Regulating the underground injection of CO2.

W hen the U.S. finally gets serious about climate change, it will have to reduce emissions of CO 2 by more than a factor of two during this century in order to do its part in stabilizing atmospheric concentrations (1). CO 2 capture and disposal is among the most important supply-side technologies for managing the carbon problem. This technology could enable continued access to fossil energy while virtually eliminating emissions by capturing CO 2 from power plants and " storing, " " sequestering " or " disposing " of it in deep geological formations (2–5). Surprisingly, all the hardware required to capture CO 2 , transport it long distances, and inject it deep underground is currently commercially available. A successful technology , however, is more than just hardware; it comprises a network of institutions, financial systems, and regulations that is able to achieve broad public understanding and acceptance. Disposal of fluids by injection deep underground is not new. Every year, the U.S. disposes of more fluids by deep-well injection than the mass of all the CO 2 now being released from the country's electric power plants (6). Regulations for disposal of CO 2 will not be written on a clean sheet; rather, they will be grafted on top of the substantial body of regulations and institutions that now manage underground disposal. Florida's battles over injecting wastewater deep underground offer a lesson for any future U.S. regulation of the underground disposal and sequestration of CO 2. Univ ersit y of Ca lga ry (Ca na da) Julie a. Gi a rDina M. Gr a nGer MorGa n Ca rnegie Mellon Univ ersit y eliz a beth J. W ilson Univ ersit y of Minnesota photodisc deCember 15, 2005 / environmentAl SCienCe & teChnology n 499A