(a) Coverage. Applicants for Class I, II, (other than existing), or III injection well permits shall identify the location of all known wells within the injection well's area of review which penetrate the injection zone, or in the case of Class II wells operating over the fracture pressure of the injection formation, all known wells within the area of review penetrating formations affected by the increase in pressure. For such wells which are improperly sealed, completed, or abandoned, the applicant shall also submit a plan consisting of such steps or modifications as are necessary to prevent movement of fluid into underground sources of drinking water (“corrective action”). Where the plan is adequate, the Director shall incorporate it into the permit as a condition. Where the Director's review of an application indicates that the permittee's plan is inadequate (based on the factors in § 146.07), the Director shall require the applicant to revise the plan, prescribe a plan for corrective action as a condition of the permit under paragraph (b) of this section, or deny the application. The Director may disregard the provisions of § 146.06 (Area of Review) and § 146.07 (Corrective Action) when reviewing an application to permit an existing Class II well.

(b) Requirements—(1) Existing injection wells. Any permit issued for an existing injection well (other than Class II) requiring corrective action shall include a compliance schedule requiring any corrective action accepted or prescribed under paragraph (a) of this section to be completed as soon as possible.

(2) New injection wells. No owner or operator of a new injection well may begin injection until all required corrective action has been taken.

(3) Injection pressure limitation. The Director may require as a permit condition that injection pressure be so limited that pressure in the injection zone does not exceed hydrostatic pressure at the site of any improperly completed or abandoned well within the area of review. This pressure limitation shall satisfy the corrective action requirement. Alternatively, such injection pressure limitation can be part of a compliance schedule and last until all other required corrective action has been taken.

(4) Class III wells only. When setting corrective action requirements the Director shall consider the overall effect of the project on the hydraulic gradient in potentially affected USDWs, and the corresponding changes in potentiometric surface(s) and flow direction(s) rather than the discrete effect of each well. If a decision is made that corrective action is not necessary based on the determinations above, the monitoring program required in § 146.33(b) shall be designed to verify the validity of such determinations.