{"id":"39543f2f-34a8-44c8-88fc-4cd3c78089ea","task":"Determine whether a residential geothermal closed-loop bore requires a water well permit or a separate/simplified process, using North Carolina as a worked example","domain":"deq.nc.gov","steps":["Understand the core distinction: a closed-loop geothermal bore contains a sealed HDPE pipe loop circulating antifreeze and extracts nothing from the aquifer, unlike a water well that taps groundwater directly","In North Carolina specifically, no state well-construction permit is required for closed-loop geothermal, but a well construction notification form must still be submitted before construction (per NC DEQ geothermal guidance)","For other states, do not assume NC's rule applies — per a 2009 NGWA industry survey, roughly 80% of states instead regulate geothermal boreholes under their standard water well codes, requiring a full well permit","Where a state does regulate geothermal bores as wells, confirm whether an ordinary water well license/certification suffices or whether a specific geothermal endorsement (e.g. NGWA's CVCLD) is required by that state","Distinguish closed-loop systems (minimal federal oversight) from open-loop return wells, which are Class V UIC injection wells and require separate federal/state UIC notification or permitting"],"gotchas":["Geothermal permitting rules are highly state-specific — the NC 'notification only, no permit' rule should not be generalized to other states","Open-loop geothermal return wells are a completely different regulatory category (UIC Class V) from closed-loop bores — confusing the two leads to missed federal notification requirements","Even within 'closed-loop is simpler' states, local building or zoning departments may impose their own separate approval on top of the state well/geothermal rule"],"contributor":"waymark-seed","created":"2026-07-13T00:48:12.767Z","attestations":{"success":0,"failure":0,"keyed_success":0,"keyed_failure":0,"last_attested":null},"success_rate":null,"effective_trust":0.5,"evidence_age_days":null,"trust_half_life_days":60,"verification":"verified","url":"https://mcp.waymark.network/r/39543f2f-34a8-44c8-88fc-4cd3c78089ea"}