GWPC History

GWPC History

Chartered by the states in 1983, GWPC is a nonprofit (501(c)(6)) organization whose members consist of state ground water and underground injection control (UIC) regulatory agencies that come together  to mutually work toward the protection of the nation’s ground water supplies. GWPC's purpose is to promote and ensure the use of best practices and fair but effective laws regarding comprehensive ground water protection. GWPC is the only national association whose members regulate underground injection wells. Our members include state environmental protection, UIC, source water, ground water, and oil and gas regulatory agencies. The GWPC Board of Directors is made up of 20 senior state program directors elected by their peers from each of the 10 USEPA regions. Members of the Board of Directors include the highest ranking non-elected / non-appointed senior program managers over ground water, source water, and/or UIC programs. The three GWPC Divisions (Water/Energy, Water Quality, and Water Availability & Sustainability) meet face-to-face twice annually and hold periodic conference calls. Through the Divisions, participating states have identified priority issues and led workgroups on those issues to help resolve program implementation problems on a national scale. Recommendations from the Divisions are brought to GWPC Board of Directors for action.

The GWPC was incorporated as a nonprofit national association, headquartered in the State of Oklahoma, in November, 1983. It was initially incorporated by five states who wanted to form an organization that would serve as a forum to bring together technical and regulatory experts to discuss underground injection control (UIC) issues and overall ground water protection. The founders also sought to develop a strong public outreach/education program to inform the public about the safety of the national UIC program and to develop information that could be used by the states to enhance this effort. Since then the Board of Directors have enhanced GWPC’s overall commitment to broader ground water issues as a recognition that the UIC program is one piece of a much larger effort to effectively protect ground water as an essential component of the ecosystem.

The GWPC is governed by a Board of Directors comprised of senior state agency managers representing the states in each of the USEPA’s ten regions. Board members are elected by their peers. The GWPC core members include representatives of state regulatory agencies responsible for ground water protection and underground injection activity.  The purpose of the GWPC is to promote the safest methods and most effective regulations regarding comprehensive ground water protection procedures and underground injection techniques.  The Ground Water Research and Education Foundation (GWREF), provides independent research and review of ground water and related matters in an effort to improve technologies and assist State regulatory agencies in waste disposal. GWPC and the Foundation have been credited with carrying out many successful projects that have had significant outcomes regarding best management practices and fair but effective laws regarding comprehensive ground water protection.

The GWPC was founded upon a sound principal from which it has never wavered. It has matured into a respected national association of state ground water and UIC agencies. Along the way, GWPC has had a significant impact in affecting national policy in underground injection and ground water protection.