The Department of the Interior has announced a $14.5 million allocation from President Biden’s Investing in America agenda to address orphaned oil and gas wells in California and New Mexico. This funding aims to clean up hazardous sites, create union jobs, stimulate economic growth, protect public health, and advance environmental justice.
California will receive $9 million to plug up to 44 high-priority orphaned wells on state and private lands and decommission 23 related facilities. This includes removing an estimated 6,600 feet of well pipelines and 4,750 feet of facility pipelines. New Mexico is allocated $5.5 million for plugging up to 10 orphaned wells on state or privately owned lands. The state will also perform site characterization and remediation at two well sites and conduct surface restoration at up to 50 plugged well sites.
These efforts are part of the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law's historic investment in addressing legacy pollution, which includes $4.7 billion dedicated to plugging orphaned wells nationwide. Since the law's enactment, nearly 9,500 such wells have been plugged across various states.
"Toxic orphaned oil and gas wells have plagued American communities for generations," stated Secretary Deb Haaland. "President Biden’s Investing in America agenda has empowered 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."
Orphaned oil and gas wells pose significant threats by contaminating air and water quality through toxic emissions like methane—a potent climate change contributor—and other pollutants affecting drinking water sources.
The Bipartisan Infrastructure Law provides substantial funding through state performance grants categorized into matching grants and regulatory improvement grants. The current awards for California and New Mexico fall under matching grants with eligibility for up to $30 million per state following recent guidance releases.
Additionally, the program aligns with the Biden-Harris administration's Justice40 Initiative aiming to benefit disadvantaged communities disproportionately affected by pollution through federal investments.
Beyond state allocations, the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law earmarked $150 million for cleanup on Tribal land alongside $250 million for cleaning well sites within national parks, forests, wildlife refuges, among other public lands over recent years.
