Deb Haaland Secretary at U.S. Department of Interior | Official website
The Department of the Interior announced $52 million from President Biden’s Investing in America agenda for Colorado, Illinois, and West Virginia to clean up orphaned oil and gas wells. These investments aim to address hazardous sites, create union jobs, catalyze economic growth, protect public health and the environment from methane leaks, and advance environmental justice.
Colorado will receive a $25 million award to plug 106 orphaned wells and complete decommissioning, remediation, and restoration at approximately 200 additional sites. Illinois will use its $25 million award to plug up to 460 orphaned oil and gas wells. West Virginia has been awarded $1.97 million to plug approximately 16 orphaned wells.
Orphaned oil and gas wells pose serious health and safety threats by contaminating surface and groundwater, releasing toxic air pollutants, and leaking methane—a significant cause of climate change. Plugging these wells supports broader Biden-Harris administration efforts under the U.S. Methane Emissions Reduction Action Plan.
“Toxic orphaned oil and gas wells have plagued American communities for generations. President Biden’s Investing in America agenda is empowering states across the country to address this long-standing environmental injustice by making a historic investment to plug these wells, which will create jobs and revitalize local economies,” said Secretary Deb Haaland. “With this historic funding, Colorado, Illinois, and West Virginia will continue the progress already made plugging wells and begin to turn the tide on these environmental hazards that are harming our lands, waters, and air.”
Today’s awards for Colorado and Illinois are part of an overall $660 million in formula grant funding being released on a rolling basis. West Virginia is receiving a matching grant under one of two categories of performance grants since the Department released final state matching grant guidance in May. As part of the awards, Colorado, Illinois, and West Virginia will detect methane emissions from orphaned oil and gas wells, screen for groundwater impacts, and prioritize cleaning up wells near disadvantaged communities.
Through the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, the Department is delivering the largest investment in tackling legacy pollution in American history with $4.7 billion allocated to plug orphaned wells. This includes grants in three categories: initial grants, formula grants, and performance grants. Since August 2022, $565 million has been awarded in initial grant funding to 25 states including Colorado, Illinois, and West Virginia.
In addition to initial grants worth $775 million available through performance grants totaling $1.5 billion certain states are eligible for $2 billion in formula grants under the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law. Since January this year alone the Department has awarded $444 million in formula grants to 18 states.
These awards advance the Biden-Harris administration’s environmental justice goals through the Justice40 Initiative aiming to deliver 40 percent of federal investment benefits to historically marginalized communities overburdened by pollution.
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