The Department of the Interior has announced a $15.89 million investment as part of President Biden’s Investing in America agenda. This funding aims to assist three Tribal Nations and the State of Alabama in cleaning up orphaned oil and gas wells. The initiative is expected to support economic opportunities, address legacy pollution, reduce methane leaks, and tackle environmental hazards.
“Toxic orphaned oil and gas wells have plagued American communities for generations. President Biden’s Investing in America agenda is empowering Tribes and 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. “Millions of Americans live within a mile of an orphaned oil and gas well. With this historic funding, we are empowering Tribal Nations and states to begin to turn the tide on these environmental hazards that are harming our communities, lands, waters and air.”
The funds may be used for plugging, remediating or reclaiming orphaned wells on various lands, restoring soil and habitat affected by such wells, decommissioning associated infrastructure, identifying additional undocumented wells, and establishing well-plugging capacity where needed.
The Bipartisan Infrastructure Law allocates $4.7 billion for addressing orphaned wells nationwide, including $4.275 billion for states and $150 million specifically for Tribal communities. Today's announcement increases the total investment in cleaning up orphaned wells on Tribal lands to approximately $81 million and nearly $1.1 billion on state and private lands.
The financial allocations include: Comanche Nation receiving $5.94 million; Fort Belknap Indian Community receiving $2.33 million; Muscogee (Creek) Nation receiving $2.62 million; State of Alabama receiving $5 million.
Additionally, the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law has allocated $250 million over four years for cleaning up well sites in national parks, forests, wildlife refuges, and other public lands.
