Underground Injection Control Grants
On this page:
- What grant funding is available under the UIC program?
- UIC program grants
- How UIC program grants are allocated
- How grant funds are allocated to non-primacy tribal UIC programs
What grant funding is available under the UIC program?
- UIC program funding grants, referred to as UIC State and Tribal Assistance Grants (STAG)
- Competitive grant funding
- Training for improved protection of drinking water sources
EPA periodically solicits competitive grant applications for training aimed at protecting drinking water sources. Eligible applicants should submit applications that will enhance communication and coordination between the EPA, states, and tribes. The training provided by the grantee should develop and expand the capability of state and tribal UIC and source water programs in ways that improve their ability to protect drinking water sources. EPA expects that one award will be made under this Announcement totaling up to $900,000. The purpose of the competitive cooperative agreement is to:
- Provide leadership and support to states on emerging and/or high priority issues
- Sponsor (or cosponsor) annual meetings for UIC and source water protection programs
- Support and encourage state participation in the UIC Data Application
- Disseminate and share information with states, tribes, and other non-federal stakeholders
UIC program grants
- Primacy states - states that have received primary enforcement authority for the UIC program
- Territories - U.S. territories that have primary enforcement authority for the UIC program
- Tribes - federally recognized tribes that have primary enforcement authority for the UIC program
- EPA - Regions that directly implement the UIC program in a state, U.S. territory, or within the boundaries of a federally recognized tribe
How UIC program grants are allocated
Each year, grant money is allocated to help UIC primacy programs enforce the minimum federal UIC requirements. These funds are authorized by Congress under Section 1443 of the Safe Drinking Water Act (SDWA). These state and tribal assistance grants are distributed by EPA's national UIC program. The total annual amount of the grant varies slightly, but is approximately $11 million per year.
Individual state and tribal grant allotments are determined from a formula based on criteria identified in the SDWA. The formula directs available resources toward the highest risk wells in order to achieve the maximum level of public health protection. The formula considers:
- Well status - the inventory of injection wells in classes I to VI that are active, temporarily abandoned, or under construction are included in the formula.
- Well type - the grant formula targets classes of wells that have the greatest potential to contaminate an underground source of drinking water (USDW) and threaten public health
- State population - the number of people to be protected from the risks posed by injection activities has an effect on the grant allocation.
- State size - this variable influences resources needed to maximize field activities such as inspections of permitted facilities to ensure compliance with safe operating requirements or to locate and address endangering injection wells.
Read more about injection well inventories.
How grant funds are allocated to non-primacy tribal UIC programs
Grant money is provided annually to EPA Regions to support UIC program efforts to protect drinking water sources on tribal lands. Seven percent of the overall UIC grant is set aside for tribes. These funds are distributed to the Regions using a formula similar to the grant formula used for primacy programs.