A provision in the Water Resources Development Act of 2026 would let EPA exempt certain aquifers from review when permitting Class VI wells for carbon dioxide storage. The exemptions target water not currently used for drinking, but that includes irrigation and livestock water relied on by rural communities. If CO2 leaks into these aquifers, it can acidify the water and mobilize heavy metals, making it unusable for agriculture or future drinking water needs. The bill cites examples like the failed Snowy River Carbon Sequestration Project in Montana, where local opposition and inadequate groundwater assessments led to the project being withdrawn. Critics argue that documented well failures in Illinois and Texas show the need for stronger protections, not weaker ones. The legislation would make it easier to site injection wells near aquifers that rural farmers and ranchers depend on, putting their livelihoods at risk.
