The UIC program for Class I, III, IV, and V wells in the State of Texas, except for those wells on Indian lands, Class III brine mining wells, and certain Class V wells, is the program administered by the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality approved by EPA pursuant to section 1422 of the Safe Drinking Water Act (SDWA). Notice of the original approval for Class I, III, IV, and V wells was published in the Federal Register on January 6, 1982 and became effective February 7, 1982. Class V geothermal wells and wells for the in situ combustion of coal are regulated by the Rail Road Commission of Texas under a separate UIC program approved by EPA and published in the Federal Register on April 23, 1982. A subsequent program revision application for Class I, III, IV, and V wells, not including Class III brine mining wells, was approved by the EPA pursuant to section 1422 of SDWA. Notice of this approval was published in the Federal Register on February 25, 2004; the effective date of these programs is March 26, 2004. The program for Class I, III, IV, and V wells, not including Class III brine mining wells, consists of the following elements as submitted to the EPA in the State's revised program applications. The UIC program for Class III brine mining wells in the State of Texas, except for those wells on Indian lands, is the program administered by the Railroad Commission of Texas. A program revision application for Class III brine mining wells was submitted by Texas and approved by EPA. Notice of that approval was published in the Federal Register on February 26, 2004; the effective date of this program is March 29, 2004.

(a) Incorporation by reference. The requirements set forth in the State statutes and regulations cited in this paragraph are hereby incorporated by reference and made part of the applicable UIC program under SDWA for the State of Texas. This incorporation by reference was approved by the Director of the Federal Register in accordance with 5 U.S.C. 552(a) and 1 CFR part 51. Copies of the materials that are incorporated by reference in this paragraph are available at EPA Region VI, 1201 Elm Street, Suite 500, Dallas, Texas 75270-2102 or from the National Archives and Records Administration (NARA). If you wish to obtain material from the EPA Regional Office, please call (800) 887-6063 or (214) 665-2760. For information on the availability of this material at NARA, email [email protected], or go to: www.archives.gov/federal-register/cfr/ibr-locations.html.

(1) Texas Statutory and Regulatory Requirements Applicable to the Underground Injection Control Program for Class I, III, IV, and V Wells, except for Class III Brine Mining Wells, March 2002.

(2) Texas Statutory and Regulatory Requirements Applicable to the Underground Injection Control Program for Class III Brine Mining Wells, March 2002.

(b) Other laws. The following statutes and regulations, as effective on March 31, 2002, although not incorporated by reference except for any provisions identified in paragraph (a) of this section, are also part of the approved State-administered UIC program.

(1) Class I, III, IV, and V wells. (i) Title 30 of the Texas Administrative Code Chapters 39, 50, 55, 80, and 281.

(ii) Vernon's Texas Codes Annotated, Water Code, Chapters 5, 7, 26, and 32, Health and Safety Code Section 361, Government Code (ORA) Chapter 552 and Government Code (APA) Chapter 2001.

(2) Class III brine mining wells. (i) Vernon's Texas Codes Annotated, Natural Resources Code, Chapters 91, 2001, and 331;

(ii) Vernon's Texas Codes Annotated, Government Code Title 10, Chapters 2001, 552, and 311.

(iii) General Rules of Practice and Procedure before the Railroad Commission of Texas.

(c) Memorandum of Agreement—(1) Class I, III, IV, and V wells. The Memorandum of Agreement between EPA Region VI and the Texas Natural Resource Conservation Commission a predecessor to the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ), revised March 23, 1999, and signed by the EPA Regional Administrator on October 23, 2001.

(2) Class III brine mining wells. The Memorandum of Agreement between EPA Region VI and the Railroad Commission of Texas signed by the EPA Regional Administrator on October 23, 2001.

(d) Statement of legal authority—(1) Class I, III, IV, and V wells. “State of Texas Office of Attorney General Statement for Class I, III, IV, and V Underground Injections Wells,” signed by the Attorney General of Texas, June 30, 1998.

(2) Class III brine mining wells. State of Texas “Attorney General's Statement” for Class III Brine Mining Injection Wells, signed by the Attorney General of Texas, February 2, 1992 and the “Supplement to Attorney General's Statement of February 19, 1992,” signed by the Attorney General of Texas, June 2, 1998.

(e) Program Description—(1) Class I, III, IV, and V wells. The Program Description and any other materials submitted as part of the revision application or as supplements thereto.

(2) Class III brine mining wells. The Program Description and any other materials submitted as part of the revision application or as supplements thereto.

[69 FR 8568, Feb. 25, 2004, as amended at 69 FR 8828, Feb. 26, 2004; 84 FR 44230, Aug. 23, 2019]

The UIC program for Class II wells in the State of Texas, except for those wells on Indian lands, is the program administered by the Railroad Commission of Texas, approved by EPA pursuant to section 1425 of the SDWA. Notice of this approval was published in the Federal Register on April 23, 1982 (47 FR 17488). The effective date of this program was May 23, 1982. This program consists of the following elements, as submitted to EPA in the State's program application:

(a) Incorporation by reference. The requirements set forth in the State statutes and regulations cited in this paragraph are hereby incorporated by reference and made a part of the applicable UIC program under the SDWA for the State of Texas. This incorporation by reference was approved by the Director of the Federal Register on June 25, 1984.

(1) Injection Well Act, Texas Water Code Annotated sections 27.031 and 27.033 (Vernon Supp. 1984);

(2) Texas Natural Resources Code Annotated sections 85.041, 85.045, 85.046 and 85.052 (Vernon 1978 and Supp. 1982);

(3) Rules Having Statewide General Application to Oil, Gas, and Geothermal Resource Operations, sections .051.02.02.000 to .051.02.02.080 (Railroad Commission of Texas, Oil and Gas Division, Revised 12-22-81), amended as follows:

(i) Amendment to 16 TAC section 3.9 (section .051.02.02.009) issued December 21, 1981, effective April 1, 1982;

(ii) Amendment to 16 TAC section 3.46 (section .051.02.02.046) issued December 21, 1981, effective April 1, 1982.

(iii) Amendment to 16 TAC section 3.71 (section .051.02.02.074) issued December 21, 1981, effective April 1, 1982.

(b) Other laws. The following statutes and regulations, although not incorporated by reference, are also part of the approved State-administered UIC program:

(1) Texas Water Code, Chapters 26, 27 and 29 (Vernon 1972 and Supp. 1982);

(2) Texas Natural Resources Code, Chapters 81, 85-89, 91 and 141 (Vernon 1978 and Supp. 1982);

(3) General Rules of Practice and Procedure, Subchapters A-J (Railroad Commission of Texas, adopted November 24, 1975, revised December 1980).

(c)(1) The Memorandum of Agreement between EPA Region VI and the Railroad Commission of Texas, signed by the EPA Regional Administrator on March 24, 1982.

(2) Letter from Director of Underground Injection Control, Railroad Commission of Texas, to Chief, Ground Water Protection Section, EPA Region VI, “Re: Letter of Clarification—UIC Program Application,” March 21, 1982.

(d) Statement of legal authority. “Statement of Legal Authority of the Railroad Commission of Texas to conduct the Underground Injection Control Program,” signed by Special Counsel, Railroad Commission of Texas, as submitted with “State of Texas Underground Injection Control Program Application for Primacy Enforcement Authority,” prepared by the Railroad Commission of Texas, January 15, 1982.

(e) The Program Description and any other materials submitted as part of the application or as supplements thereto.

[49 FR 20197, May 11, 1984, as amended at 53 FR 43091, Oct. 25, 1988]

(a) Contents. The UIC program for all classes of wells on Indian lands in the State of Texas is administered by EPA. This program consists of the UIC program requirements of 40 CFR parts 124, 144, 146, 148, and any additional requirements set forth in the remainder of this subpart. Injection well owners and operators, and EPA shall comply with these requirements.

(b) Effective date. The effective date for the Indian lands program for the State of Texas is November 25, 1988.

[53 FR 43091, Oct. 25, 1988, as amended at 56 FR 9419, Mar. 6, 1991]