Sheila Vance (Department of Air Quality) told the meeting that DEQ has an EPA-funded grant open to replace thief hatches — she estimated funding could cover roughly 800 hatch replacements — and previewed a marginal-well-closure grant funded by DOE to help plug marginal wells. Vance said operators can find grant details on the DEQ website.

Richard Powell (Division of Oil, Gas and Mining) updated attendees on the state’s work to secure EPA primacy to regulate Class VI underground injection control (UIC) wells for carbon sequestration. He said the state’s rule was finalized in July, the public comment period on Utah’s primacy application is open until Dec. 8 with a public hearing scheduled that day, and the division expects to submit its primacy application to EPA in mid‑December pending the absence of substantive comments.

Powell said recent engagement with EPA suggests the agency’s review turnaround could be relatively quick (he cited a tentative two- to three-month expectation), and he invited anyone with questions to discuss details offline. Both DEQ and the division encouraged stakeholders to attend the scheduled hearing or submit written comments before the comment period closes.