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DEP Begins Accepting Applications For New Methane Reduction Grants To Plug Conventional Oil, Gas Wells Oct. 16

On October 12, the Department of Environmental Protection published notice it will begin accepting applications on October 16 for the new Methane Reduction Grants Program to plug marginally producing conventional oil and gas wells on October 16. The deadline for applications is December 11. (formal notice)

Pennsylvania has $44.4 million available from the federal Inflation Reduction Act to provide grants to plug conventional wells.

This grant program is separate from the grant program announced October 2 to plug orphan conventional oil and gas wells abandoned by their owners. Read more here.

The new Methane Reduction Program includes two types of grants.

The MERP Small Operator Assistance Grant is available to operators with ten or fewer wells, qualified well pluggers or third parties.

The MERP General Assistance Grant is designed for operators with 11 or more wells, qualified well pluggers or third parties.

Qualified conventional wells under this program are wells that produces less than 90 mcf gas per day or 15 barrels of oil per day.

The maximum subaward cannot exceed $20,000 for every eligible well plugged that is an MCW of a depth of 3,000 feet or less or the actual cost of the qualified well plugger to plug the well, whichever is less.

Applicants can apply to plug MCWs with a maximum total reimbursement amount of $420,000 per application within each application period. The maximum subaward cannot exceed $35,000 for every eligible well plugged that is an orphan well of a depth of greater than 3,000 feet or the actual cost of the qualified well plugger to plug the well, whichever is less.

Read the entire PA Bulletin notice for more information.

Click Here for more information and to apply. Questions should be directed to Amy McMullen, Environmental Group Manager, ammcmullen@pa.gov or (717) 783-9165

PA Oil & Gas Industry Public Notice Dashboards:

-- PA Oil & Gas Weekly Compliance Dashboard - October 5 to 18 - Conventional Well Owners Issued 767 Violations For Abandoning Their Wells - So Far, More Than Double Number In 2019; Leaking Gas Storage Area Wells [PaEN]

-- PA Oil & Gas Industrial Facilities: Permit Notices, Opportunities To Comment - October 12 [PaEN]

-- PA Oil & Gas Industrial Facilities: Permit Notices, Opportunities To Comment - October 19 [PaEN]

-- DEP Posted 87 Pages Of Permit-Related Notices In October 12 PA Bulletin [PaEN]

-- DEP Posted 57 Pages Of Permit-Related Notices In October 19 PA Bulletin [PaEN]

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NewsClips:

-- The Energy Age Blog: ‘Amity & Prosperity’ By Eliza Griswold Thrust Fracking In Washington County, PA Into The National Spotlight