Interior Department allocates $560 million to well cleanup
The United States Interior Department is giving $560 million to 24 states as part of an effort to start cleaning up high-priority derelict oil and gas wells. It said up to 10,000 wells could be dealt with as part of an orphan well cleanup program that was created under the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, which was passed in 2021.
“(The Bipartisan Infrastructure Law) is enabling us to confront long-standing environmental injustices by making a historic investment to plug orphaned wells throughout the country,” said Secretary Deb Haaland.
According to the Interior Department, more than 129,000 orphaned wells have been identified on state and private land. It said the number is expected to increase with more research.
Click here to learn more about this well cleanup program.
