The Underground Injection Control (UIC) Program regulates the underground injection or discharge of six categories of hazardous and non-hazardous liquid and gas. While ADEQ has existing partial authority to administer the program under Title 49, it was insufficient to obtain primacy and did not include a funding mechanism for some well categories. New wells subject to UIC regulation will be necessary as new mining and desalination technologies are developed in the state. With the passage of this bill, ADEQ can begin the stakeholder process to improve program administration and eliminate duplicative regulatory requirements that currently exist between Arizona’s Aquifer Protection Permit (APP) Program and UIC regulations. ADEQ is currently developing a schedule for the rule development stakeholder process.

Stakeholder Materials

ADEQ is holding several stakeholder meetings and will also host workgroups during this assumption process. To see post-stakeholder meeting information and workgroup recordings or updates, as well as draft products (e.g. draft rules) for informal comment can be reviewed on our stakeholder engagement page | View Page >

Primacy Application Public Notice

In order to apply for primacy of the UIC program for lands under state jurisdiction within Arizona, ADEQ is required under 40 CFR 145.31(a) to issue public notice of its imminent intent to apply for primacy.  40 CFR 145.31(a)(2) requires ADEQ to indicate when and where the State’s proposed program submission may be reviewed by the public | View Public Notice & Public Hearing Information >

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For future ADEQ communications and outreach regarding the UIC program, sign up for email notifications. When selecting subscription topics, select Water Quality, proceed to the next page(s), and then select UIC Primacy Stakeholder Communications where listed | Subscribe >

Update (Feb. 13, 2024): The Safe Drinking Water Act UIC Primacy Application Package has been submitted to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) for review and approval. Once the EPA Region 9 review process is complete, they will forward the package to EPA Headquarters for their final review. ADEQ anticipates review time to take from six months to a year.