Adam RollinsThe Department of the Interior (DOI) will provide $36.9 million to Kentucky, Mississippi and Missouri to clean up legacy pollution sources.
Orphaned oil and gas wells are serious health and safety risks to communities across the nation, leeching contaminants and toxic air pollutants into the atmosphere and water sources. These legacy pollutants affect backyards, recreation areas, communal spaces and are heavy contributors to climate change. Methane, a greenhouse gas far more potent than carbon dioxide, leaks from these orphaned wells at an alarming rate.
The DOI will deliver $25 million to Kentucky to plug and reclaim around 550 orphaned oil and gas wells. Mississippi will receive $6.8 million to identify, characterize and prioritize undocumented wells. In addition, Mississippi will plug, remediate and restore approximately 400 known orphaned well sites. Missouri will use the remaining $5.1 million to plug and reclaim approximately 238 orphaned wells.
All three states will measure methane emissions from these wells. Plans include screening for groundwater and surface water impacts and prioritizing wells near disadvantaged and underserved communities.
The funds come from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law (BIL) as part of the first phase of formula grant funding to remediate legacy pollution issues. The BIL has delivered nearly $150 million to federal land managers to plug, remediate and restore orphaned wells on public lands and waters. The BIL has also awarded around $40 million to Tribal communities for similar work. Tribes can now apply for up to $55 million for the next phase of treating orphaned well pollution.
