America’s oil and gas industry has a long history of driving economic growth and supporting energy development. However, one lasting challenge is the legacy of orphaned wells—abandoned oil and gas wells that were either never properly plugged or have deteriorated over time. These wells can pose serious environmental and public health risks, including groundwater contamination, methane emissions and the release of other harmful pollutants. More than 117,000 orphaned wells have been documented across 27 states.
Recently, Reps. Glenn “GT” Thompson (R-Penn.) and Chris Deluzio (D-Penn.) introduced the Orphan Well Grant Flexibility Act to streamline and accelerate the plugging of these legacy oil and gas wells.
In 2021, Congress provided $4.7 billion to address the issue with strong bipartisan support. However, the Biden administration turned a blessing into a burden by requiring complex and unnecessary testing procedures and limiting flexibilities for state agencies. The Orphan Well Grant Flexibility Act would solve this issue by removing these barriers and preventing such action in the future, ensuring this funding can be used effectively and re-establishing congressional intent.
“Orphaned wells pose an environmental challenge and we applaud the leadership of Rep. Thompson to address this issue,” said CRES President Heather Reams. “Despite strong bipartisan support in Congress, the Biden Administration imposed unnecessary bureaucratic hurdles that slow down state efforts to cap these wells. This bipartisan legislation restores clarity and efficiency to the process, ensuring that resources are spent on plugging wells—not on excessive red tape. By accelerating cleanup efforts, this bill helps protect communities, strengthen public health and reinforce America’s continued leadership in responsible energy development.”
CRES hopes Congress will take up and pass this commonsense legislation. This is a win not just for the environment, but it also improves the safety and quality of life for many Americans.