The House Environmental Resources & Energy Committee is scheduled to hold an informational meeting February 7 on DEP’s program to plug oil and gas wells abandoned by conventional well drillers and the federal taxpayer funds available for plugging these wells.

On January 31, the Department of Environmental Program announced it received the first $25 million of an expected $395 million over the next 15 years to plug abandoned and orphan oil and gas wells from the federal Bipartisan Infrastructure Law.  Read more here.

Conventional oil and gas well drillers abandon between 200,000 and 300,000 wells that taxpayers have to clean up. Read more here.

Over the last 30 years, Pennsylvania was only able to spend $37 million to plug 300 abandoned wells, when there are hundreds of thousands in the state.  [Read more here.]  [DEP Gets Headstart On Spending These Funds]

To learn more, visit DEP’s Abandoned & Orphan Well Program webpage.

Doing More To Prevent More Abandoned Wells

There are more attempts every year by conventional oil and gas well drillers to abandoned wells without plugging them.

Conventional oil and gas well drillers tried to abandon wells without plugging them 813 times in 2019 and 2020.  Read more here.

DEP has only $15 per well in bonds on hand to deter future abandoned wells from existing oil and gas well owners.  Read more here.

There are rulemaking petitions now before the Environmental Quality Board to increase oil and gas well bonding amounts in-line with the taxpayer cost to plug them to deter future abandon wells.  Read more here.

The Committee information meeting will be held in Room 515 Irvis Building starting at 9:30 a.m.  Click Here to watch live.

Rep. Daryl Metcalfe (R-Butler) serves as Majority Chair of the House Environmental Committee and can be contacted by calling 717-783-1707 or sending email to: dmetcalf@pahousegop.com. Rep. Greg Vitali (D-Delaware) serves as Minority Chair and can be contacted by calling 717-787-7647 or sending email to: gvitali@pahouse.net.

Related Articles:

-- DEP Receives First $25 Million From Federal Bipartisan Infrastructure Law For Plugging Oil & Gas Wells Abandon By Conventional Drillers

-- DEP: Conventional Oil & Gas Drillers Tried 813 Times To Abandon Wells Without Plugging Them

-- DEP Outlines 2022 Priorities: Make Up Deficit In Oil & Gas Funding; Get Resources Needed To Invest New Federal Mine Reclamation, Oil & Gas Well Plugging Funds

-- In 2021 Initiatives By The Biden Administration, Congress Make Historic Investments In Cleaning Up PA’s Environment; How To Invest $11 Billion Remains Up In The Air

[Posted: February 3, 2022]

2/7/2022