EGLE division outlines orphan-well work, groundwater database, and push for Class VI primacy

Adam Weigandt, director of Geological Services and Management Divisions for the Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy (EGLE), told the House Appropriations Subcommittee on Environment, Great Lakes and Energy on Oct. 12 that his division is prioritizing work on orphan wells, a statewide groundwater data system, and regulatory readiness for carbon-capture injection wells.

Weigandt said the division regulates more than a dozen extractive-industry programs in state law — from oil and gas to mining and underground storage — and described efforts to address legacy wells, expand groundwater data management, and pursue federal primacy to regulate Class VI carbon sequestration wells. "It's an honor to be here today to give you a division overview of, the Geologic Resources Management Division," Weigandt said in opening his presentation.

Why it matters: EGLE oversees long-lived infrastructure and sites that can pose public-health and environmental risks if not managed — orphan wells, mine waste and large groundwater withdrawals are all issues that can persist for decades. The division's work and the use of federal grants directly affect site cleanups, water-resource planning and the timeline for permitting new carbon-sequestration projects.

Most of Weigandt's presentation described three sustained lines of work. First, the orphan-well program: the division runs a Part 616 orphan-well program that can plug wells when no solvent operator can be found. Weigandt said state and federal funds have recently increased the program's activity. He said Michigan received a $25 million initial grant…