Deb Haaland Secretary at U.S. Department of Interior | Official website
The Department of the Interior has announced the allocation of $54.2 million from President Biden’s Investing in America agenda to clean up legacy pollution in North Dakota and West Virginia. The funds will be used to address orphaned oil and gas wells, reclaim well sites, and remediate contaminated locations.
North Dakota will receive $25 million to plug an estimated 46 orphaned oil and gas wells, reclaim 116 well sites, and remediate over 270 contaminated sites. West Virginia is set to receive a $29.2 million award for similar efforts, with plans to plug approximately 200 orphaned oil and gas wells.
These investments aim to create good-paying union jobs, stimulate economic growth and revitalization, protect public health and the environment from harmful methane leaks, and advance environmental justice. The awards are part of a larger sum of $660 million in formula grant funding being released on a rolling basis.
"President Biden’s Investing in America agenda is creating jobs and revitalizing local economies while cleaning up harmful legacy pollution sites throughout the country," said Secretary Deb Haaland. "I’ve seen firsthand the urgent need to address these hazardous sites, many of which are actively leaking oil and releasing methane gas."
Orphaned oil and gas wells pose serious health threats by contaminating surface and groundwater, releasing toxic air pollutants, and leaking methane – a potent greenhouse gas contributing significantly to climate change. These cleanup efforts support broader Biden-Harris administration initiatives under the U.S. Methane Emissions Reduction Action Plan.
The Department's initiative represents the largest investment in tackling legacy pollution in American history, including $4.7 billion dedicated to plugging orphaned wells. To date, North Dakota has plugged 73 wells and West Virginia has plugged 123 wells using initial grant funding.
Today’s announcement of nearly $55 million in formula grant funding will help these states continue their cleanup efforts started in 2022.
