Section 0400-45-06-.06 - CLASSIFICATION OF INJECTION WELLSInjection wells within the jurisdiction of the Commissioner are classified as follows:
(1) Class I (a) Wells used by generators of hazardous waste or owners or operators of hazardous waste management facilities to inject hazardous waste, beneath the lowermost formation containing within a radius of one mile of the well bore, a USDW; or(b) Other industrial and municipal disposal wells which inject fluids beneath the lowermost formation containing, within a radius of one mile of the well bore, a USDW.(c) Radioactive waste disposal wells which inject fluids below the lowermost formation containing an underground source of drinking water within one mile of the well bore.(2) Class II Wells that inject fluids:
(a) Which are brought to the surface in connection with conventional oil or natural gas production and may be commingled with waste waters from gas plants which are an integral part of production operations, unless those waters are classified as a hazardous waste at the time of injection;(b) For enhanced recovery of oil or natural gas; and(c) For storage of hydrocarbons which are liquid at standard temperature and pressure.(3) Class III Wells that inject fluids for extraction of minerals including:
(a) Mining of sulfur by the Frasch process;(b) In-situ production of uranium or other metals. This category includes only in-situ production from ore bodies which have not been conventionally mined. Solution mining of conventional mines such as stope leaching is included in Class V; or(c) Solution mining of salts or potash.(4) Class IV (a) Wells used by generators of hazardous waste or of radioactive waste, by owners or operators of hazardous waste management facilities, or by owners or operators of radioactive waste disposal sites, to dispose of hazardous waste or radioactive waste into a formation which within one mile of the well contains a USDW; or(b) Wells used by generators of hazardous waste or of radioactive waste, by owners or operators of hazardous waste management facilities, or by owners or operators of radioactive waste disposal sites, to dispose of hazardous waste or radioactive waste above a formation which within one mile of the well contains a USDW.(c) Wells used by generators of hazardous waste or owners or operators of hazardous waste management facilities to dispose of hazardous waste, which cannot be classified under subparagraph (1)(a) of this rule or subparagraphs (a) and (b) of this paragraph.(5) Class V Injection wells or systems not included in Classes I, II, III, or IV. Class V wells include:
(a) Air conditioning return flow wells used to return to the supply aquifer the water used for heating or cooling in a heat pump;(b) Drainage wells used to drain surface fluid, primarily storm runoff, into a subsurface formation;(c) Cooling water return flow wells used to inject water previously used for cooling;(d) Recharge wells used to replenish the water in an aquifer;(e) Sand backfill and other backfill wells used to inject a mixture of water and sand, mill tailings or other solids into mined-out portions of subsurface mines whether what is injected is a radioactive waste or not;(f) Subsidence control wells (not used for the purpose of oil or natural gas production) used to inject fluids into a non-oil or gas producing zone to reduce or eliminate subsidence associated with the overdraft of fresh water;(g) Injection systems associated with remedial activity. This subparagraph does not allow the injection of hazardous waste into a Class V well. Systems used to inject contaminated ground water that has been treated and is being reinjected into the same formation from which it was drawn are not prohibited by this rule if such injection is approved by state or federal agencies operating under the Tennessee Hazardous Waste Management Act, Part 1 or Part 2, T.C.A. §§ 68-212-101 et seq. or 68-212-201 et seq., Tennessee Petroleum Underground Storage Tank Act, T.C.A. §§ 68-215-101 et seq., Water Quality Control Act of 1977, T.C.A. §§ 69-3-101 et seq., Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA); 42 U.S.C. §§6901 - 6992k, or Comprehensive Environmental Response and Liability Act of 1980; 42 U.S.C. §§9601 - 9675;(h) Injection wells associated with the recovery of geothermal energy for heating, aquaculture and production of electric power;(i) Wells used for solution mining of conventional mines such as stopes leaching; .(j) Injection wells used in innovative or experimental technologies;(k) Injection wells used for in site recovery of lignite, coal, tar sands, and oil shale; and(l) Wells used to inject spent brine into the same formation from which it was withdrawn after extraction of halogens or their salts.(m) Large capacity subsurface fluid distribution systems with the capacity to serve more than 20 persons per day.(o) Subsurface fluid distribution systems disposing of waste other than sanitary waste.(p) Dry wells used for the injection of wastes into a subsurface formation;(q) Modification of a recharge point or the area where the recharge originates; andTenn. Comp. R. & Regs. 0400-45-06-.06
Original rule filed September 12, 2012; effective December 11, 2012. Rule renumbered from 1200-04-06.Authority: T.C.A. §§ 69-3-101 et seq. and 4-5-201 et seq.