that 
the well may be lacking mechanical integrity, the owner or operator 
shall:
    (1) Cease injection of waste fluids unless authorized by the 
Director to continue or resume injection.
    (2) Take all necessary steps to determine the presence or absence of 
a leak; and
    (3) Notify the Director within 24 hours after the alarm or shutdown.
    (h) If a loss of mechanical integrity is discovered pursuant to 
paragraph (g) of this section or during periodic mechanical integrity 
testing, the owner or operator shall:
    (1) Immediately cease injection of waste fluids;
    (2) Take all steps reasonably necessary to determine whether there 
may have been a release of hazardous wastes or hazardous waste 
constituents into any unauthorized zone;

[[Page 787]]

    (3) Notify the Director within 24 hours after loss of mechanical 
integrity is discovered;
    (4) Notify the Director when injection can be expected to resume; 
and
    (5) Restore and demonstrate mechanical integrity to the satisfaction 
of the Director prior to resuming injection of waste fluids.
    (i) Whenever the owner or operator obtains evidence that there may 
have been a release of injected wastes into an unauthorized zone:
    (1) The owner or operator shall immediately case injection of waste 
fluids, and:
    (i) Notify the Director within 24 hours of obtaining such evidence;
    (ii) Take all necessary steps to identify and characterize the 
extent of any release;
    (iii) Comply with any remediation plan specified by the Director;
    (iv) Implement any remediation plan approved by the Director; and
    (v) Where such release is into a USDW currently serving as a water 
supply, place a notice in a newspaper of general circulation.
    (2) The Director may allow the operator to resume injection prior to 
completing cleanup action if the owner or operator demonstrates that the 
injection operation will not endanger USDWs.
    (j) The owner or operator shall notify the Director and obtain his 
approval prior to conducting any well workover.